New in the DOT Fast Lane: Every Place Counts Design Challenge Allows Us to Design a Better Future

From Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx:

Today, I traveled to Philadelphia and met Mayor Kenney on the plaza of the Vine Street Expressway. For Philadelphians, this roadway represented almost 30 years of planning and was intended to expedite commuting between the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, ultimately decreasing half-hour trips to just a few minutes. However, that vision was never realized and three communities, including Chinatown and the Callowhill District bore the brunt of the damage as many homes, businesses, schools, places of worship, and other places of cultural and community significance were razed to make way for the expressway. Presently, the Vine City Expressway is a six-lane corridor not easily navigated on foot or in vehicle, and represents a very real, physical barrier for those that must traverse it daily.

Whether it’s North, South, East or West, infrastructure development and placement can have a profound impact on opportunities. Highways like the Vine City Expressway are not unique to Philadelphia or to large cities across the country – they are both urban and rural divisions. That’s why U.S. DOT is also proud to partner with Philadelphia, PA; Spokane, WA; Nashville, TN; and Minneapolis, MN to offer technical assistance through the Every Place Counts Design Challenge to work to rectify these issues.

Keep reading on the Fast Lane!