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Location: Live:Downtown Phoenix, AZ/Work:Greater Los Angeles, CA
27,606 posts, read 14,596,838 times
Reputation: 9169
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DTXman34
Dallas has plenty that need to be removed, but the most important one is the 75/I-45 connection known as "I-345." It separates Downtown from Deep Ellum.
In 2016, TXDOT released a study dubbed "CityMAP" that analyzed removing, re-rerouting, or maintaining highways in and around Dallas's urban core along with the pros & cons for each. It was the first study of its kind.
I think I-30 should be re-rerouted to better connect Downtown with the Cedars and perhaps sink I-35 to somewhat better connect the Design District with Victory Park. Both are pretty tricky to do, so I think I-345 will be the first to go if any are to be removed.
I commented on the 345 removal in the 2nd post. I think it's a horrible idea, as the 45 to 75 traffic won't go away, it will just go on to 30 to 35E to 366, which will bottleneck all three around Downtown
I commented on the 345 removal in the 2nd post. I think it's a horrible idea, as the 45 to 75 traffic won't go away, it will just go on to 30 to 35E to 366, which will bottleneck all three around Downtown
Many people don't realize that Dallas city streets are underutilized. There are already a ton of highway loops for suburbanites to avoid having to go through the Downtown area -- e.g. 635, PGBT, SRT, Loop 12, etc. Over time, the traffic will spread out and find new ways. The city should continue to invest heavily in public transit to soften the blow once that thing comes down. Anyone that votes not to remove I-345 will be voted out of office. If the city wants to remain relevant, it will need to heavily focus on its urban core. It has been for awhile, but the I-345 removal is one of several critical pieces.
Location: Live:Downtown Phoenix, AZ/Work:Greater Los Angeles, CA
27,606 posts, read 14,596,838 times
Reputation: 9169
Quote:
Originally Posted by DTXman34
Many people don't realize that Dallas city streets are underutilized. There are already a ton of highway loops for suburbanites to avoid having to go through the Downtown area -- e.g. 635, PGBT, SRT, Loop 12, etc. Over time, the traffic will spread out and find new ways. The city should continue to invest heavily in public transit to soften the blow once that thing comes down. Anyone that votes not to remove I-345 will be voted out of office. If the city wants to remain relevant, it will need to heavily focus on its urban core. It has been for awhile, but the I-345 removal is one of several critical pieces.
The last major city to remove an inner city freeway entirely (without a replacement) was San Francisco when it removed the Embarcadero Freeway after the Loma Prieta earthquake. And unlike Dallas, San Francisco already has a population density of 20,000/sq mile compared to less than 3,400/sq mile in Dallas, and San Francisco has summer weather more conducive to public transit and pedestrianism.
The last major city to remove an inner city freeway entirely (without a replacement) was San Francisco when it removed the Embarcadero Freeway after the Loma Prieta earthquake. And unlike Dallas, San Francisco already has a population density of 20,000/sq mile compared to less than 3,400/sq mile in Dallas, and San Francisco has summer weather more conducive to public transit and pedestrianism.
This is such a lousy excuse and does nothing to help Dallas move forward. If climate was the end all be all, Chicago & Minneapolis wouldn't have public transit. DT Dallas is also the public transit hub of the region. Speaking of density, Downtown has the highest density of jobs in the region, with Uptown having the highest population density (somewhere around 13,000/sq mile). It makes complete sense to build up this area. Downtown is also growing in terms of residential. Parks alone have transformed this part of the city. The construction of Klyde Warren Park literally spurred growth between Downtown & Uptown.
Piecing all of this together is incredibly important when you have endless sprawling growth in your suburbs that you have to compete with. So Dallas has to play by a different playbook in order to survive as a city. That means embracing urbanism and not acting like a suburb. Designing around cars was one of the main causes of Downtown's demise in the 80s.
