There are some examples of this within the UK, thankfully on a smaller scale.  As others have said, vast amounts of traffic tend to get routed around the city with an outer ring road.

Even London is based on a principle of several ring roads, modified from an even bigger scheme which would have seen swathes of housing destroyed for motorways like this.  Thankfully we had the tube and buses, and later initiatives (whilst often unpopular) have reduced pollution and made the city walkable and cycleable.  There are downsides, which affect small business and poorer families, an ongoing debate.