For the vast majority of the 20th century, urban planning was focused on how to move vehicles as quickly as possible in and out of (and in many cases, through) downtown centers. This was often done at the expense of the city’s residents, and far too often this meant the displacement of its Black and Brown residents. Under the guise of “urban renewal” and expedited by the 1956 Federal Highway Act, interstates tore through these neighborhoods all across America, often dividing people and neighborhoods by race and socioeconomic status.
Thankfully, in recent years, we as a nation have recognized the detrimental social, economic, and communal impacts that these divisive interstates have had on countless cities across the country. In 2022, the U.S. Department of Transportation, announced its inaugural participants in the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program, all aimed at undoing the damage done by the highway system.
In my hometown, the City of Pittsburgh, funds were granted to assess how to reunite the communities of Manchester and Chateau, which were divided by PA-65. Manchester, as a whole, has a higher concentration of people of color, lower incomes, and higher rates of unemployment. A big reason is due in part to this highway which disconnects community members from resources like employment, goods, and services.
At the link below, you'll find a really great story map chronicling the need for this program in communities like Philadelphia's Chinatown, Columbus, Atlanta, and Portland.
#walkability #connectivity #equity #urbanrenewal #community #activetransportation
