The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway Isn’t a Park Project, It’s a Highway Expansion

NYCDOT is dangling the prospect of "park-like opportunities" in order to advance its latest highway expansion project, but New Yorkers aren't buying it.

End Highway Expansion, News, Top StoryAsia MieleszkoMay 3, 2023End Highway Expansion, highways, freeway widening, Parks, parks, New York State, DOT, USDOT, induced demand

The Reconnecting Communities Program Isn’t Undoing Highway Expansions—It’s Decorating Them

For some, the Reconnecting Communities Program symbolizes an auspicious reversal of values that have characterized the past 70 years of transportation planning. For others, it's business as usual.

End Highway Expansion, Federal Government, Top StoryAsia MieleszkoMarch 23, 2023End Highway Expansion, Louisiana, Oregon, highways, freeway widening, federal funding, federal government, USDOT, DOT, transportation spending

Houstonians Deceived and Displaced

TxDOT is pushing a controversial highway expansion that would displace thousands of residents and destroy hundreds of businesses, churches and homes.

End Highway Expansion, Community, Top StoryAsia MieleszkoMarch 8, 2023transportation, DOT, Houston, Texas, highways

State, City DOT Agreement Gives Chicago More Control Over Streets

Conflicting priorities between city transportation departments and their state counterparts is one of the biggest barriers to pedestrian safety improvements. Chicago is taking a step toward mending that relationship.

Safe & Productive Streets, News, Top StoryAsia MieleszkoMarch 2, 2023transportation, Safe and Productive Streets, Illinois, Pedestrian Safety, pedestrian safety, DOT, bikeability, pedestrians, car crash, Safety, safety

Highway Ramps Promised To Deliver Chester From Hardship. Residents Are Still Waiting.

10 years ago, PennDOT promised that two new highway ramps in Chester, PA, would produce “an explosion of economic development.” Now, the city is filing for bankruptcy.

End Highway Expansion, News, Top StoryAsia MieleszkoFebruary 27, 2023End Highway Expansion, Pennsylvania, DOT, highway spending, Municipal Bankruptcy, Economy

TxDOT Chooses Highways Over Housing

The Texas Department of Transportation pushes forward with an $85 billion, decade-long plan to expand the state’s highway system, despite widespread opposition and even a federal lawsuit.

End Highway Expansion, News, Top StoryAsia MieleszkoFebruary 10, 2023End Highway Expansion, Texas, housing, highways, urban freeways, freeway widening, freeways, DOT, transportation, transportation spending

Road-Widening Project Threatens 30-Year-Old Farmers Market

Residents of Mooresville, NC, are outraged as a road-widening project and ensuing regulatory dispute pushed by city officials threaten the future of a longstanding farmers market.

End Highway Expansion, Local Government, Sheppard, News, Top StorySeairra SheppardJanuary 23, 2023End Highway Expansion, farmer's market, local business, local politics, local government, North Carolina, DOT, freeway widening

Ruling: Oklahoma Turnpike Authority “Willfully” Misled Public to Force $5 Billion Expansion Project

The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority faces multiple lawsuits, with plaintiffs alleging its plans for an imminent turnpike expansion project not only lacked transparency, but were illegal.

End Highway Expansion, Transportation, News, Top StoryAsia MieleszkoJanuary 16, 2023End Highway Expansion, transportation, Infrastructure, infrastructure, oklahoma, DOT, highways, freeway widening

MoDOT Is Proud of Their Highways. Missourians, Not So Much.

MoDOT recently put out a tweet celebrating the 50-year anniversary of a highway that tore up Kansas City’s downtown. Here are just some of the (rightfully) angry reactions they got.

Why Is Rhode Island Building New Roads When Its Current Roads Are Falling Apart?

Rhode Island has built far more highways than it can afford to maintain. So why on earth is it building another one?

#NoNewRoads, Infrastructure, Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnAugust 15, 2022End Highway Expansion, highways, highway spending, maintenance, Maintenance, Infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure cult, Nero Project, Rhode Island, DOT, #NoNewRoads, roads

TxDOT Proposes to Dig a $1 Billion Infrastructure Grave in Downtown Dallas

For years now, TxDOT has considered removing Interstate 345 in downtown Dallas…only to conclude their study by coming up with a much worse plan.

Freeway-Fighting Tide Has Turned

The halting of three in-city freeway expansions highlights a new momentum on reversing the damage of highways through urban areas.

Flying Blind: Why Public Leaders Need an Investment Grade Analysis

Portland and Oregon leaders shouldn’t commit to a $5-billion project without an investment grade analysis (IGA) of toll revenues.

#DotheMath, #InfrastructureCrisis, Infrastructure, City Observatory, Top StoryJoe CortrightJune 17, 2022Infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure cost, infrastructure spending, Oregon, Washington, DOT, #DoTheMath, City Observatory

Yet Another Exploding Whale: ODOT’s Freeway-Widening Cost Doubles

The Oregon DOT has experienced massive cost overruns on all of its largest construction projects…and has systematically concealed and understated the frequency and scale of those cost overruns.

#InfrastructureCrisis, Infrastructure, City Observatory, Transportation, Top StoryJoe CortrightJune 3, 2022Infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure cult, infrastructure cost, infrastructure spending, Oregon, DOT, City Observatory, Joe Cortright, transportation

Texas DOT Doubles Down on Urban Highway Expansions

San Antonio residents were working on a downtown road diet and neighborhood redevelopment…until TxDOT decided to completely ignore the will of 78% of local voters.

#NoNewRoads, #SlowtheCars, Roads and Streets, Stange, Transportation, Top StoryJay StangeFebruary 8, 2022DOT, Texas, Houston, #NoNewRoads, #SlowTheCars, road diet, Road Diet, roads, streets, STROADS

Let Main Streets Be Main Streets

A community should determine what kind of community it wants to be, not unelected DOT engineers.

Bake Sales for Crosswalks

Idahoan advocates had to get desperate to fund basic pedestrian safety features—all while the state DOT is budgeting $100 million to overhaul a single freeway interchange.

ODOT Needs to Stop the I-5 Bridge Con

Next month, the Portland Metro government is being asked to approve $36 million in additional funds for further planning of a massive freeway project. It should say no.

City Observatory, Environment, Infrastructure, Transportation, #NoNewRoads, Top StoryJoe CortrightNovember 12, 2021DOT, Portland OR, Oregon, transportation, transportation spending, highways, highway spending, freeways, freeway widening, City Observatory, Infrastructure

More Highways, More Driving, More Emissions

Fact: New roads always produce new driving. Say hello to “induced demand.”

Why State DOTs Keep Making the Same Mistakes... and How to Break That Cycle

State transportation departments are often maddeningly resistant to change, and can be the biggest obstacle facing safe-streets advocates. A new article series from Smart Growth America digs deep into what has to happen—and is happening—to reform these agencies from the inside.

Top Story, Transportation, Roads and StreetsDaniel HerrigesMarch 28, 2019Smart Growth America, DOT, impact

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