Highway Boondoggles
Streetsblog California
California Must Stop Expanding Highways
While transit, bike, and safety projects struggle for funding, the state keeps writing blank checks for freeway widening boondoggles. It's time to tell our lawmakers: enough!
March 18, 2026
What the ‘Abundance’ Agenda Could Mean For Equitable Transportation
Could Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson's buzzword usher in an era of bountiful transportation options, or just more highways?
January 19, 2026
Find Out Exactly How Much Downtown Highways Cost Your City
"How much does it actually cost to be car dependent?" This Dallas-based analyst set out to answer that question for cities across the U.S.
December 14, 2025
Displacement and Dollars Down the Drain: The Data Behind California’s Highway Expansion Crisis
The following post first appeared at the Greenlining Institute's blog. Yesenia Perez is the Institute's Sr. Program Manager for Climate Equity.
Yesenia Perez
December 3, 2025
Report: Biden Infrastructure Bill Spurred Increase in State and Local Highway Spending
The Urban Institute found an overall increase in capital investment in ground transportation — mostly on highways — and flat investment in public transit.
November 16, 2025
Legislature and Governor Greenlight Freeway Expansion in Protected Wetlands
As the saying goes: if you need to change the law to build it, maybe it’s the wrong project.
October 9, 2025
America Has a Golden Opportunity to End the ‘Highway Boondoggle’ Crisis
America's wasteful highway spending has gotten out of control — and if President Trump really wants to promote efficient government, he'll urge Congress to stop it.
October 9, 2025
Enviro Groups Urge Gov to Reject Legislation Advancing Road Widening in Sonoma County Swamp
Given the strong support in the legislature, Caltrans, and the California Transportation Commission for the project it's unlikely the Governor will veto. But, that doesn't mean there aren't good reasons that he should.
September 18, 2025
Another Reason We Have a Housing Crisis? Highways!
In urban neighborhoods — especially Black ones — land once set aside for homes was decimated for car drivers.
September 18, 2024
‘A Petition, a Website, and a T-shirt’: Ann Arbor Advocates Share Tips for Fighting Highway Expansions
Ann Arbor advocates helped get a destructive and wasteful highway expansion thrown out — and they have some ideas on how you can, too.
June 10, 2024
