Recent Streetsblog USA posts about Highway Expansion

Allendale, a lower-income, largely black neighborhood in Shreveport, had plans to build a new park and housing. But regional planners, with support from the mayor, want to bulldoze a new highway right through through the neighborhood. Photo: Allentown Strong

Shreveport Mayor Votes to Bulldoze a Black Neighborhood to Build a Highway

By Angie Schmitt | Aug 22, 2017 | 60 Comments

Mayor Ollie Taylor sided with economic development consultants, and against the wishes of her constituents living in the Shreveport neighborhood of Allendale.

An "outer Beltway" isn't officially on the Washington region's agenda, but a new highway across the Potomac River (in orange) still is. Map: Beyond DC

The “Outer Beltway” Is DC’s Zombie Highway Project That Won’t Stay Dead

By Stephen Miller | Aug 7, 2017 | 10 Comments

Thanks to road boosters in the suburbs of Washington, DC, another highway bridge across the Potomac River — part of an old plan for a second beltway around the nation’s capital — is still officially a possibility. While an outer beltway was rejected decades ago, highway segments like the Intercounty Connector were built in the ensuing […]

The $1.5 billion Trinity Parkway, given the gauzy watercolor treatment. Image: Army Corps of Engineers via Dallas Morning News

All the Effort That Went Into Fighting a Dallas Highway Is About to Pay Off

By Angie Schmitt | Jul 12, 2017 | 7 Comments

The Trinity Parkway would cost $1.5 billion, further entrench car dependence, and ruin riverfront parkland and natural habitat. But now, after a sustained campaign that turned highways and transportation into a central issue in local elections, the Dallas City Council is on the verge of killing the project.

This area of Atlanta, south of downtown, was nearly completely obliterated by highway construction. Photo: ThreadATL

When Your State DOT Starts Talking About “Relieving Congestion,” Alarms Should Go Off

By Angie Schmitt | Jul 11, 2017 | 4 Comments

Georgia is looking to reduce congestion on the I-75/85 corridor in through downtown Atlanta, saying "no idea is off the table." But some ideas should be discarded right off the bat - like the notion that adding space for cars is going to solve the traffic problem.

I-5 in Portland is one of the two urban highways that won't be getting widened after all. Photo: BikePortland

Portland’s on the Verge of Fending Off Two Highway Widening Projects

By Angie Schmitt | Jun 29, 2017 | 8 Comments

In Portland, two road expansions with a combined pricetag of $1 billion seemed to be on the fast track for funding this year, with transit agency boss Neil McFarlane and city DOT chief Leah Treat lining up behind them, in addition to the usual road-building suspects. But it looks like the highway expansions are toast, at least for now.

The Science Is Clear: More Highways Equals More Traffic. Why Are DOTs Still Ignoring It?

By Angie Schmitt | Jun 21, 2017 | 46 Comments

Numerous studies have documented the phenomenon known as induced demand in transportation: Basically, if you build highway lanes, more drivers will come. And yet, transportation agencies rarely account for this effect when planning road projects.

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