Highway Removal
Basics
Texas DOT Open to Burying Highway That Cuts Through Dallas
Though it's not the highway teardown advocates want, TxDOT is now considering putting 1.3-miles of I-345 underground.
October 18, 2017
Too Many State DOTs Are Little More Than Highway Departments
In the last 50 years, nearly every state agency that used to call itself the "highway department" has changed its name to the "department of transportation" to reflect a change in mission. But in practice, many state DOTs still operate strictly as highway departments.
August 23, 2017
Akron’s Getting Rid of a Downtown Highway. What Should Replace It?
For years, Akron, Ohio, has been planning to dismantle a nearly-empty highway through its downtown. Now that work is underway, the city has an open-door policy to figure out what to do with the land -- and Akronites are coming up with all sorts of ideas.
June 8, 2017
Atlanta’s I-85 Collapse — Another “Carmaggedon” That Wasn’t
When a heavily-traveled section of Atlanta's I-85 collapsed in a fire last week, the traffic predictions were dire. But the highway disruption appears to be another case of "carmaggedon" that never materialized -- and that should inform the way we plan our transportation systems.
April 4, 2017
Providence Is Using Bikes to Build a Future on a Freeway’s Footprint
Fifty years ago, almost every city in the country discovered the effects a freeway has on the neighborhoods nearby. Now, one of the country's oldest cities is about to learn what happens when you move a freeway out.
March 30, 2017
Kansas City Will Take a Serious Look at Removing Downtown Highway
Rochester just converted part of its Inner Loop highway into a surface street, a similar project is underway in New Haven, and freeway teardowns are in play in many other American cities. Now you can add Kansas City to the list of places getting serious about removing a highway to save money, improve walkability, and open downtown land for development.
February 17, 2017
10 Urban Freeways That Need to Come Down
There are excellent candidates for freeway removal in many American cities, where roads built 50 or 60 years ago are nearing the end of their useful lives. Cities that take the plunge and get rid of their urban highways don't regret it.
January 30, 2017
Adieu, Cars: Paris Riverfront to Be Permanently Returned to the People
After years of experimentation, the Paris City Council this week committed to the permanent conversion of two miles of the Georges Pompidou expressway along the River Seine into a waterfront park.
September 28, 2016
The Hilarious 1960s Vision for the Underbelly of a Houston Highway
Ah, the best laid plans. As Texas DOT considers tearing down the Pierce Elevated Freeway on the east side of downtown Houston, it's instructive to look back at what people were thinking when they made this eyesore.
June 30, 2016
Houston’s Big Chance to Turn Back the Tide of Car Traffic
There's a lot riding on Texas DOT's $7 billion plan for downtown Houston freeways.
June 29, 2016