Strong Towns on CNN: Going "Big" on Road Projects Won't Fix American Cities

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The Strong Towns message is reaching new audiences every day.  On Monday, CNN.com published an essay by Strong Towns president Charles Marohn about the vital need to remove harmful highways from urban neighborhoods and to stop the costly expansion of American roads.  This is important not only because of the financial cost of such road projects (the loss of businesses, the loss of home equity, the immense public spending) but also because of the overlapping human cost: the destruction of neighborhoods and communities, especially those that are frequently ignored and left out of public decision making, often low-income residents and people of color.

As a movement, Strong Towns is proud to share this important message in a major national publication. It is one of many signs that this vision of local prosperity and resilience for all communities is growing and shaping towns across the continent.

Here’s an excerpt from the new essay titled, “Secretary Pete, going 'big' on road projects won't fix America's cities. This is what will”:

The next infrastructure bill, which is anticipated this summer, is going to have to do some heavy lifting. Foremost, it will need to be an investment in jobs and economic recovery, putting people back to work in the wake of the pandemic. It will also be expected to make meaningful shifts toward a green economy, fulfilling promises made by many on the campaign trail. Finally, it will need to address racial equity, a core emphasis put forth by President Joe Biden and echoed by Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. 

While the theme coming from Secretary Buttigieg seems to be “go big,” the projects most likely to meet all of the administration’s goals will need to be small, incremental and city-focused. They would repair damage from past grand initiatives instead of launching new ones…

 The article goes on to cover three key cities that stand as examples of the change needed across the country:

• Shreveport, LA has been contemplating a costly highway project that would damage low-income, predominantly African American neighborhoods. This project—and other proposals like it around the US—must stop. (Read more Strong Towns coverage of the situation in Shreveport here.)

• TxDOT is reconstructing an urban highway through Austin, with a choice between removing the freeway that currently runs through its downtown, making space for new homes and businesses, or expanding the existing highway at great cost to neighborhoods and state finances. The “cut and cap” proposal is the best way forward, and something other cities should invest in, too. (Read a Strong Towns article on this topic for more info.)

• South Bend, IN has decreased speeds and prioritized people in its downtown, rather than fast vehicle movement. This city has the right idea and other communities should follow suit. (Read some related Strong Towns articles on South Bend here.)

Read the whole article.

This is the second CNN Opinion essay Charles Marohn has been invited to write and you can read the first here.

Strong Towns is changing the conversation about growth and development across North America. Want to be part of a movement that is helping people take action in their communities and spreading a message of prosperity built from the bottom-up? Join Strong Towns today.

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