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The chapter titled “Width” discusses the issue of road width and its impact on traffic congestion. The author explores the history of road widening in cities and discusses the idea that wider roads were not necessarily built for motor vehicles but for various other reasons such as to reduce congestion, create better vistas, prevent insurrection, or create healthier and wealthier streets. The author provides examples of how many roads in British cities were widened before the advent of motor vehicles and notes that not every road in Britain is narrow, and not every wide road was built for motor cars. The chapter also explores the perception that London’s streets are narrow and medieval, and the author counters this by providing evidence that many of London’s major roads have been wide for centuries, as depicted in maps and illustrations from the 18th and 19th centuries. The author notes that road widening in London and other cities was not solely for the benefit of motor vehicles but was often seen as a way to create healthier and more spacious streets. This was because wider roads allowed for better air circulation and prevented the build-up of noxious air, or “miasma.” The author discusses how early proponents of the motor car believed that it would solve congestion issues, but this turned out not to be the case. The increase in motor vehicle use actually led to more congestion on roads. The concept of induced demand is mentioned, which suggests that building more roads leads to increased traffic as people take advantage of the new infrastructure. The author provides examples of how new roads quickly fill with motor vehicles and argues that building wider roads is not an effective solution to congestion. This idea is reinforced by quotes from Lewis Mumford, who compared building more roads to a fat man loosening his belt to prevent obesity. The chapter concludes by highlighting the issue of traffic congestion in modern cities, particularly in China, where there have been record-breaking traffic jams. Despite the building of more roads, congestion continues to be a problem. The author suggests that focusing on alternative modes of transportation, such as cycling and walking, may be a more sustainable and effective solution to reducing congestion in cities.

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