LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A five-year transportation plan for Lincoln and Lancaster County aims to handle growing traffic by helping vehicles move through intersections more efficiently, eliminating the need for streets to widen.

The new direction is part of the proposed Long Range Transportation Plan.

A half dozen streets previously considered candidates for future major widening projects are now on a different list of streets the city plans to study to look for ways to improve traffic without widening.

City planners predict that traffic on city streets will increase from about 6 million vehicle miles traveled per day in 2015 to close to 9 million vehicle miles traveled in 2040.

Planning director David Cary says the corridor studies will include looking at using smarter traffic signals and physical improvements at intersections.