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The United States Is Planning a Billion-Dollar Investment to Destroy Highways. Find Out What Led the Country to Make the Decision to Demolish These Roads, Which Are Practically an “American Trademark”.
No other country in the world has a road network as extensive and iconic as the United States, where highways are practically synonymous with American culture. However, despite this importance, the U.S. government has initiated an ambitious project to destroy some of these highways and, recently, approved a massive investment of US$ 20 billion to eliminate several others. But why is the country deciding to dismantle one of its “trademarks”? In this article, you will discover the reasons behind this surprising decision and the impact it may have on infrastructure and the future of mobility in the United States.
Understand Why the United States Is Spending Billions to Destroy Highways
The majority of highways in the United States are reaching the end of their lifespan, as many were built between the 1940s and 1960s and are in poor condition requiring major renovations. During the last presidential campaign, the candidate Joe Biden promised a significant investment to recover the country’s infrastructure.
After being elected, the president launched a two trillion dollar investment plan for the renovation of roads, bridges, railways, among others, and within that amount, US$ 20 billion will be exclusively allocated to destroy highways and reconnect communities that were separated in the past.
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Many cities have already applied for funds to destroy highways, but there is one that is a step ahead. The city of Rochester, in the state of New York, took the lead, and in 2010 began to remove one of these urban barriers. During the highway expansion period, back in the last century, a ring road more than 4 km long was built that isolated the city center.
As the lanes were built at a lower level, a ditch separated and transformed the city center into an island. For construction, over 1,300 houses were demolished, and with the isolation, the area gradually deteriorated.
Discussions to Destroy Highways in the U.S. Have Been Happening Since the 90s
The discussions for removal began around 1990, but it was not until a few decades later that the plan started to be executed. Due to the ever-increasing maintenance costs, the local government finally decided to eliminate part of the highway.
The eastern section of the ring has already been completely buried, and today a wide avenue with bike lanes and sidewalks occupies the space. The results did not take long to appear, and according to the U.S. government, the investment to destroy highways has allowed the revitalization of several streets that were previously cut off by the highway.
It also freed up an area for the construction of new developments and increased foot traffic by 50% and bikes in the region, in addition to supporting new businesses and creating many jobs. The positive results encouraged the continuation of the project, and studies are currently underway for the demolition of the northern section.
Detroit Also Joins the Destruction of Highways in the United States
Like in Rochester, projects are spreading across the country, and even Detroit, the city that symbolizes the automotive industry in the United States, is demolishing a section of the highway that crosses the city. In this case, it is a 1,600-meter stretch of Interstate 375, which was built in 1960.
The highway was built in Paradise Valley, which according to the Washington Post was a district with a vibrant nightlife, housing several jazz clubs and hundreds of businesses owned by Black entrepreneurs. According to the newspaper, the construction of the highway displaced over 100,000 residents and the area went into decline.
The demolition of this stretch was the first project chosen under the investment plan announced by the president, and the city received 105 million dollars to destroy highways in the U.S.
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