Freeway Revolts: Freeway Revolts: Why not the Twin Why not the Twin

Cities?Cities?

Thomas More

Nick Dobda

Xiaozheng He

Why Did Revolts Why Did Revolts Originate?Originate?

Prior to 1916Prior to 1916 Federal Aid Road Act (1916)Federal Aid Road Act (1916) Federal Highway Act (1921, Federal Highway Act (1921, 1934, 1944, 1952)1934, 1944, 1952)

Federal-Aid Highway Act (1956) Federal-Aid Highway Act (1956) From dirt roads, to surfaced roads, to a network of roads. That was the plan

The National Highway The National Highway SystemSystem

Interstate SystemInterstate System Conceived in the 1930’sConceived in the 1930’s Funded by the Federal-Aid Highway Act Funded by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956of 1956

Planned 41,000 miles of roadPlanned 41,000 miles of road To be completed in within 20 yearsTo be completed in within 20 years

35,000 miles actually built by 197535,000 miles actually built by 1975

Problems Along the WayProblems Along the Way

Designed by State Engineers Designed by State Engineers Due to poor planning, problems Due to poor planning, problems arose that were not designed arose that were not designed forfor Miami, FL (Overton)Miami, FL (Overton) Nashville, TNNashville, TN Other CitiesOther Cities Minneapolis?Minneapolis?

Engineering Solutions to CongestionEngineering Solutions to Congestion

St. Paul: I-94, Two St. Paul: I-94, Two PerspectivesPerspectives

EngineersEngineers Ultimately in charge of route selectionUltimately in charge of route selection

Chose route that would reduce congestion Chose route that would reduce congestion the mostthe most

Use of “Control points” and “Desire Lines”Use of “Control points” and “Desire Lines” Chose most inexpensive route to constructChose most inexpensive route to construct

City PlannersCity Planners Routes based on effect on local Routes based on effect on local communitiescommunities

Old Planners disagreed on route selectionOld Planners disagreed on route selection Newer Planners eventually agreed on routesNewer Planners eventually agreed on routes

Activism & Freeway Activism & Freeway RevoltRevolt

Beginning in the late 1950’s thru the Beginning in the late 1950’s thru the 1980’s, civic activism against freeway 1980’s, civic activism against freeway construction construction

As the highway interstate system As the highway interstate system developed, questions arose about where developed, questions arose about where highways would go in cities. The highways would go in cities. The answer: existing neighborhoodsanswer: existing neighborhoods

Feds, States, & Localities tried to Feds, States, & Localities tried to override local citizen concernsoverride local citizen concerns

Environmental, energy and housing Environmental, energy and housing concerns were driving forces for concerns were driving forces for activists activists

San FranciscoSan Francisco San Francisco Chronicle publishes map of San Francisco Chronicle publishes map of proposed city freeway routesproposed city freeway routes

Construction of the Embarcadero Freeway Construction of the Embarcadero Freeway beginsbegins

Embarcadero FreewayEmbarcadero Freeway

The Road to NowhereThe Road to Nowhere

..

Freeway Revolt Across Freeway Revolt Across the USAthe USA

Other proposed and existing freeway Other proposed and existing freeway systems became the focus of activists, and systems became the focus of activists, and where either halted or torn downwhere either halted or torn down

Cities including Portland, OR, BaltimoreCities including Portland, OR, Baltimore Other examples include Boston’s “Big Dig” Other examples include Boston’s “Big Dig” projectproject

Moses v. JacobsMoses v. Jacobs

Robert Moses: Visionary or Robert Moses: Visionary or Scoundrel?Scoundrel?

Jane Jacobs: Activist or Jane Jacobs: Activist or Development Thorn?Development Thorn?

QuestionsQuestions

Where Did Revolts Come Where Did Revolts Come From?From?

Public Responses to Public Responses to FreewaysFreeways

How Do We Prevent Revolts?How Do We Prevent Revolts? What About the Twin Cities?What About the Twin Cities?

What is Government What is Government Facing?Facing?

Transportation efficiency Transportation efficiency requirementrequirement

Increasing Increasing traffic congestion traffic congestion EnvironmentalismEnvironmentalism Energy shortageEnergy shortage

How Can the Conflicts How Can the Conflicts be Solved?be Solved?

Expand road capacityExpand road capacity Add new links (better land use and Add new links (better land use and planning)planning)

Add new lanesAdd new lanes Develop public transportationDevelop public transportation

RailRail Bus rapid transitBus rapid transit

Restrict traffic demandsRestrict traffic demands Congestion ChargeCongestion Charge HOV lanesHOV lanes

Promote other alternativesPromote other alternatives TeleworkTelework Walk and bicycleWalk and bicycle

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) ““BRT is a complete BRT is a complete rapid transit system rapid transit system that provides:that provides: The performance and The performance and feel of rail at afeel of rail at a

Fraction of the cost”Fraction of the cost” Many technologies Many technologies relatedrelated Busway planBusway plan Fare collectionFare collection Route designRoute design ITSITS Access routeAccess route

BRT PlanningBRT Planning

Car PoolingCar Pooling

High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanesHigh Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes California: SR91California: SR91 Texas: Katy Freeway Texas: Katy Freeway Colorado: I-25 (conversion from Colorado: I-25 (conversion from HOV lanes)HOV lanes)

Minnesota HOTMinnesota HOT

Dynamic pricingDynamic pricing Spread the flow at peak hourSpread the flow at peak hour Finance road systemFinance road system Manage congestionManage congestion Reduce pollutionReduce pollution

Congestion ChargeCongestion Charge

Singapore — the first Singapore — the first city had this policy in city had this policy in 19981998

London — the largest London — the largest city to do socity to do so

Other cities include:Other cities include: OsloOslo BergenBergen TrondheimTrondheim

TeleworkTelework

““Employees perform their usual Employees perform their usual job duties away from their job duties away from their central workplace.” central workplace.”

Depending on newly-developed Depending on newly-developed technologies: telephone, fax, technologies: telephone, fax, Internet…Internet…

Work trips reduceWork trips reduce Flexible Working ScheduleFlexible Working Schedule

Where Will it Stop?Where Will it Stop?

A transportation infrastructure A transportation infrastructure has to go somewhere.has to go somewhere. Rail linesRail lines Power linesPower lines PipelinesPipelines

If not here, then where?If not here, then where? Light Rail Revolt?Light Rail Revolt? NIMBYNIMBY

QuestionsQuestions Can building a new rail line solve congestion? Can building a new rail line solve congestion? Can there be Rail Revolts? Or, Toll Revolts? Can there be Rail Revolts? Or, Toll Revolts?

Is it ethical for government officials (city, Is it ethical for government officials (city, state, and or national level) to use highways to state, and or national level) to use highways to develop cities as they see fit? develop cities as they see fit? Urban Renewal programs?Urban Renewal programs?

Do highways get designed to develop cities, or Do highways get designed to develop cities, or do cities end up getting developed around do cities end up getting developed around highways? highways? Won’t a city develop around a highway wherever the Won’t a city develop around a highway wherever the highway is located?highway is located?

Who should have the final decision on if a Who should have the final decision on if a highway is good for a city? highway is good for a city? Does the Public know what it good for itself?Does the Public know what it good for itself?

Have we learned from our mistakes in the past?Have we learned from our mistakes in the past?

Can there be more freeway revolts in the future?Can there be more freeway revolts in the future?