Highways

I read this interesting article in USA Today.  It talked about how Oklahoma City is replacing an aging interstate with... nothing.  They are actually going to move the interstate away from downtown, and use the space for a park and a boulevard.  The article cites a growing number of cities who want to do away with interstates that cut right through the heart of their cities.

I'm fascinated by this because it's such a departure from traditional ideas.  It makes logical sense that an interstate should go around a city, and not directly through it.  Certainly, an interstate that goes right through the middle of a city will have a negative impact on that area.  The article cites a couple of case studies in San Francisco and Manhattan where removing a highway led to new neighborhood development.  It will be interesting to see how this concept progresses over the next decade.