Retiring Infrastructure
Public Meeting
September 13, 2011
Retiring Infrastructure – US Trends
Completed Conversions
Currently Under Study
•
Park East Freeway, Milwaukee, WI
•
Alaskan Way Viaduct, Seattle, WA
•
Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA
•
Sheridan Expressway, Bronx, NY
•
Central Freeway, San Francisco, CA
•
Claiborne Expressway, New Orleans, LA
•
West Side Highway, New York, NY
•
Interstate 70, St Louis, MO
•
Interstate 64, Louisville, KY
•
The Skyway and Route 5, Buffalo, NY
•
Aetna Viaduct-Interstate 81, New Haven, CT
•
Route 34, New Haven, CT
•
Bonaventure Expressway, Montreal, QC
•
Interstate 81, Syracuse, NY
•
Route 29, Trenton, NJ
•
Gardiner Expressway, Toronto, ON
Massachusetts Examples –
Under Study
•
•
McGrath Overpass
Route 79
Retiring Infrastructure
For More Information on the Current Trend of Replacing
Highways with Boulevards Please Visit the Below Sites:
http://www.streetfilms.org/
http://www.preservenet.com/freeways/index.html
http://www.cnu.org/node/3472
http://city.milwaukee.gov/Projects/ParkEastredevelopment.
htm
http://thei81challenge.org/
Viaduct Replacements
Comparable Viaduct Replacement Projects
• Park East Freeway - Milwaukee, WI
• Embarcadero - San Francisco, CA
Cities around the world are replacing urban highways with surface
streets, saving billions of dollars on transportation infrastructure and
revitalizing adjacent land with walkable, compact development.
Themes in Common with Casey Overpass
• Infrastructure that was damaged and/or is deteriorated
beyond repair
• At-grade street network has the ability to adequately
accommodate traffic
• Removing the viaduct presents the opportunity to
integrate neighborhoods
• Removing the viaduct presents the opportunity to
increase social and economic value in the urban area
PARK EAST FREEWAY – MILWAUKEE, WI
Source: WisconsinHighways.org
• Aging and
underused viaduct
• A barrier in the urban
fabric
• Opportunities for
economic and social
growth
Source: 2011 Google Imagery; 2011 DigitalGlobe, USDA Farm Service Agency, GeoEye, U.S. Geological Survey
• Opportunity to
enhance pedestrian
and bike atmosphere
PARK EAST FREEWAY – MILWAUKEE, WI
• Approximately 1 mile long elevated highway
• Carried 40,000 cars/day
• Primarily commuter traffic (80%)
• Taken down in 2000 and replaced with
boulevard
• Land created by removal is now being
developed spurring economic redevelopment of
the area
PARK EAST FREEWAY – MILWAUKEE, WI
Built in the 1960’s
Park East Expressway Circa 1990, Source:
City of Milwaukee Planning Department
Taken down in 2002
Source: HNTB
PARK EAST FREEWAY – MILWAUKEE, WI
Carried 40,000 vehicles/day
Source: preservenet.com; City of Milwaukee Planning Department
Today that traffic is
handled at grade
Source: 2011 Google
PARK EAST FREEWAY – MILWAUKEE, WI
BEFORE: Dark and
uninviting pedestrian realm
Source: preservenet.com; City of Milwaukee Planning Department
AFTER: Open
and inviting
for economic
development
Source: 2011 Google
PARK EAST FREEWAY – MILWAUKEE, WI
Source: City of Milwaukee Planning Department
PARK EAST FREEWAY – MILWAUKEE, WI
Source: City of Milwaukee Planning Department
28 development
parcels made
available as a
result of freeway
removal
Source: HNTB
Increase Value in Urban Area
PARK EAST FREEWAY – MILWAUKEE, WI
Increase Value in Urban Area
Source: City of Milwaukee Planning Department
EMBARCADERO FREEWAY – SAN FRANCISCO, CA
EMBARCADERO FREEWAY – SAN FRANCISCO, CA
• Elevated double decker freeway built in 1960
• Carried approx. 70,000 cars/day
• Structure was irreparably damaged in 1989
earthquake
• Replaced with an at-grade boulevard in 2001
• Supports 26,000 cars/day, light rail, and a very
active pedestrian and bicycle atmosphere
• Property values in area have risen 300%*
*Source: The Preservation Institute
EMBARCADERO FREEWAY – SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Critically damaged by earthquake (1989)
Source: USGS.gov
Intense public
process determined
to replace viaduct
with boulevard
Source: skyscrapercity.com
EMBARCADERO FREEWAY – SAN FRANCISCO, CA
BEFORE: Viaduct carried over 70,000
cars/day
AFTER: Carries
26,000 cars/day,
bikes, pedestrians,
and transit
EMBARCADERO FREEWAY – SAN FRANCISCO, CA
RED: 3 Lanes of traffic
YELLOW: Transit facilities
BLUE: Bicycle and pedestrian facilities GREEN: Vibrant park and open space areas
EMBARCADERO FREEWAY – SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Source: ferrybuildingmarketplace.com
Maximize use of public space for all
EMBARCADERO FREEWAY – SAN FRANCISCO, CA
BEFORE
AFTER
EMBARCADERO FREEWAY – SAN FRANCISCO, CA
BEFORE
AFTER
EMBARCADERO FREEWAY – SAN FRANCISCO, CA
BEFORE
AFTER
Opportunities for public art
Additional Sources on the subject of Retiring
Infrastructure are provided at the end of this
presentation.
