Highway Teardowns Benefitting Traffic Flow and City Life

The Infrastructurist offers four case studies of cities that have removed highways. The result: less congestion.

1 minute read

July 8, 2009, 8:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


"Of course, improving congestion is not the main reason why a city would want to knock down a poorly planned highway–the reasons for that are plentiful, and might include improving citizen health, restoring the local environment, and energizing the regional economy. More efficient traffic flow is just a wonderful side benefit.

Sound dubious? Here are several examples of how three cities (and their drivers) have fared better after highways that should never have been built in the first place were taken down."

In each of these cases, the removed highways have been replaced with new public spaces and parks.

Monday, July 6, 2009 in The Infrastructurist

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

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