Before the current administration came into office, (actually 10 years ago) was the first time someone confronted me with the idea that highways can be racist.
I thought this an unusual concept because after all, American highway and tollways are open to all comers, rich, poor, native and non-native, how can a highway have a preference?
After doing some research and reading a few books on highway planning in the post WW2 era, I began to see where the concept of "racist highways" had come from.
Some books discussed the idea that many highway planners intentionally chose the planned ROW's to go through certain neighborhoods, which just happened to be either very poor, or very black.
So the authors asked why?
Was this intentional? By design? Or just a consequence of rational road planning?
The answer I found was "it depends".
When doing highway planning in the 1950's it was standard routine to look at urban renewal opportunities. It was also considered optimal to plan highways using the least expensive real estate.
These opportunities presented themselves in the most poor of neighborhoods, which were quite healthy for the residents, but perhaps looked blighted for those not used to it, or to local leaders.
So planners would route highways through these neighborhoods with the effect of either tearing them apart, splitting them in two by dividing them up or building large walls that essentially cut the view (and noise).
Were any of the planners and engineers outright racists?
Many of that generation are no longer alive, so its hard to say (or interview them) to see if they had ill intent in their work. (or if they would even admit to it)
I have asked people familiar with urban planning to show me some examples of where road planning, or even zoning to promote new roads was discriminatory in some way.
Some of them were compelling, some of them were speculative, some of them were just plain over thinking it. (IMHO)
In the post war period of road building the NEPA process was nothing close to what it is today. Many variables and impacts are measured and taken into consideration when planning a highway.
But even then many plans for highways still had committees and reviews with various public agencies, could someone or something with an agenda get a nefarious road plan through?
I looked at a few examples where some were successful and where some weren't to see if there were any common threads.
One was in Portland Oregon, where in the "master plan" they had an expressway (I think it was called the Fremont Expressway) going through what at the time was considered lesser economic areas east of the downtown. It was considered a benefit as part of urban renewal. (it was not built)
The other was Jacksonville Florida. The then JEA (Jacksonville Expressway Authority) had exclusive rights to build expressways in metro Jacksonville. What is now I-95 from Golfair Road south to the terminus with the future I-10 went through the middle of a large black community called Lavilla. (it was built).
I also looked at the Eisenhower ( also called the Congress Expressway) in Chicago, especially when it passed through Garfield Park. For a period of time it used to end at Central, but when it was built through Garfield Park, it created a major disruption in the local neighborhoods which still resonate today.
Also looked at was the gap in I-49 in Shreveport north of I-20 and through 12 Mile Bayou.
I am sure there are other examples or ideas that these issues were at play.
But were they intentional or directed at a certain community?
In the Chicago example, the then Mayor Daley (Sr.) had some very clear objectives when it came to using the new federal dollars to build expressways. But was he targeting anyone?
Hopefully this will be a constructive dialog and not get into the cellar with accusations and recriminations, but get a better idea of how roads were planned in the post-war buildout and was there any efforts (intentional of otherwise) to push out people of lesser economic value or by culture or skin color.
It's a very compelling topic that has (unfortunately) been heavily politicized. I was hoping that fellow highway enthusiasts could share feedback.