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The United States is planning a billion-dollar investment to destroy highways. Discover what led the country to make the decision to dismantle 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 US government began an ambitious project to destroy some of these highways and recently approved a massive investment of US$20 billion to eliminate several other. But why is the country deciding to undo one of its “trademarks”? In this article, you will discover the reasons behind this surprising decision and the impact it could have on infrastructure and the future of mobility in the United States.
Understand why the United States is spending billions to destroy highways
A Most highways in the United States are reaching the end of their useful life, since many of them were built between the 40s and 60s and many are in a precarious state requiring major renovations. During the last presidential campaign, the candidate Joe Biden promised an investment of a large amount of resources to recover the country's infrastructure.
After being elected, the president launched an investment plan of two trillion dollars to renovate roads, bridges, railways, among others, and within this amount, $20 billion will be allocated exclusively to destroying highways and reconnecting communities that have been separated in the past.
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Many cities have already applied to receive funds and destroy highways, but there is one that is one 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 period of highway expansion, still in the last century, a ring road measuring just over 4 km was built in the city, which isolated the city center.
As the runways were built at a lower level, a ditch separated and turned the city center into an island. For construction, more than 1.300 houses were demolished and with isolation the region gradually deteriorated.
Discussions to destroy highways in the US have been going on since the 90s
Discussions for removal began around 1990, but it was only a few decades later that the plan began to be implemented. Due to increasing maintenance costs, the local government finally decided to close down part of the highway.
The eastern section of the ring has already been completely buried and today a wide avenue with a cycle path and sidewalks occupies the space. The results didn't take long to appear and according to the US government, the investment to destroy highways made it possible to revitalize several streets that were previously cut off by the highway.
It also freed up an area for the construction of new projects and increased the movement of walkers and Bike in the region, in addition to promoting new businesses and generating several jobs. The positive results encouraged the continuation of the project and studies for the demolition of the northern section are currently underway.
Detroit also joins highway destruction in the United States
Just like in Rochester, the projects are spreading across the country and even Detroit, the city that is the symbol of the United States automobile industry, is destroying a section of the highway that crosses the city. In this case, it is a 1600 meter stretch of Interstate Highway 375, which was built in 1960.
The highway was built in Paradise Valley, which according to the Washington Post was a district with a busy nightlife, home to several jazz clubs and hundreds of black-owned businesses. According to the newspaper, more than 100 residents were displaced during the construction of the highway and the region went into decline.
The demolition of this section was the first project chosen within the investment plan announced by the president and the city received 105 million dollars to destroy highways in the USA.
