5 Cities That Should Bury Their Downtown Highways

Comments · 225

• B1

  @b1gdonkus · 6 months ago

  time for my masochist ritual of watching KC on urbanist youtube

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• SE

  @seanmuir9594 · 6 months ago (edited)

  You have educated me. I have been to many of these cities, and it makes so much sense in their downtowns. Great ideas, and I hope cities are open to your ideas. I've been to Boston before and after, and it's a marked improvement.

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• TH

  @TheDoctor67 · 6 months ago

  The Big Dig was more than the tunnels:<br><br>First, the MassPike tunnels to the airport were finished on time and on budget.<br><br>All the highway on and off ramps for five miles in each direction were completely re-built.<br><br>A beautiful cable-stayed cantilevered bridge was built over the Charles. It&apos;s already an icon of the city.<br><br>The path of the Central Artery was turned into a 2 mile linear Greenway series of parks.<br><br>The primary tunnels are what people think of as the Big Dig: the I93 Central Artery. This had to be built under buildings, utilities, Boston Harbor. and active subway tunnels. The order was that nothing be closed down.<br><br>So much dirt was hauled away that one of the Harbor Islands was expanded and connected to the mainland.<br><br>It was hell to live through. Over budget yes. Totally worth it, absolutely.<br><br>This is the type of massive, life changing, urban project that won&apos;t happen again at least for another 25 to 50 years. Funding issues, political division to the extreme, a greatly reduced labor force.<br><br>The Hudson Tunnels approach the scale and cost of the Big Dig. The current president has blocked money already approved to complete the project. It will take more money to end it than to finish it.<br><br>Europe, the Middle East, China: that&apos;s where the transformative projects will happen. America is no longer dominant in the world by almost any measure outside military.

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• BO

  @Bobrogers99 · 6 months ago

  In many cases, if a city opts for burying a downtown highway, the project should include a subway line. &nbsp;Some Bostonians note that the city desperately needs a rail connection between North and South Stations, and the Big Dig was the perfect time to do it. &nbsp;The connection was omitted because the project was already so far over budget.

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• DY

  @dynasty0019 · 6 months ago (edited)

  Surprised I-5 and SR-94 in San Diego are not part of this video. The freeways are already mostly below level when entering or going through Downtown San Diego. All it needed is a cover on some parts so neighborhoods like East Village/Grant Hill, Little Italy/Bankers Hill, and Barrio Logan/Logan Heights are no longer divided.

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• HO

  @hoonami139 · 6 months ago

  Great Video, I-71 in Cincinnati is another one begging to be capped

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• AL

  @AllenGraetz · 6 months ago

  What would it cost to tunnel I-345? &nbsp; We don&apos;t know. Yet despite not knowing the cost we are told that ( magically ) we know it would be worth doing.

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• CH

  @chrisdorsch9754 · 6 months ago

  I live in Pittsburgh and if any city would benefit, this is it. The Neighborhoods are so maxed out for new builds and It is the perfect time for remaking downtown into a Euro centric, walkable experience. Pittsburgh is so cosmopolitan but it&apos;s missing that piece of the puzzle. Cable Cars could also connect the Northside to the Southside, and deliver another mode other than just the T, aka light rail.

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• K3

  @k30blzr · 6 months ago

  &apos;ProPEL Indy Study&apos; and &apos;Rethink I65/I70 Coalition Advocacy&apos; are both currently looking at ideas to lower and cap portions of I65 and I70 corridor and interchange within the Indianapolis I465 loop.

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• MH

  @mh0862 · 6 months ago

  Hmmmm. &nbsp;I&apos;ve never heard Paris called the Detroit of France.

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• BM

  @bmully · 6 months ago

  Portland can and should cap I-405 (and parts of I-84 and I-5) and I&apos;m glad you mentioned it!

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• TH

  @TheSteddyTeddy · 5 months ago

  I live in Detroit, but just moved here from Atlanta. &nbsp; They are already planning to cap 375 on the north side of and the Joe Louis Greenway that they are working on is very similar to the Atlanta beltline.

  2