Why America Can't Stop Building Highways We Don't Need

Why America Can't Stop Building Highways We Don't Need

Author: Strong Towns October 27, 2025 Duration: 1:02:15
Since finishing the Interstate Highway System in the 1990s, the U.S. has added 75% more urban highway lanes — and we're on track to double it again. Erick Guerra, author of "Overbuilt" and professor of regional planning, joins Chuck to discuss why we can't stop building highways we don't need and how our transportation funding system creates cities that are more dangerous and less prosperous. Additional Show Notes "Overbuilt: The High Costs and Low Rewards of U.S. Highway Construction" by Erick Guerra Erick Guerra (UPenn site) Chuck Marohn (Substack)   This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

Each week, Charles Marohn guides a discussion that feels less like a formal lecture and more like a thoughtful chat with a knowledgeable neighbor. The Strong Towns Podcast digs into the practical, often overlooked details that determine whether a community thrives or just struggles along. The conversations here consistently connect the dots between sensible budgeting and the physical shape of our streets, parks, and neighborhoods, arguing that true resilience comes from this intersection. You’ll hear specific examples of how towns and cities can make incremental, affordable investments that build long-term wealth and stability, moving beyond short-term fixes. Rather than offering abstract theory, this podcast focuses on actionable ideas for local leaders and engaged citizens alike, exploring how everyday decisions about infrastructure and land use directly impact a place's financial health. It’s a grounded perspective on creating communities that are not only more solvent but also more welcoming and livable. The ongoing dialogue reinforces the core idea that a strong town is built from the bottom up, one block at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Strong Towns Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Is Homeownership Still Part of the American Dream? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:37
If housing feels impossibly expensive, one answer is that a smaller home, a less in-demand place, or a slower climb may simply be part of starting out and working your way up. But what if getting the house that has long…
Chuck’s Engineering Lawsuit Finally Has a Ruling [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:48
After six years of legal fights, we finally have a federal court ruling in Chuck’s dispute with Minnesota’s engineering licensing board. Chuck and Strong Towns executive director John Reuter go back to the complaint that…
Chuck on Data Centers, YIMBYs and E-Bikes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:41
Strong Towns members filled the Commons with questions, and Chuck sat down to answer as many as he could. Should cities require data centers to pay for their own eventual cleanup? Has Strong Towns been too wary of the YI…
The $1 Trillion Infrastructure Backlog Cities Aren’t Counting [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:54
A strong bond rating can tell investors that a city is likely to repay its debt. It says much less about whether that city can afford to replace the roads, pipes, and other infrastructure its residents depend on. Richard…
This Atlanta Corridor Makes Walking Normal and Deadly [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:48
Atlanta’s Buford Highway supports apartment communities, small businesses, and an international food scene that draws people from across the region. It also carries six to eight lanes of fast traffic, and drivers use it…
America’s Half-Funded Highway System [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:22
The Highway Trust Fund brings in roughly $45 billion a year and spends closer to $80 billion. Congress keeps the system running by borrowing the difference and moving that money into a program still treated as if road us…
A Better Block Versus Years of Planning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:31
Cities often spend years studying a street before making a change, only to discover that the public is reacting to plans no one has actually experienced. Krista Nightengale, executive director of Better Block, explains a…
The Transit Tradeoff No City Can Escape [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:01
Putting a route near every community sounds fair until the buses only arrive once an hour. Jarrett Walker, author of Human Transit and principal of the firm helping Des Moines rethink its bus network, explains why cities…
Why Great Streets Are Not Enhancements [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:52
Street trees, benches, slower speeds, and beautiful proportions are often treated as extras, added only after the “real” engineering work is done. Victor Dover argues that this gets the whole assignment wrong. In this ep…
The Deadly Road Design We Keep Defending [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:39
Pedestrian deaths have climbed sharply since 2009, yet transportation agencies often point to small, recent dips as proof that things are getting better. Beth Osborne, president and CEO of Smart Growth America, returns t…