On dismantling urban highways in cities | Diana Lind | TEDxPhilly

Diana Lind poses a challenge: let's re-imagine the future of urban transportation and tear-down highways that cut through our cities. Lind's talk discusses how forward-thinking cities have dismantled highway infrastructure -- building vibrant public spaces in the face of car culture. In the case of the aging Interstate 95 in Philadelphia, Lind asks planners to consider redesigning the imposing three mile stretch of I-95 that separates the city from the Delaware River waterfront.
As an urbanist and writer, Diana Lind thinks about cities as collections of ideas as much as collections of buildings and people. She is executive director and editor in chief of Next American City, an urban policy media outlet and nonprofit based in Philadelphia.
dianalindindex.com
The 2011 TEDxPhilly conference examined vast interpretations of the theme "The City" on Tuesday, November 8. TEDxPhilly brought together engaging speakers, performers, participants and exhibitors to deconstruct, decipher and explore some of the greatest challenges, innovations, concepts and realities that shape and are shaped by cities and their inhabitants. Philadelphia was the point of departure, but the conversation traveled beyond its borders. The event took place at Temple Performing Arts Center in North Philadelphia.
www.tedxphilly.com
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@lawrence1369]

When I visited USA for the first time and sow the addiction to cars and oil I thought that USA would crack down in few years... But I'm amazed how their citizens have been changing and adapting and rebuilding the cities (and a new a new way of life). This feeling of "there is a collapse coming" is gone.

[@andretsang7337]

The power of the auto industry

[@gphilipc2031]

Speaking of CRACK and addictions. Keep up with local news in the New Orleans & Metro Area...you will see. As a retired former "productive" citizen, I put less than 50 miles per week on my car and I DO NOT go into town. Too many hustlers around and they are exporting it into the suburbs. NO ONE in my status in this area is going to use public transportation unless they are willing to take major risks.

[@weetikissa]

How about now?

[@AlexCab_49]

Americans are still addicted to cars but the urban landscape has started to change since the start of 21st century with the rise of light rail and other rail transit.

[@designthinkingwithgian]

American are far too dependent on cars. Cars are great, but they can't be our only option. We need better infrastructure for mass transit, and people centered design.

[@albertoarango1849]

masajes

[@thienphucn1]

Being forced to own a car just to survive is not freedom America. Add in more options for people so that they can freely choose what they want to use

[@tdebat]

yes you think it would be common sense if people were in control of government, but they are NOT large corporations/banks control current and past development. as a result what was good for them was the plan. that needs to change! good presentation!

[@denisb1098]

Great talk but let us see the slides! 5 sec per slide is not enough for us to look at what the speaker is talking about...

[@thiennguyenX2]

You would think much of this would be common sense.

[@andrewheydt2179]

we need to make much more progress on this issue it is extremely important there is way too much traffic on the highways causing enormous aggravation and waisted time. it is also extremely dangerous killing tens of thousands of people we need a radically different way to build transportation systems

[@IcelanderUSer]

Andrew Heydt You would think running commuter trains into suburban neighborhoods would be more of a priority. NJT runs Essex trains through beautiful small towns and you would never know they are there. Truly good for nyc, suburbanites. Problem is people think roads are free and transit isn’t. Transit should be subsidized the same way roads are.

[@benjamintorres9211]

B bo transit down in ocean county sucks wish they built our public transit down here more

[@edwardmiessner6502]

Interesting - but the ultimate decision of what to do with I-95 rests not with the city, but with the state highway department.

[@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory]

BRING BACK THE RAILROADS!

[@AlexCab_49]

Los Angeles should remove the 105, 110, 710 and 405 but keep 5, 10, and 101 since they connect the city to far away cities and is essntial to the economy.

[@felicetanka]

highways are for the huge trucks that bring us cheep plentiful goods; which aren't the Good we're learning in many not so positive ways. thank you

[@brunnasiqueiras]

Brasilia sem Fronteiras was here. #BSF #GLP

[@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory]

Not in Chicago.

[@thebabbler8867]

Chicago is the best city in world for a reason: it was built right.

[@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory]

@@thebabbler8867 the other reason: the most trains from anywhere else

[@thebabbler8867]

If you're going to build a train system; it better be elevated. Trains are worthless if they're sharing the same road with cars.

[@ericdew2021]

"...2026 being the 250th anniversary of the Declaration Of Independence..." Yeah, good luck with that.

[@skeleguns10oooooo10]

They shouldn’t had built these highways in THE FIRST PLACE!

[@thebabbler8867]

So true. America is far behind so many countries in the department of transportation; it's a literal joke.

[@biruss]

Umm what about Cincinnati

[@darthutah6649]

How about we privatize them? Conservatives want to privatize Amtrak so maybe we should privatize the highway system and see if it remains?

[@IcelanderUSer]

Darth Utah 66 I wish the NEC was private. Perhaps we’d have lower fares not subsidizing the rest of America.

[@Knightmessenger]

Private companies built streetcars and subways systems originally, central planning governments built freeways. Freeways are highly incompatible with free markets.

[@gphilipc2031]

By the way, those Charter Schools in New Orleans are FAILING miserably. Schools are as good as the Teachers, Staff, and Student body and their core morals or lack thereof.

[@vincewhite5087]

G Philip C charter schools do great in Canada. Much better then public schools.

[@danielpincu6030]

I think that’s aunfair since the public school before the charters was so corrupt it had to be investigated by the FBI undercover. While the charter schools have compared to the public schools only existed for a short time. Also I have heard they do much better on average.

[@HJ-br1bs]

put the chickens in stacked cages and we can harvest all their eggs...

[@matthewcollins4764]

?

[@housewives3737]

Like

[@aerohydra3849]

Actually this is not really that great of an idea. A city like Tuscon, AZ decided not to build freeways through the center to prevent sprawl. The sprawl still happened, and nowadays to drive from one end to the other you have to crawl along surface streets at an average of 5 mph,..

[@derekwhite9932]

This sounds sounds like road diets...

[@matthewcollins4764]

AeroHydra it all about good design

[@AlexCab_49]

They should expand transit and create a desert belt around tucson to stop sprawl.

[@biruss]

@@AlexCab_49 how can you stop people from living in a house

[@AlexCab_49]

@@biruss They simply won't get built, only apartments and condos in the already built up area

[@williamsrussert]

Diana is hot.

[@pauld9561]

Ahh. run for your lives! the yuppies are coming.

[@robertwoodpa6463]

Sorry. Lost me at "its a social justice issue".

[@greynolds17]

she never explained what she has against car culture...at least the fun part of it...I think motorsports, car shows, old cars, meets, customization, is amazing

[@tonydesaire9326]

Kind of hard to have a date in a bus.

[@peskypigeonx]

We can still have car infrastructure, we just can’t let it have an overwhelming majority for it only being one form instead of a multi-street of transport, walking, biking, etc.

[@turboredcart]

1:55 bike lanes.. you lost me right there... im out of here

[@Jemalacane0]

Because a mode of transport which improves physical health and mental health and which does not pollute is so terrible.