Longform

Episode 575: Megan Kimble

Apr 3, 2024

Former executive editor of The Texas Observer, Megan Kimble, discusses the impact of urban highways, inequality, and climate change. She explores the historical issues of highway construction, displacement of communities, and grassroots efforts against expansions. Kimble shares insights on the emotional toll of driving and the importance of rich storytelling in conveying community impacts.

53:06

Episode guests

Megan Kimble

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Highways through cities exacerbate traffic issues despite historical knowledge

Urban highway expansions disproportionately impact marginalized communities

Grassroots activism aims to influence transportation decisions towards sustainable alternatives

Deep dives

Focus on Urban Highways in Texas

The podcast episode delves into a recently released book titled 'City Limits' by Megan Kimball, which centers on the impact of urban highways in Texas. The book examines the expansion of three highways in Dallas, Houston, and Austin, highlighting how these projects displace communities, affect climate change, and reveal political dynamics in infrastructure development.

Introduction

3min

Career Journey, Climate Storytelling, and Magazine Start-Up

3min

Navigating the Path to Investigative Journalism

11min

Highway Dilemma: Past, Present, and Future

7min

Origins of the Interstate Highway System and Urban Congestion Issues

4min

Highways, Autonomy, and Community Impact

13min

Highway's Emotional Impact

11min

Exploring Book-Worthy Topics and Rich Storytelling Experiences

2min

Megan Kimble is the former executive editor of The Texas Observer and has written for The New York Times, Texas Monthly, and The Guardian. Her new book is City Limits: Infrastructure, Inequality, and the Future of America’s Highways.

“I have never lived in a city that was not wrapped in highways. It’s hard for me to imagine anything else. And I think that’s true for a lot of people today. ... [But] we have known since the origins of the interstate highways program that building highways through cities doesn’t fix traffic. And yet we keep doing it. To me, that really fueled a lot of the book. It wasn’t supposed to be this way.”

Show notes:

@megankimble
megankimble.com
Kimble on Longform
Kimble’s Texas Observer archive
11:00 Kimble’s Austin Monthly archive
13:00 “Austin’s Not-So-Fair Housing Market” (Austin Monthly • Sept 2018)
49:00 “The Road Home” (Texas Observer • July 2021)

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Longform

Episode 575: Megan Kimble

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Focus on Urban Highways in Texas

Historical Background of the Interstate Highway System

Challenges Faced by Communities and Activists

Climate Change and Infrastructure Politics

Transitioning to Groundwater Reporting

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts