Great article in the New York Times today pointing out that cities are getting way less than a fair share of transportation stimulus money. Of course, this is old, old news. I'm in DC right now looking into this very issue as it played out mid-century. City leaders knew that they should be getting more money from the feds, and they fought hard to get a bigger cut. But, their efforts backfired. The problem was, the funds that were coming out of Washington through state highway departments were earmarked for only one form transportation infrastructure. And, that form was very, very problematic for the physical reality of cities. After fighting so hard to get a bigger share, cities ended up with horrific, destructive highways shoved through their dense urban cores. They were dying for the money, wanted to spend it but could only spend it on highways, and rationalized the destruction by saying they were "renewing" urban neighborhoods by bulldozing slums. And, as was so painfully obvious even then and certainly now, all of this was shaped by deeply racist motivations and and carried out with devastating consequences for minority communities. The reaction to this disaster was manifest in nation-wide freeway revolts. And, we've been left with scarred, gutted city cores as a result.
Now, the very same problems that led to the urban transportation fiasco of the 50s and 60s still plague transportation policy. Funds are still earmarked by mode, planning still takes place separately by modes, urban transportation planning is still inadequate and weak. We need change the structures and procedures that shape transportation appropriations and planning to integrate modes.
My article in the July issue of Technology & Culture goes into more detail on ways to do this. Also, Raymond A. Mohl of the University of Alabama, Birmingham has done some great work on this subject and I believe will be coming out with a book soon. If you want to read more, I suggest looking up his numerous articles on the subject, including his contribution to a special issue of the Journal of Urban History on freeway revolts, vol. 30 no. 5 (2004). You'll find several other fantastic pieces in that issue, as well. I've got a freeway revolt piece, as well, but it's a suburban study, focusing on the origins of Marin County's growth control regime.


