Compared with an expanded expressway, a freeway with interchanges will handle significantly more traffic within a comparable transportation corridor width.

The expanded expressway, also defined as the "enhanced expressway" alternative, would have required additional through-lanes and turn lanes at key intersections, thus affecting more properties than a freeway would. It would also leave remaining at-grade intersections extremely congested, due to heavy left-turn movements.

The analysis determined that the enhanced expressway would not meet the project's purpose and need.