Memo from Seattle: Burying Crumbling Urban Highways Isn’t the Answer
It's tunnel vision! Lawmakers in New York are looking to Seattle for advice on how to fix a crumbling highway — but the Emerald City's experiment with a highway tunnel is no model. Here's why.
By
Kea Wilson
12:23 PM EST on March 4, 2020
Kea Wilson has more than a dozen years of experience as a writer telling emotional, urgent and actionable stories that motivate average Americans to get involved in making their cities better places. She is also a novelist, cyclist, and affordable housing advocate. She previously worked at Strong Towns, and currently lives in St. Louis, MO. Kea can be reached at kea@streetsblog.org or on Twitter @streetsblogkea. Please reach out to her with tips and submissions.
Read More:
More from Streetsblog New York City
Winter Is Coming: Will Mamdani Do A Better Job For Bus Riders And Citi Bikers This Year?
Talk about a winter wonder-land — Mayor Mamdani's big snow announcement raises a lot more transportation questions than it answers.
November 9, 2026
Mamdani Needs a Miracle on 34th Street Amid Mystery Delay
Mayor Mamdani "advanced" the 34th Street busway in June, but work on the redesign has yet to get underway as the end of painting season draws closer.
November 9, 2026
MEMO TO MAMDANI: Make Queens Boulevard the City’s First ‘Cycle Super-Highway’
Queens Boulevard is no longer the "boulevard of death," but it's bike lanes could use some improvement.
November 9, 2026
Monday’s Headlines: There’s a Meeting for That Edition
An urgent crisis means an urgent City Council oversight hearing. Plus the news.
November 9, 2026
Some of NYC’s Worst Super Speeders Are City Marshals (You Know, The Guys With Badges)
They get justice for private citizens — yet they endanger them at the same time.
November 6, 2026