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highway expansion

The I-35 Expansion in Austin, Texas Shows Why States Should Never Control Their Own Environmental Review Process

A little-known loophole in federal law allows states like Texas to rubber-stamp their own environmental reviews — even when the projects they're reviewing are harmful highway boondoggles.

October 30, 2023

White Roads Through Black Bedrooms: How Urban Freeways Cemented Spatial Inequalities

Urban freeways are having a moment of serious reconsideration.

October 19, 2023

Why Democrats and Republicans Alike Keep Expanding Highways

A Democratic governor's controversial decision to pick up a road-widening effort where his Republican predecessor left off is sparking a conversation about why U.S. leaders across party lines keep pushing for the same old harmful highway projects.

September 11, 2023

How Future Metro Freeway Expansion Could Mitigate Increased Driving – Part 2

VMT mitigation is likely to be a litmus test for Metro's commitment to climate action. Will the mitigation skeptics water the program down to opaque meaninglessness? Or will Metro pivot toward sustainability and equity?

August 18, 2023

Metro to Mitigate Increased Driving on Future Freeway Expansion Projects – Part 1

When CA agencies widen freeways they must mitigate the resulting increase in driving - by including components that get folks out of cars. The requirement took effect in 2020, but grandfathered in current expansion.

August 7, 2023

Metro “Multimodal” 605 Freeway Ramp-Widening Project Out to Bid with No Multimodal Component

The "multimodal" project scope contains no bicycle or transit components, and, for pedestrians, merely re-installs the existing crosswalk and walk signals at the widened mouth of the off-ramp.

July 26, 2023

Metro Announces 605 Freeway Widening Project Will Not Demolish Homes

Metro Senior Director Isidro Pánuco announced that the 605 Corridor Improvement Project will have no residential displacements as it will be kept within existing Caltrans right-of-way

July 20, 2023

Metro Postpones 605 Freeway Widening Project Community Meetings

Metro had announced corridor-wide 605 Freeway Corridor Improvement Project meetings would take place June-July 2023, but this week pushed them back to Fall-Winter 2023

July 19, 2023

What Would Our Cities Look Like if Their Downtowns Had Not Been Torn Apart for Highways?

A new report lays out how much work still needs to be done to undo the damage of our highway system.

July 14, 2023

US DOT ‘Equity Plan’ Ignores the Inequitable Impacts of Highway Expansions

The new Equity Action Plan contains some great ideas to make transportation network better for disadvantaged Americans. But it doesn't include strong measures to prevent racist road projects.

July 10, 2023