Widening a road is no guaranteeOur view

Widening a road is no guarantee

Our view

The Burton K. Wheeler Center forum last week on the relationship between highway improvements and economic development was a real eye-opener.

It covered lots of ground, but the most startling fact to emerge was this: No one has a crystal ball to predict the economic outcome once a highway is expanded.

People in this area of expertise are working on developing more reliable computer models to examine the consequences of highway improvements. But those tools aren't yet available.

Those who are anxious to see the widening of U.S. Highway 2 into an econo...