Highway Expansion
Streetsblog Basics
Southern California Road Agency Courts Bankruptcy With Highway Addition
Today, U.S. PIRG and the Frontier Group released a new report, “Highway Boondoggles: Wasted Money and America’s Transportation Future.” In it, they examine 11 of the most wasteful, least justifiable road projects underway in America right now.
September 18, 2014
Will Missouri Voters Go Along With the Highway Lobby’s Money Grab?
Next week, Missouri voters will decide on Amendment 7 -- a three-quarter-cent sales tax hike to pay for transportation projects that would be the largest tax increase in the state's history. Construction industry groups have poured millions into convincing Missourians to pay $5.4 billion over the next 10 years. Will they bite?
July 30, 2014
Building Cloverleafs Won’t Inspire Americans to Pay More for Transportation
The federal transportation fund is running out of money, threatening the country with potholes, stopped construction, and economic downturn. Congress, which has kept the program solvent with short-term patches for years, now finds itself unable to do more than buy a few months’ time.
July 23, 2014
Other Cities Look to Tear Down Their Old Highways, But Not Denver
Denver has one of those golden opportunities that many American cities are seizing: An elevated highway that damaged neighborhoods is nearing the end of its life, giving the city an opening to repair the harm.
July 18, 2014
Moving Cars vs. Investing in Places — The Struggle for American Cities
In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Governor Scott Walker and Mayor Tom Barrett are brawling in the press over a proposed highway project -- a fight that exemplifies the enormous rift in America about what transportation policy should accomplish.
July 9, 2014
8 Monster Interchanges That Blight American Cities
Ramming highways through the middle of American cities was undoubtedly one of the worst mistakes of the 20th century -- demolishing urban habitat, dividing neighborhoods, and erecting structures that suck the life out of places. What could be worse than a highway through the middle of town? How about when two highways intersect, with all their assorted high-speed ramps carving out huge chunks of land to move cars.
July 1, 2014
7 Photos Show How Detroit Hollowed Out During the Highway Age
While searching for images of highway interchanges in urban areas, I came across these historic aerial photos of Detroit on a message board, showing how the city fabric has slowly eroded. It's a remarkable record of a process that has scarred many other American cities.
June 24, 2014
Study: Corrupt States Spend More on Highways
A new academic study helps explain the enduring political popularity of expensive transportation boondoggles like Birmingham's $4.7 billion Northern Beltline and Kentucky's $2.6 billion Ohio River Bridges.
June 6, 2014
How Road Planners Fail Neighborhoods
Why do neighborhood groups -- especially in low-income areas -- have such a hard time influencing the design of major road projects? An interesting case study from the University of Colorado-Denver sheds some light.
June 4, 2014
Wisconsin’s Outdated Transportation Priorities Are Alienating Young People
Over-spending on roads is a bad idea for any state DOT. But it’s an especially bad idea if that state needs to retain more young people who don't want to be shackled to cars.
May 21, 2014