Twentieth century sprawl : highways and the reshaping of the American Landscape

Owen Gutfreund's Twentieth-Century Sprawl explains important--and largely unexamined--changes in the American landscape. He offers an illuminating look at how highways have dramatically transformed American communities, aiding growth and development in unsettled areas and undermining existing urban centers. Gutfreund takes a "follow the money" approach to show how government policies--from as early as the 1890s--subsidized the spread of cities and fueled a chronic nationwide dependence on cars and roadbuilding, with little regard for expense, efficiency, ecological damage, or social equity. As federal, state, and local governments invested in toll-free highways, Americans moved in unprecedented numbers to newly accessible open land on the urban periphery. The consequence was the collapse of center cities, ballooning municipal debt, and rapidly increasing air pollution, not to mention profound changes in American society and culture. Gutfreund tells the story via case studies of three communities--Denver, Colorado; Middlebury, Vermont; and Smyrna, Tennessee. Different as these places are, they all show the ways that government-sponsored highway development radically transformed America's cities and towns. Indeed, though seeming quite dissimilar, both Denver and Middlebury have crippling traffic problems; housing and commercial activity has sprawled outward, leaving downtown areas in danger of decay, while residents have longer commutes, fewer transportation options, and increasing concerns about air quality and environmental problems. Smyrna, once a dusty backwater, is now booming, thanks to its location near three interstate highways, which attracted a huge Nissan factory (the largest auto assembly plant in North America, the size of 92 football fields). Based on original research and vividly written, Twentieth-Century Sprawl makes a major contribution to our understanding of issues that still plague our cities and suburbs today. Here, Owen Gutfreund offers a fascinating look at how highways have dramatically transformed American communities nationwide, aiding growth and development in unsettled areas and undermining existing urban centers. Gutfreund uses a'follow the money'approach, showing how government policies subsidized suburban development and fueled a chronic nationwide dependence on cars and roadbuilding, with little regard for expense, efficiency, ecological damage, or social equity. The consequence was a combination of unstoppable suburban sprawl, along with ballooning municipal debt burdens, deteriorating center cities, and profound changes in American society and culture. Gutfreund tells the story via case studies of three communities--Denver, Colorado; Middlebury, Vermont; and Smyrna, Tennessee. Different as these places are, they all show the ways that government-sponsored highway development radically transformed America's cities and towns. Based on original research and vividly written, Twentieth-Century Sprawl brings to light the benefits and consequences of the spread of American highways and makes a major contribution to our understanding of issues that still plague our cities and suburbs today. Contents......Page 8 List of Illustrations, Figures, and Tables......Page 10 Acknowledgments......Page 14 List of Abbreviations......Page 16 Introduction......Page 20 ONE: Highway Federalism......Page 26 TWO: Denver Meets the Automobile......Page 80 THREE: The Decentralization of Post–World War II Denver......Page 106 FOUR: Automobiles and a Small Town......Page 148 FIVE: Bridges, Bypasses, and Boulevards......Page 174 SIX: AutoCity: Smyrna, Tennessee......Page 216 Conclusion......Page 246 Notes......Page 252 Bibliography......Page 282 B......Page 304 C......Page 305 E......Page 306 G......Page 307 H......Page 308 L......Page 309 M......Page 310 P......Page 311 R......Page 312 S......Page 313 T......Page 314 V......Page 315 Z......Page 316 Contents 8 List of Illustrations, Figures, and Tables 10 Acknowledgments 14 List of Abbreviations 16 Introduction 20 ONE: Highway Federalism 26 TWO: Denver Meets the Automobile 80 THREE: The Decentralization of Post–World War II Denver 106 FOUR: Automobiles and a Small Town 148 FIVE: Bridges, Bypasses, and Boulevards 174 SIX: AutoCity: Smyrna, Tennessee 216 Conclusion 246 Notes 252 Bibliography 282 Index 304 A 304 B 304 C 305 D 306 E 306 F 307 G 307 H 308 I 309 J 309 K 309 L 309 M 310 N 311 O 311 P 311 R 312 S 313 T 314 U 315 V 315 W 316 Z 316 Draws on case studies of three individual communities to reassesss the consequences of how government-sponsored highway development has dramatically changed American communities and the way in which Americans live and work This statement was-and remains-controversial, not just because it was arrogant but also because it rang shockingly true.