A freeway lid (also known as a lidded freeway, freeway cap, highway cap or highway deck) is a type of deck bridge built on top of a controlled-access highway or other roadway. It is commonly used to create new parkland in urban areas, but can also be used to house buildings or other heavy structures like convention centers. [1] [2] [3] In some locations, the terms stitch or cap-and-stitch are used to describe overpasses containing widened bridges that accommodate wider sidewalks or small amenity space beside the roadway above the highway. [4]
Cities and highway departments who propose building freeway lids over highways often cite potential benefits including reconnecting street grids near highways, or providing increased access to neighborhoods harmed by displacement caused by past highway construction. [5] Freeway lids are often criticized by highway expansion opponents, who accuse highway departments of using freeway lids to " greenwash" their lane expansion projects to be more palatable to the public. [6]
Examples
- Aubrey Davis Park, Mercer Island, Washington, US
- Capitol Crossing, Washington DC
- Evergreen Point, Hunts Point, and Yarrow Point on Washington State Route 520 in the United States [7]
- George Washington Bridge Bus Station and the Bridge Apartments, New York City, US
- Kansas City Convention Center, Kansas City, Missouri, US
- Klyde Warren Park, Dallas, Texas, US
- Teralta Park, San Diego, California, US
- Seattle Convention Center and Freeway Park, Seattle, Washington, US
- Capitol Crossing, Washington, DC, US
- High Street crossing, Columbus, Ohio, US [8]
- Meguro Sky Garden, Tokyo, Japan
See also
References
- ^ Pyati, Archana (April 7, 2017). "Freeway Lids: Reconnecting Communities and Creating New Land for Development". Urban Land Institute. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
- ^ Berger, Knute (July 16, 2017). "One simple idea to open up Downtown Seattle". Crosscut.com. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
- ^ "More Cities Are Banishing Highways Underground — And Building Parks on Top". pew.org.
- ^ McAfee, Katy (September 13, 2022). "City of Austin seeks community input on I-35 Cap and Stitch program". Community Impact Newspaper. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
- ^ Moore, Martha T. (April 2, 2018). "More Cities Are Banishing Highways Underground — And Building Parks on Top". Stateline. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
- ^ Reader, Grace (September 28, 2022). "Austin City Council set to vote on federal I-35 'cap and stitch' funding". KXAN. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
- ^ Kroman, David (May 9, 2023). "7 acres, 3 lids: Eastside cities want the state to mow the lawn". The Seattle Times. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
- ^ "FHWA - Center for Innovative Finance Support - Project Profiles". www.fhwa.dot.gov. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
External links
- "Remove, bury, or deck over highways that blight communities". The Fourth Regional Plan.
- "Social Reform Through Federal Highway "Capping" Projects". Black + Urban.
- "Cutting and Capping Highways". June 14, 2013.
- Crowther, Ben (June 15, 2021). "When is a highway cap appropriate?". CNU.
- Uteuova, Aliya (November 30, 2021). "The plan to transform one of New York City's dirtiest freeways into green space". The Guardian.
- "Freeway Caps - Coverage by Planetizen". www.planetizen.com.
- Houston, Douglas; Zuñiga, Michelle E. (February 1, 2019). "Put a park on it: How freeway caps are reconnecting and greening divided cities". Cities. 85: 98–109. doi: 10.1016/j.cities.2018.08.007 – via ScienceDirect.
- Freeway Capping: Capping Nashville's I-40 South Loop to Connect Downtown and Midtown
- "Freeway Caps May Reshape California Urban Areas". www.cp-dr.com.