induced demand

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

the empirically observed phenomenon in transportation planning whereby an increase in road capacity — such as the addition of new lanes or new roads — generates additional vehicle traffic that eventually fills the new capacity, often returning congestion to pre-expansion levels; induced demand arises because lower travel costs encourage more trips, longer trips, car ownership, and land use changes that reinforce driving; it is a central argument against road expansion as a long-term congestion management strategy