Thank You
We appreciate the efforts of the WAG in
researching this topic, in particular:
• Don Eunson
• Sarah Freeman
• Elizabeth Wylie
Retiring Infrastructure: Other Sites of Interest
http://www.infrastructurist.com/2009/07/06/huh-4-cases-of-how-tearing-down-a-highway-can-relieve-traffic-jams-and-help-save-acity/
San Francisco: Central Freeway/Octavia Boulevard
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/01/03/BAG4VNBUJM1.DTL_
www.cnu.org/highways/sfoctavia
San Francisco: 12th Street “Frickstad Viaduct”
www.oaklandnet.com/government/ceda/docs/1175.pdf
www.oaklandnet.com/community/Chapter7Appendix.pdf
www.oaklandlocal.com/article/oaklands-12th-street-bridge-project-may-start-spring
www.oaklandnet.com/government/ceda/revised/planningzoning/majorProjectsSection/Measure%20DD%20Implementation%20Pr
oject%20DEIR/3-ProjectDescription.pdf
San Francisco: Cesar Chavez Street
www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/07/BAAA1H5HSB.DTL
sf.streetsblog.org/2011/02/01/cesar-chavez-street-redesign-approved-by-sfmta-board/
www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/11/18/CMAGSVIBI.DTL&ao=all
San Francisco: Embarcadero Freeway
www.streetswiki.wikispaces.com/Embarcadero+Freeway+Removal
Portland, OR: Tacoma Street
www.portlandonline.com/shared/cfm/image.cfm?id=9093
Retiring Infrastructure: Other Sites of Interest
New Haven, CT: Oak Street Connector (Route 34)
www.nhregister.com/articles/2010/10/01/news/new_haven/aa3_nedowntown100110.txt?viewmode=fullstory
www.cityofnewhaven.com/economicdevelopment/pdfs/Downtown%20Crossing,%20New%20Haven,%20Project%20Narrative.pdf
www.yaledailynews.com/news/2010/oct/18/route-34-replacement-to-unite-downtown-new-haven/
Chicago: Congress Parkway
www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/cdot/CongressParkway_flier_Oct2010.pdf
www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/cdot/CongressParkway_overview_Jan2010.pdf
Chicago: Lawrence Boulevard
archive.chicagobreakingnews.com/2011/01/lawrence-avenue-to-go-on-a-road-diet.html
www.archpaper.com/e-board_rev.asp?News_ID=5145&PagePosition=4
Portland, ME: Franklin Street Arterial
www.ci.portland.me.us/franklincorridorstudyfinalreport.pdf
franklinstreet.us/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/franklinartrevisioning-finaldraftreport.pdf
Somerville, MA: McGrath Highway (Route 28)
www.ctps.org/bostonmpo/4_resources/1_reports/1_studies/2_highway/route_28.html
www.somervillema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Section%203.1%20to%203.6%20and%203.9.pdf
www.ebidsourcing.com/viewDoc;jsessionid=MJKYCmDnM0fhqvbNpnJdQHW2JpY1462Nd4GyX5vB1llbvG4Qpbgc!33079873?doValidateToken=false&docPath=%2FPublic%2FSolicitations%2F121583%2F00001%2FRFR%2FRFR_SCOPE_Mc
GrathHwyRevised.doc
Retiring Infrastructure: Other Sites of Interest
Boston: Bowker Overpass
charlesgateparkfriends.wordpress.com/
charlesgateparkfriends.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/bowker-concepts.pdf
www.archboston.org/community/showthread.php?t=1708
New York City: Sheridan Expressway, The Bronx
www.nytimes.com/2010/07/13/nyregion/13sheridan.html
www.capitalnewyork.com/article/culture/2010/10/646698/end-sheridan-great-highway-unbuilders-bronx
New York City: Prospect Park West, Brooklyn
www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/20110120_ppw.pdf
New York City: West Side Highway
www.ite.org/activeliving/files/C-2-C_ppa017.pdf
New Urban Network
http://newurbannetwork.com/article/freeways-give-way-boulevards-%E2%80%94-slowly
Project for Public Spaces
www.pps.org/articles/backtobasicsintransportation/
Road Diets
walkable.org/assets/downloads/roaddiets.pdf
cost.kittelson.com/system/datas/9/original/Road_Diet_Presentation_COST_July_2010.pdf?1285955514
UC-Berklee, Department of Urban Planning
Freeway Deconstruction and Urban Regeneration in the United States, www.uctc.net/papers/763.pdf
Retiring Infrastructure: Other Sites of Interest
Walk Boston
Good Walking is Good Business, walkboston.org/resources/images/good%20walking-biz10.pdf
Making Streets Safe, www.walkboston.org/resources/images/safe%20streets14.pdf
Other Current Highway/Infrastructure Removal Discussions
Cleveland
www.changinggears.info/2011/01/12/why-removing-freeways-can-be-good-for-cities/
New Orleans
www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/07/claiborne_avenue_expressway_de.html
www.cnu.org/sites/www.cnu.org/files/Claiborne_Alternatives_071510.pdf
Seattle
www.seattle.gov/transportation/docs/ump/06%20SEATTLE%20Case%20studies%20in%20urban%20freeway%20removal.pdf
St. Louis
www.citytoriver.org/
www.citytoriver.org/blog/?p=306
Vancouver, British Columbia
www.streetsblog.net/2011/04/12/livability-star-vancouver-the-latest-city-to-look-at-highway-removal/
Long Beach, CA
www.lbpost.com/life/brian/10181
www.lbpost.com/life/brian/11517