Destroying freeways

[Slick Vik]

So, where is the money going to come from to remove the freeways? And, more importantly, where is the money going to come from to build the bypass roads to carry the intercity traffic that use the removed roads? If you remove I-10 through town, the traffic has to go somewhere. I also have to ask how I am going to take my family to Galveston without the freeways. Currently, we get on I-10 at TC Jester, then get on 45 near Downtown. With your proposal, what is currently an hour trip will become a 3 hour trip as we fight the traffic through town.

Honestly, removing non-deadend freeways at this point has to be one of the least rational proposals I've ever seen.

Cities all around all removing freeways at certain areas: San Francisco, Milwaukee, Seoul are three that come to mind and many others are in the planning stage.

As for the rest of your argument, I would think a return of houston-Galveston rail would be one solution, and here is an explanation to your question about where will the traffic go. Also, it costs MUCH less to remove highways than to expand them. And if done right the money made out of the land there makes incredible profit

http://www.carfreeinbigd.com/2012/05/less-capacity-where-traffic-goes-part.html?m=1

[livincinco]

I'm not saying that, I'm willing to compromise and say it should be removed from downtown areas.

I'm not willing to compromise. Everyone needs to move back inside the loop so that we can become a true urban city. Once everyone does that, our density will be even higher than Mumbai and it will be awesome. We shouldn't settle for more density. We have to go for having the most density.

[Ross]

Yep, life was so much better when it looked like this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

or like this:

 

 

or this

 

 

After all, there were no pesky freeways then.

Edited May 28, 2013 by Ross

[RedScare]

But check out that mixed use!!!

[livincinco]

Yep, life was so much better when it looked like this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

or like this:

 

 

or this

 

 

After all, there were no pesky freeways then.

American cities were idyllic and peaceful before freeways.  The attached article shows how early General Motors propaganda about cars started as early as 1908, the exact year that General Motors was founded.  Right from the start, they were brainwashing the American people.

 

http://www.banhdc.org/archives/ch-hist-19711000.html

[livincinco]

It's such a tragedy that freeways have caused so much urban destruction when all of that could have been avoided by replacing it with rail.

 

http://www.railpixs.com/sp2/SP_EnglewoodYd_Houston_Nov77aa.jpg

[kdog08]

Yep, life was so much better when it looked like this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

or like this:

 

 

or this

 

 

After all, there were no pesky freeways then.

 

.... add some wifi and you're golden. 

[Slick Vik]

Yep, life was so much better when it looked like this:

or like this:

or this

After all, there were no pesky freeways then.

I could go to fifth ward or third ward or sunny side right now and take pictures of crack houses you're not really making a point right now. Also I don't see anything wrong with the first two pictures.

[samagon]

Don't think he is saying remove all freeways. Just those around downtown. I think it would be nice if 45 was demolished and you routed that traffic onto 10/59. Then you could open up the west side of Downtown.

 

No, I think you mean, rip out 59 between 45 and i10, then you could open up the east side of downtown. more people take 45 anyway, which is why I usually end up getting off 45 north, onto 59 north, onto i10 west and back onto 45 north. It's so damned crowded!

[august948]

I could go to fifth ward or third ward or sunny side right now and take pictures of crack houses you're not really making a point right now. Also I don't see anything wrong with the first two pictures.

The first two pictures illustrate why people got in their cars and moved to the suburbs as soon as it was feasible.

[livincinco]

Cities all around all removing freeways at certain areas: San Francisco, Milwaukee, Seoul are three that come to mind and many others are in the planning stage.

As for the rest of your argument, I would think a return of houston-Galveston rail would be one solution, and here is an explanation to your question about where will the traffic go. Also, it costs MUCH less to remove highways than to expand them. And if done right the money made out of the land there makes incredible profit

http://www.carfreeinbigd.com/2012/05/less-capacity-where-traffic-goes-part.html?m=1

 

On a similar note, Seoul has implemented an electric car sharing plan.  Looks like it runs very similar to the bike sharing plans that Houston and San Antonio have implemented.

 

http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2013/05/28/seoul-rolls-out-electric-car-sharing-program/

[august948]

No, I think you mean, rip out 59 between 45 and i10, then you could open up the east side of downtown. more people take 45 anyway, which is why I usually end up getting off 45 north, onto 59 north, onto i10 west and back onto 45 north. It's so damned crowded!

Actually, what would be really cool would be to redo both to be wider and put them below grade like 59 between Shepard and Montrose, roof them over and make the top side long, thin greenbelts with hike and bike trails.

[Montrose1100]

Something more cost effective would be to just do some cosmetic updates. Long, dramatic stainless steel arches with painted concrete would look a thousand times better then the plain concrete pillars (Similar to the arches over Post Oak). Or even some metal grids with climbing/hanging flora, to box in the parking under the freeway.

[august948]

Something more cost effective would be to just do some cosmetic updates. Long, dramatic stainless steel arches with painted concrete would look a thousand times better then the plain concrete pillars (Similar to the arches over Post Oak). Or even some metal grids with climbing/hanging flora, to box in the parking under the freeway.

Cosmetics would be nice, but I-45 in particular needs to be expanded. Apparently TxDOT is already looking into it.

http://www.houstontomorrow.org/livability/story/i-45-expansion/

[livincinco]

Cosmetics would be nice, but I-45 in particular needs to be expanded. Apparently TxDOT is already looking into it.

http://www.houstontomorrow.org/livability/story/i-45-expansion/

 

I liked the TxDOT proposal to turn the I-45/I-10/I-69 loop into a big roundabout.

[Slick Vik]

On a similar note, Seoul has implemented an electric car sharing plan. Looks like it runs very similar to the bike sharing plans that Houston and San Antonio have implemented.

http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2013/05/28/seoul-rolls-out-electric-car-sharing-program/

Sounds good. Zipcar and car2go are gaining popularity in the us.

[Slick Vik]

Actually, what would be really cool would be to redo both to be wider and put them below grade like 59 between Shepard and Montrose, roof them over and make the top side long, thin greenbelts with hike and bike trails.

Sounds like the big dig. I like it except the widening but would compromise if the greenery actually happened.