A new report from the Brookings Institution, and its associated interactive tool, study the flow of freight among U.S. metropolitan areas. The same metropolitan areas on which much of the nation’s freight system depends are also home to the most congested corridors. By graphically showing freight flows within the U.S., the report makes a strong argument that congestion in large metro areas interferes with interstate commerce.
interstates
The fate of Detroit’s Chrysler Freeway—the public considers alternatives
Recently SSTI reported on the possibility of the City of Detroit removing I-375, also named the Chrysler Freeway. Now a consultant team has released six alternatives for what might replace it. A lively conversation about the fate of this 1.062-mile interstate spur has begun. Regardless of the chosen alternative, this project will shape how the revitalization of Detroit’s cultural, education, and arts district proceeds and is worthy of a rigorous public comment period and open discussion between the various stakeholders affected by the project.
Texas DOT will study feasibility of removing I-345 in Dallas
Although TxDOT had previously considered only rehabilitation or another high-capacity road for the I-345 corridor, earlier this month the agency agreed to work with the City of Dallas to conduct a fast-tracked feasibility study looking at the possibility of removal. This makes TxDOT one of a growing number of agencies considering the option of converting urban freeways into surface-level boulevards.
Redefining mobility in the Motor City—the fate of I-375
Detroit, home to the nation’s Big Three automakers, fully embraced the construction of the interstate highway through its urban core. The fact that this city, the epicenter of car culture, finds itself considering the removal of a freeway is a clear sign that transportation priorities in urban areas have shifted. The Motor City’s evolving approach to livability, quality of life, and revitalization are pushing a reconsideration of the fate of I-375, also known as the Chrysler Freeway.
Bookends on the highway era: A view at the start and a look back from today
Fortune magazine has republished a September 1958 article that takes stock of the Interstate construction boom, just then beginning. It’s a thorough and surprisingly prescient take, and one that reminds us that our highway system …
Tolling the interstates
States are generally prohibited from tolling previously free portions of the Interstate Highway System, under the view that the road has already been paid for. There is currently one exception to the rule and more …
Big vision, big roads, what now?
We are used to thinking about American’s interstate system beginning with the Eisenhower era’s creation of a national defense highway system in the 1950’s. A new book “The Big Roads: The Untold Story of the …