Location: Live:Downtown Phoenix, AZ/Work:Greater Los Angeles, CA
27,606 posts, read 14,596,838 times
Reputation: 9169
Quote:
Originally Posted by DTXman34
This is such a lousy excuse and does nothing to help Dallas move forward. If climate was the end all be all, Chicago & Minneapolis wouldn't have public transit. DT Dallas is also the public transit hub of the region. Speaking of density, Downtown has the highest density of jobs in the region, with Uptown having the highest population density (somewhere around 13,000/sq mile). It makes complete sense to build up this area. Downtown is also growing in terms of residential. Parks alone have transformed this part of the city. The construction of Klyde Warren Park literally spurred growth between Downtown & Uptown.
Piecing all of this together is incredibly important when you have endless sprawling growth in your suburbs that you have to compete with. So Dallas has to play by a different playbook in order to survive as a city. That means embracing urbanism and not acting like a suburb. Designing around cars was one of the main causes of Downtown's demise in the 80s.
Honestly, Dallas needs to work on developing it's rural Southside period before it worries about the 345 removal. Why does the south side of that city look like the middle of the country?
There has been talk of removing the I-375 spur in Detroit. It is barely more than a mile long and it divides downtown from other areas, including the Eastern Market which is popular. The biggest challenge would be the interchange- I-375 feels like you are continuing straight on I-75, while continuing on I-75 feels like you are getting on a different expressway. It is a sharp, 90 degree curve on I-75, so in the current configuration, I could see a lot of back-ups if they removed 375 and turned it into a less dividing surface street.
-I totally support the 345 removal and I use it at least twice a week. As previously stated many highways in DFW are actually underutilized. Loop 12 for example. If your destination is near downtown or uptown the removal won't hurt you. If you are using it to just pass through downtown then this will make people drive around which makes more sense. The urban core is economically productive why would you want to rout traffic that isn't adding to that economic productivity through it when it could go around?
-When people complain about the weather being the reason for lack of walk ability I laugh. I hate Dallas weather more than most, but NOLA has even worse weather than us and is very walk-able.
-It is weird how rural alot of the southern part of Dallas feels. I bought this up in a debate about food deserts. My argument was that of course more than 50% of the population will live more than .5 miles from a healthy grocery store (definition of a food desert I believe) when the street you live on looks like
But Wynnewood is actually really close to a Kroger....
I mean you could add dozens more grocery store in the southern part of Dallas and most people still wouldn't be a half mile walk from one. Its a fundamental structural problem that won't be fixed with subsidizing grocery chains or having a urban farm in one neighborhood.
Speaking of South Dallas and highways, if you haven't checked it out before, the old Forest Theater sits on a one block peninsula between 175 and 45 south. It always makes me sad. I don't know if enough highway removal could ever fix that situation which is why highway removal should be done in a smart way. Just because it was a terrible idea to place it in that spot originally doesn't mean you can fix it by removing it now. https://www.google.com/maps/@32.7640...7i13312!8i6656
That said I still think removing 345 is a no brainer.
Seattle can't remove any per se, but we're putting a big one underground. Nearly two miles of Highway 99 through Downtown will be underground in a couple years. It's purely a bypass, with no exits -- those going Downtown will get off beforehand. The capacity is the same as one segment of the existing freeway that's already a tunnel -- two lanes each way, except the new one will have shoulders.
As a result, the central waterfront will replace the current viaduct and street with a wider boulevard (to replace 99's "local" aspect) and more public open space. The existing tunnel will be filled in. A few blocks of 99 that are at grade north of Denny Way will be replaced with a basic surface street that pedestrians can finally cross.
The tunnel boring machine made it through several months ago. Still building the structure inside the tunnel etc.
The tunnel theme is big here. Interstate 90 has a 2/3-mile tunnel, plus suburban covered parts. SR 520 has some short lids. Interstate 5 through the CBD has a small park and a convention center on top.
There is an interesting site called Freeways with No Future, and basically they are a group who advocate for removing or converting interstates and divided highways that are underutilized into green space or pedestrian-friendly avenues. This has brought to fruition various projects and concept projects throughout cities in the US.
Are there any in your city/metro that could be removed without affecting local or regional auto traffic? Also, is there any stretch of highway that could be put underground as a tunnel with major benefits to the surface, similar to what Boston did with the Big Dig?
The big dig is extremely impressive and I think other cities should look to Boston as an example and try to copy that. Especially for cities that have non-grade separated freeways running right through the city core.
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