The proposed freeway expansion in downtown Houston has faced searing backlash from local residents who see the project as a relic of the era of rampant freeway construction and neighborhood disruption.
An article and accompanying video from CBS News profiles some of the residents and institutions threatened with displacement by an interstate widening project in Houston, already home to the widest freeway in the world. "About 1,000 homes and apartments along with 344 businesses, two schools, and five churches are expected to be knocked down to complete the project."
One of these churches is Mount Olive Baptist Church, which was rebuilt by its pastor after it sustained severe damage during Hurricane Ike. Now, the $9-billion plan to widen interstates through downtown Houston threatens his church once again.
Community activists cite the loss of property to eminent domain and highway projects as a loss of generational wealth as homeowners lose the opportunity to pass on property to their children. Meanwhile, displaced residents, even if they receive buyouts, have a hard time finding new housing as neighborhoods become more expensive and they are priced out of the areas they previously lived in.
According to the article and previous Planetizen coverage, "The federal government has put most of the Houston project on hold while it investigates possible civil rights and environmental violations."
I-10 Widening Project Continues in Texas
The current work will expand the freeway to three lanes in each direction and shift a notorious bottleneck farther west.
Halted Interstate Expansion Could Proceed in Houston
Local and state officials have come to an ‘historic’ agreement that could move the stalled project forward.
Contentious Houston Freeway Widening Project Inches Forward
Federal officials have given TxDOT the go-ahead to resume work on a small portion of a controversial interstate widening project in downtown Houston.
‘Forward Together’ Bus System Redesign Rolling Out in Portland
Portland is redesigning its bus system to respond to the changing patterns of the post-pandemic world—with twin goals of increasing ridership and improving equity.
Plan to Potentially Remove Downtown Milwaukee’s Interstate Faces Public Scrutiny
The public is weighing in on a suite of options for repairing, replacing, or removing Interstate 794 in downtown Milwaukee.
Can New York City Go Green Without Renewable Rikers?
New York City’s bold proposal to close the jail on Rikers Island and replace it with green infrastructure is in jeopardy. Will this compromise the city’s ambitious climate goals?
700-Acre Master-Planned Community Planned in Utah
A massive development plan is taking shape for lakefront property in Vineyard, Utah—on the site of a former U.S. Steel Geneva Works facility.
More Cities Ponder the End of Drive-Thrus
Drive-thru fast food restaurants might be a staple of American life, but several U.S. cities are actively considering prohibiting the development of new drive-thrus for the benefit of traffic safety, air quality, and congestion.
Air Pollution World’s Worst Public Health Threat, Report Says
Air pollution is more likely to take years life off the lifespan of the average human than any other external factor, according to a recent report out of the University of Chicago.
Placer County
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HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Dongguan Binhaiwan Bay Area Management Committee
City of Waukesha, WI
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
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