The War on Cars The Creation of America's Car Culture, Part 2
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Jan 6, 2026 
In this engaging discussion, Amy Steli, an artist and urban planner from New Orleans, shares her insights on the devastating impacts of the Claiborne Expressway on the Treme neighborhood, highlighting lost businesses and increased crime. Richard Levy, a civil rights activist from Syracuse, recounts his role in opposing the construction of I-81 through the 15th Ward, emphasizing community solidarity and the challenges faced. Both guests reflect on the broader implications of highway development, underscoring its tragic legacy and ongoing fight for urban renewal.
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Claiborne's Lost Black Wall Street
- Amy Steli grew up in Treme and remembers Claiborne Avenue as a 100-foot-wide, oak-lined boulevard full of Black-owned businesses.
- Construction of the Claiborne Expressway in 1966 demolished over 500 homes and businesses and severed the neighborhood's economic life.
Futurama Shaped Highway Ambitions
- Car companies and planners promoted a future of traffic-free highways at the 1939 Futurama exhibit and beyond.
- That vision shaped policy, pushing highways into city centers rather than around them to facilitate suburban-to-downtown driving.
Defense Fears Drove Highway Policy
- Fear of nuclear war and military mobility helped justify the interstate system to lawmakers and the public.
- Eisenhower's experiences with the 1919 convoy and Germany's autobahns framed the Interstate and Defense Highway Act as essential for national defense.