Millions of taxpayer dollars are being spent to study the feasibility of burying sections of I-37 and three other highways in San Antonio, a project aimed at mitigating the effects of what some consider 'racist' highway design.
Capping and stitching sound like techniques used with a sewing machine, but in San Antonio , they represent a plan to fundamentally alter the city's freeways. The News 4 I-Team's Jaie Avila launches his new Waste Watch segment, focusing on tracking government spending throughout 2025. This investigation begins with a controversial project spending millions of taxpayer dollars to make highways less 'racist'. The project aims to bury, or cap, portions of I-37 and three other highways.
Urban planners argue these highways act as barriers, dividing minority communities from the rest of the city.Isaiah Davila, a resident of the east side, highlights the limited access options when traversing busy I-10. He explains the absence of alternative routes, forcing residents to travel long distances. James Nortey, representing San Antonio for Growth on the Eastside (SAGE), asserts that the placement of highways was intentionally designed to segregate communities. For decades, he claims, Black and Latino neighborhoods have been cut off from opportunities for jobs and recreation. Nortey further describes the concept of 'stitching', which involves covering both sides of an underground highway to create a smooth connection.SAGE received a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to study capping I-37 from Carolina St. to Broadway, I-35 from Broadway to Walters, and I-10 from MLK Dr. to Houston St., and from Piedmont Ave. to Walters. Nortey addresses concerns about the highways' accessibility, stating that while individuals with cars can navigate them, not everyone has access to reliable transportation. Cities like Austin, Dallas, and Atlanta have explored similar capping and stitching projects, covering freeways with parks or land bridges. The Biden administration awarded $544 million in grants for such initiatives, with former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasizing their potential to address racist highway designs. However, critics, like Terri Hall from Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom, argue that these projects are wasteful and will exacerbate traffic congestion in a rapidly growing state like Texas. SAGE anticipates completing the study by May 2026, but the project's massive scale raises questions about its feasibility, particularly with a new presidential administration. Viewers can submit Waste Watch news tips to Jaie Avila by calling or emailing the News 4 I-Team at (210) 476-1070 or i-team@news4sa.com.
Capping Stitching Highways Racial Inequality San Antonio Government Spending Transportation Infrastructure SAGE Waste Watch
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