This Is How Manhattan Would Need to Look If Everyone Drove

The island of Manhattan is short 48 bridges and tunnels, according to analyst Matt Taylor, who estimates that New York City requires an additional 380 travel lanes to accommodate enough cars if every commuter suddenly chose to drive.

Wait, what?

Let's take a step back: New York is a city that thrives on public transportation, with a subway and bus network reaching five boroughs, and a master-planned train system that connects three states to the island of Manhattan.

But what if everyone drove cars instead—like they seem to do in Los Angeles, among other cities?

Above, Taylor depicts how the City would have to expand its network of roads, if cars displaced public transportation, in "An Auto-Oriented Manhattan." By Taylor's analysis, about 2 million people make their way in and out of Manhattan on the average workday. He estimates that only 16 percent of these people currently use a "personal vehicle," while the remaining 84 percent enlist public transit to get around.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, Taylor also surmises that Manhattan would need "a layer of underground parking under the entire island" in order to accommodate all the cars once they enter.