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A freeway in Austin made a list of the 15 worst freeways in the US Way to go, Austin.
The list comes from Freeways Without Futures 2021, a report by Congress For the New Urbanism, a Washington, DC-based organization whose mission is to promote walkable urbanism. The group supports the dismantling of highways from the middle of the cities.
The report says these highways have created hurdles for people around them. Two Texas Freeways are included:
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Austin’s Interstate 35, which runs right through the city.
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Dallas’ Interstate 345, the section of freeway on the east side of downtown Dallas.
The disastrous nature of I-35 is nothing new to Austinites, as the freeway was previously ranked in the top 10 worst in the nation.
The highways were selected by a national advisory committee made up of transport and urban planning experts with experience in developing urban highways. The panel took into account criteria such as the age and condition of the individual highways, the quality of the alternative road design, the feasibility of the demolition, the support of the community for the demolition, the existing political dynamism, redevelopment possibilities, cost savings and the potential to improve access to opportunities for the underserved Municipalities.
As the report notes, many of the 15 highways on the list are poorly maintained and have become liabilities instead of assets. They also have broad support for change in their communities.
The question is: what changes.
“Are we going to reinvest in and rebuild these structures, continue to support the expansion of highways, and consolidate the physical barriers that separate and destroy?” asks the report. “Or can we envision a repairable infrastructure program that will re-assemble communities, address the damage these highways caused, and improve access to opportunities for old residents?”
I-35 in Austin
Interstate 35 acts as a divide between downtown and the color communities in East Austin, and is the city’s most dangerous corridor for pedestrians. The report says the I-35 in its current form doesn’t serve anyone particularly well, but the Texas Department of Transportation is planning a $ 4.9 billion highway upgrade to increase it to up to 20 lanes.
With a growing number of people realizing that upgrading the freeway will only lead to more cars and congestion, Austin residents wonder if there is a better solution than simply rebuilding and expanding the freeway.
In November 2020, TxDOT started a one-month public comment period on concepts for the revision.
Alternatives include a solution proposed by local advocacy group Reconnect Austin that would leave I-35 on its current footprint but push and cap 5.4 miles from Holly Street to Airport Boulevard. On top of the cap, a new boulevard would be in line with Austin’s Great Streets master plan, which would include space for pedestrians, cyclists, and special through lanes.
The plans would reclaim more than 130 acres of land for development, 24.4 acres of which would be directly adjacent to the city center, creating more space for housing in close proximity to workplaces, while reducing the number of commuters.
I-345 in Dallas
I-345 is the 1.4 mile stretch of highway that connects I-30 and I-45 to US-75. It’s convenient for motorists heading north, but the road forms a barrier between downtown Dallas and Deep Ellum, with a number of vacant lots. The highway has structural problems and needs to be repaired.
The idea of demolishing it was first championed by A New Dallas, a group founded in 2013 by residents Patrick Kennedy and Brandon Hancock, who demonstrated that demolition would have social, economic, and environmental benefits. (A New Dallas has since evolved into The Coalition for a New Dallas, a nonprofit and political action committee.)
TxDOT started a feasibility study and unveiled the Dallas CityMAP plan in 2016, which determined the removal would have positive effects, including expanding 375 acres of urban land for development with the potential for walkable urban blocks, public spaces and new housing.
TxDOT is expected to make a decision on a preferred alternative later this year.
Other cities that made the list include:
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Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, New York, New York
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Claiborne Expressway (I-10), New Orleans, Louisiana
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Inner Loop North, Rochester, New York
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I-244, Tulsa, Oklahoma
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I-275, Tampa, Florida
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I-35, Duluth, Minnesota
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I-5, Seattle, Washington
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I-81, Syracuse, New York
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I-980, Oakland, California
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Kensington Expressway, Buffalo, New York
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Nordschleife (I-35/70), Kansas City, Missouri
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Scajaquada Expressway, Buffalo, New York
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The Great Highway, San Francisco, California
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