Aesthetics and Other Community Values in the Design of Roads

Abstract

The Interstate highway system was designed to handle large volumes of high-speed traffic. It has been one of the most successful public works projects of the century. But in the design of roads, aesthetics and other community values have been increasingly, and unnecessarily, neglected. This study provides a brief history of the Interstate highway acts and of agency responses to conflict. Discussion of the aesthetics of streets and roads follows, which examines the “fit” between roads and the physical and social landscapes through which they pass. It shows that parkways have been successful in fitting roads to their surroundings and in minimizing the area of concrete. Also parkway safety appears adequate. Several examples are cited of typical cases in which highway guidelines are modified to save money. The processes that have led to successful conflict resolution are described, and necessary conditions for constructive citizen participation are examined. This study's aim is to provide support for professionals and citizens attempting to resolve such conflicts.