Does the road ahead for successful cities mean removing highways?

If hindsight is 20/20, there might be a lot of urban planners from 50s and 60s looking back and regretting how the layout of America’s cities went wrong.

A recent New York Times piece featuring UConn’s Dr. Norman Garrick looked at 30 cities across America and how they’re trying to undo the damage from more than a half-century ago.

As midcentury highways reach the end of their life spans, cities across the country are having to choose whether to rebuild or reconsider them. And a growing number, like Rochester, are choosing to take them down.

In order to accommodate cars and commuters, many cities “basically destroyed themselves,” said Norman Garrick, a professor at the University of Connecticut who studies how transportation projects have reshaped American cities.

“Rochester has shown what can be done in terms of reconnecting the city and restoring a sense of place,” he said. “That’s really the underlying goal of highway removal.”

The project’s successes and stumbling blocks provide lessons for other cities looking to retire some of their own aging highways. Nearly 30 cities nationwide are currently discussing some form of removal.  May 27 - New York Times

The concept of urban renewal is front and center and is getting a lot of attention as the government looks to invest in infrastructure and new modern cities. And if you’re a reporter looking to know more about this topic, let us help.

Dr. Norman Garrick is professor in the Department of Civil Engineering and co-director of the Sustainable Cities Research Group at the University of Connecticut. He is an expert in the areas of transportation behaviors, parking, public transit, and bicycle lanes. Dr. Garrick is available to speak with media – simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.