Cost Savings for Freeway Teardowns; Replace, Prevent, Remove America's twentieth century highway building era included freeways which cut huge swaths across our cities, decimating neighborhoods and reducing quality of life for city residents. This massive infrastructure investment had devastating effects on local economies. It blighted property and pushed access to basic amenities further out. Across the Country the Federal and State Departments of Transportation confronting shrinking budgets and cities looking for ways to increase their revenues, it is an ideal time to offer, alternatives to the reconstruction of expressways. The alternative to the highway will be discussed, showing the cost savings, improvement of mobility, and the ability to foster lasting redevelopment. Cases studies will illustrate how cities can maximize their transportation dollars while stabilizing neighborhoods.

1. Cost Savings
for Freeway
Teardowns
Replace, Prevent, Remove
Prepared by:
Edward W. Erfurt IV
Urban Designer
Town Planning and Design
www.ErfurtDesign.com
June 13, 2009

3. Understanding
Framework

5. …The idea of
systemic, long lasting,
transformative
change.
Suburban Retrofits reintroduce the components
of urbanism that were either illegal, undesired, or
missing from much of suburbia.

6. Three Types of Freeway Removals
1. Replace
2. Remove
3. Prevent

7. Tear Down Types
Replacement

8. Replacement
• Fundamental Change in Design
• Change in Classification
• Maintenance or Ownership
• Functional Class
• Change in Priority
• Introduction of Transit
• New Community Vision
• Catastrophic Change
• Structural Failure
•Natural Disaster

9. South Military Highway
Chesapeake, Virginia

10. Grade Separation without a Grade Change

13. Station Area Planning:
Existing Street
Division Street Station, Powell Street Station:
Network
Portland, OR
Division
I - 205
82nd Ave.
Powell
92nd Ave.
13

14. Division
92nd Avenue
I-205

15. Division
92nd Avenue
I-205

16. Division Station
16

17. Division Station
17

18. River Front Parkway
Chattanooga, Tennessee

22. Tear Down Types
Removal

23. Removal
• Completely Removing a Structure
• Evaporates the Traffic
• Removal or Consolidation of Ramps
• Abandonment of Right of Way
• Untangling a Confluence
• Increasing Access

29. Cheonggyecheon
, Seoul, South Korea

30. Same corridor after CSS

31. Tear Down Types
Prevention

32. Preventio
n• Paper Plans
• Waiting for Funding
• Need for Immediate Change
• Current Traffic Problems
• Safety Issues
• Required Maintenance

33. Montrose Parkway
White Flint, Maryland
Prevention

35. Cost Savings
for Freeway
Teardowns
Replace, Prevent, Remove
Prepared by:
Edward W. Erfurt IV
Urban Designer
Town Planning and Design
www.ErfurtDesign.com
June 13, 2009