A good transportation infrastructure policy ought to enable communities to identify where more roads are needed and desired and where some need to be eliminated. This list certainly makes a good stab at the latter; and as for number one on it’s hit list, the Alaskan Way Viaduct in Seattle, I agree, it’s ugly as sin.
The roadbuilding industry and associations turn apoplectic whenever the “urbanist” community starts talking about reducing vehicle traffic. But our industry needs to listen to these people. The alternatives, subways/public transit, bike lanes, etc., are also good for the construction industry too.
Boston’s Big Dig took a lot of flack for delays and huge cost overruns, but when it was all said and done, you’d be hard pressed to find anybody in that city who wishes the “Green Monster,” the hideous overhead freeway it replaced, would come back.
Anybody care to defend the projects on this list in the comments section?
