Hi all,
Here is what is being said about the Highways to Boulevards movement this week. If you come across any articles, feel free to share and please let me know if you have any questions.
The next Freeway Fighters Meetup will be on February 14th at 2pm ET. An early Valentine’s Day celebration for all us freeway fighters.
This month’s agenda will be pretty low-key. We’ve had a lot of new people join us, so we want to provide ample time for them to say hello. It’s also been a while since we’ve had updates from everyone on their respective efforts and we know there’s some big ones out there. Finally, we’ll have some brief updates too and want to get some input from all of you on the potential for an in-person gathering of freeway fighters later in the year.
February meetup calendar invite: https://calendar.google.com/
Direct Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/
Highways to Boulevards news
Ideas on how to spend the more than $1 billion in extra infrastructure money coming to Wisconsin
WUWM February 5, 2022
More than $1 billion in extra money for roads and bridges is coming to Wisconsin from Washington D.C. over the next five years.
The failed Akron Innerbelt drove decades of racial inequity. Can the damage be repaired?
Akron Beacon Journal February 5, 2022
The mistakes of the past are guiding discussions about the future of a 30-acre decommissioned stretch of the Innerbelt in the heart of Akron.
How Policymakers Are Grappling With the Racist Legacy of Urban Freeways | Planetizen News
Planetizen February 7, 2022
In Michigan, the state’s Department of Transportation is looking for ways to mitigate the damage caused by decades of urban renewal policies and reconnect neighborhoods cut off from amenities and opportunities by highway projects.
Demolition of elevated I-81 through Syracuse looks set to go ahead – FreightWaves
FreightWaves February 9, 2022
Plans to tear down a section of Interstate 81 that goes through a low-income area of Syracuse, New York, and replace its key section with an urban boulevard, routing most truck traffic around the city, appear to have become reality.
Atlanta Hopes to Heal Communities Torn Apart by Interstate 75/85 – Construction Equipment Guide
Construction Equipment Guide February 10, 2022
When transportation officials in Georgia and other areas of the country began laying out the interstate system in the 1940s and ‘50s, they often charted many routes through predominantly Black neighborhoods.
Biden’s Climate Promises Challenged by Highway Money Influx (1) – Bloomberg Law
Bloomberg Law February 10, 2022
The Biden administration wants federal infrastructure money used to fix crumbling roads and bridges before being spent to build new ones, in part to limit climate change.
Top Republican senators defend highway expansion in clash with climate-minded Biden …
MarketWatch February 10, 2022
Top Senate Republicans are pushing back on a Biden administration effort to discourage states from using funds in the roughly $1 trillion infrastructure law to expand highways, as a separate partisan battle over government spending slows the release of much of the public-works money.
Democrats Unveil Transformative ‘Move Ahead Washington’ Transportation Package | The Urbanist
The Urbanist February 10, 2022
On Tuesday, the Washington State Legislature’s Democratic caucus unveiled a $16 billion proposal funding a suite of transportation projects intended to be completed over the next 16 years, through 2038.
How Billions in Infrastructure Funding Could Worsen Global Warming – The New York Times
The New York Times February 11, 2022
The highways in Colorado, one of the nation’s fastest-growing states, are frequently clogged with suburban workers driving into Denver, skiers heading high into the Rocky Mountains and trucks rumbling across the Interstates.
Statement: States should ‘fix-it-first’ because that’s what’s needed | U.S. PIRG
US PIRG February 11, 2022
Although it is true that the Department of Transportation’s memo does not carry the force of law, that doesn’t mean it’s not good guidance for states to follow.
Top Republicans Encourage Governors to Ignore FHWA Guidance | Planetizen News
Planetizen February 11, 2022
Senators McConnell and Capito reject the administration’s efforts to steer federal funds to infrastructure projects that prioritize road maintenance and transit and pedestrian improvements over new road construction.
Republicans urge states to ignore infrastructure guidance – E&E News
E&E News February 11, 2022
Top Republican lawmakers are pushing back against the Biden administration’s efforts to encourage states to prioritize climate resilience, public transit and bike paths over highway expansion projects when allocating new infrastructure funding.