Comments on: Back to the Grid, Part 2: John Norquist on Reclaiming American Cities http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/03/30/back-to-the-grid-part-2-john-norquist-on-reclaiming-american-cities/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:01:47 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Charles Siegel http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/03/30/back-to-the-grid-part-2-john-norquist-on-reclaiming-american-cities/comment-page-1/#comment-65635 Charles Siegel Tue, 31 Mar 2009 01:17:42 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5740#comment-65635 Amazingly enough, Nicolai Ouroussoff has backed removing the Sheridan and other freeways. If such a backward modernist esthete (who spends much of his time attacking the New Urbanism) has come out in favor of removing freeways, it must be on the verge of becoming mainstream. A few quotes from Ouroussoff's article at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/29/arts/design/29ouro.html?_r=1&emc=eta1 "In the South Bronx the nonprofit Pratt Center for Community Developmenthas been fighting to demolish parts of the Sheridan and Bruckner Expressways. The Sheridan, which forms a barrier between poor Puerto Rican and Dominican communities in the South Bronx and the Bronx River, was a particular brutal example of Robert Moses’ urban renewal projects." "Like other Rust Belt cities, Buffalo began its decline more than a half-century ago, a victim of failing industries and suburban flight. Large sections of Olmsted’s parks and boulevards were demolished; an elevated expressway sliced through one of these parks, cutting it off from the riverfront.... Local preservationists ... are pressing the government to upgrade the train system and dismantle parts of the elevated freeway to allow better access to the riverfront." "In September the White House and Congress will also have a rare opportunity to rethink the antiquated transportation authorization bill, which comes up for review once every six years and funnels hundreds of billions of dollars each year into highway construction and repairs. Given that the administration has already made sustainability a priority, that money could be redirected to other projects, like efforts that reinforce density rather than encourage urban sprawl. It could be used to replace crumbling expressways with the kind of local roads and parks that bind communities together rather than tear them apart." Amazingly enough, Nicolai Ouroussoff has backed removing the Sheridan and other freeways. If such a backward modernist esthete (who spends much of his time attacking the New Urbanism) has come out in favor of removing freeways, it must be on the verge of becoming mainstream.

A few quotes from Ouroussoff's article at
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/29/arts/design/29ouro.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

"In the South Bronx the nonprofit Pratt Center for Community Developmenthas been fighting to demolish parts of the Sheridan and Bruckner Expressways. The Sheridan, which forms a barrier between poor Puerto Rican and Dominican communities in the South Bronx and the Bronx River, was a particular brutal example of Robert Moses’ urban renewal projects."

"Like other Rust Belt cities, Buffalo began its decline more than a half-century ago, a victim of failing industries and suburban flight. Large sections of Olmsted’s parks and boulevards were demolished; an elevated expressway sliced through one of these parks, cutting it off from the riverfront.... Local preservationists ... are pressing the government to upgrade the train system and dismantle parts of the elevated freeway to allow better access to the riverfront."

"In September the White House and Congress will also have a rare opportunity to rethink the antiquated transportation authorization bill, which comes up for review once every six years and funnels hundreds of billions of dollars each year into highway construction and repairs. Given that the administration has already made sustainability a priority, that money could be redirected to other projects, like efforts that reinforce density rather than encourage urban sprawl. It could be used to replace crumbling expressways with the kind of local roads and parks that bind communities together rather than tear them apart."

]]> By: Boris http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/03/30/back-to-the-grid-part-2-john-norquist-on-reclaiming-american-cities/comment-page-1/#comment-65627 Boris Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:39:47 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5740#comment-65627 In those years I went to Cornell University, I often heard people complain about how Ithaca is just about the only important city in the state not connected to the interstate grid. Those last 30 miles had to be done on county roads. But now I see how not building the highway saved Ithaca from becoming another Syracuse. There are still too many roads and cars, IMO; the trolley system is long dead, etc, but at least there is a walkable town center and lots of interesting shops not found in many cities double the size. The interstate would've done no good for Ithaca. In those years I went to Cornell University, I often heard people complain about how Ithaca is just about the only important city in the state not connected to the interstate grid. Those last 30 miles had to be done on county roads. But now I see how not building the highway saved Ithaca from becoming another Syracuse.

There are still too many roads and cars, IMO; the trolley system is long dead, etc, but at least there is a walkable town center and lots of interesting shops not found in many cities double the size. The interstate would've done no good for Ithaca.

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