Watsonville's already on track to have more people than the city of Santa Cruz in a few decades.

I mean, is there a comprehensive study that shows a wider highway increases population growth?

I support the widening via a gas tax, and making the new lane a carpool lane - two methods proven to reduce congestion and pollution, and it doesn't infringe upon people who don't utilize the highway - leaving a sales tax for other mass transportation options.

However, it's just not realistic to think that we can build more busses and less people willd rive.