Thanks for posting this article. I just saw before and after pictures of the Embaracdero Freeway. It really made me think over what another poster proposed in this thread regarding Houston. I imagined how different the intersection of Gray and Main in Midtown would look. That corner with the high rise and McDonalds squashed up against the freeway always seemed very ugly, like the Wall did before the Brandenburg Gate. One of the things I loved about Paris and London were the harmony of their skylines. There weren't grey snake-like freeways weaving through the city. As Houston's population grows, the freeways will get too clogged. People will demand better mass transit. Only then can I see proposals to remove them from downtown working. 610, BW8, and GP should be safe. Seoul after the freeway was removed: Ugly Brooklyn–Queens Expressway:
It certainly depends on location. Its nice to feel all ethically deconstructivist with intent to rebuild. Though not all freeways are bad. I cant imagine even 1 stretch of highway around me in orange county california here to remove, and there are some scenic landscapes here that ugly imposing freeway impedes on. And no I dont feel any "connection" to inanimate freeway. And I do take public transportation.
This is the sexiest thing I have seen all day. Here is the Downtown Retail Task Force report that was mentioned: http://www.piersystem.com/clients/2155/558905.pdf
