How to Tell the Story of a Highway Teardown (Ian Coss)

How to Tell the Story of a Highway Teardown (Ian Coss)

Author: StreetsblogUSA March 10, 2026 Duration: 20:59

Highway teardowns are messy, multi-decade projects that spark countless debates and competing narratives —  even among livable streets advocates who broadly agree that replacing autocentric infrastructure is a good idea. In his Peabody Award-winning podcast The Big Dig, though, Ian Coss was able to do the impossible by encapsulating the Boston project of the same name into nine astonishing, thought-provoking episodes — and now, he's doing  telling the story of similar projects in cities across the America.

In October, Coss embarkedo on what he's calling The Highway Teardown tour, which has already taken him to four cities that either have, or are trying to, reimagine their worst infrastructure. And with eight more cities to go and follow up podcast of tapings from those shows forthcoming this spring, the tour has become an opportunity to reflect on the larger freeway fighting movement across America, how advocates are pushing forward even under Trump, and how to do these projects even better. 


You hear a lot about electric cars and futuristic transit, but what about the fundamental shift required to build cities where driving isn't a daily necessity? That's the terrain explored on The Brake: A Streetsblog Podcast. Hosted by the team at StreetsblogUSA, this series moves beyond the headlines to engage with the activists, planners, writers, and community members who are actively reimagining American streets. Each conversation digs into the real-world work of dismantling car dependency, examining the policy choices, cultural norms, and historical decisions that got us here. The discussions are grounded in the intersecting categories of society, commentary, culture, and news, offering a nuanced lens on everything from bike lane debates and public transit equity to the subtle ways our built environment shapes daily life. This isn't just a technical talk about infrastructure; it's about the human stories and the political movement fighting for safer, more connected, and less congested communities. Tune in for a podcast that acts as a vital pit stop for understanding the complex, often frustrating, but ultimately hopeful push to take our foot off the gas and build a different future.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 89

The Brake: A Streetsblog Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Would a Car-Light City Really be 'Quiet'? (Dr. Erica Walker) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:44
Epidemiologists around the world have sounded the alarm about the health risks of rising noise pollution, and called out cars as one of the largest sources of the crisis. In our quest to make cities quieter, though, nois…
Why Americans Don't Drive Less When Gas Prices Soar (Dr. Ian Walker) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:32
Even as gas prices hit historic highs, many Americans aren't driving any less — because so many of their communities are so car-dependent, they don't really have a choice. But what about people who could skip the pump bu…
Why Every City Needs A Car Master Plan (Cathy Tuttle) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:37
Countless communities across America say they're planning for a future where more residents walk, bike, and roll to get around. So why do transportation leaders spend so much time drafting "pedestrian master plans" and "…