Freeways are not free. We pay for them in all kinds of ways — with our tax dollars, our time, our environment and our health. While freeways have enabled huge amounts of economic growth, they've also caused displacement and division. Learn the forgotten history of our urban freeway network, and how decades after that network was finished, some communities are still working to heal the wounds that freeways left behind. As climate change threatens to wreak havoc on our cities, freeways are not just a part of the problem. They can also be part of the solution.
Freeway Exit
Freeways are not free. We pay for them in all kinds of ways — with our tax dollars, our time, our environment and our health. While freeways have enabled huge amounts of economic growth, they've also caused displacement and division. Learn the forgotten history of our urban freeway network, and how decades after that network was finished, some communities are still working to heal the wounds that freeways left behind. As climate change threatens to wreak havoc on our cities, freeways are not just a part of the problem. They can also be part of the solution.
Hosted by Andrew Bowen
Episodes
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In San Diego, a group of activists organize to stop a highway from destroying their predominantly Black and Latino neighborhood. -
The American freeway is born during a time of boundless optimism for the automobile … how did we not see the dark side? -
As San Diego struggles to meet its climate goals, a radical idea emerges — shut down part of a freeway.
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Freeways are not free. We pay for them in all kinds of ways — with our tax dollars, our time, our environment and our health. While freeways have enabled huge amounts of economic growth, they've also caused displacement and division. Learn the forgotten history of our urban freeway network, and how decades after that network was finished, some communities are still working to heal the wounds that freeways left behind. As climate change threatens to wreak havoc on our cities, freeways are not just a part of the problem. They can also be part of the solution.
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Expanding the capacity of San Diego County's freeway network would increase driving — and could make it impossible to achieve state and local climate goals. -
Kiosks and public bathrooms built over the freeway were supposed to help reconnect the community. They've never been put to use. -
At the center of Southcrest Trails Neighborhood Park sits a public art project inspired by the community's decades-long battle to stop a freeway. -
Few San Diegans today remember the fight over Highway 252, which would have torn through the Southcrest neighborhood. -
State Route 15 was one of the last freeways to get built in San Diego. See what City Heights looked like before it was built. -
Climate activists protested the widening, saying it would not fix congestion but rather put more cars on the road, pushing the city's goal of net zero emissions further from reach.
Share Your Thoughts on Freeway Exit
We value your feedback! Tell us what you liked about the podcast and what you would like to hear more of. What questions do you still have about freeways? What should we look into next?
Submit your questions and feedback here or leave us a voicemail at (619) 452-0228.
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Freeway Exit Team
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Andrew Bowen
Host -
Andrew Bowen is the KPBS metro reporter covering San Diego County, with a focus on local government, housing, transportation, infrastructure, and climate change. He's won several awards, including the Gloria Penner Award and the Walk the Walk Award. Andrew previously worked in Germany as a translator, radio reporter, and TV news producer, covering stories across Europe for Deutsche Welle and Der Spiegel. He holds a bachelor of science degree in journalism with a minor in Spanish from Northwestern University and speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and German fluently.
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David Washburn
Editor -
David is KPBS' Investigations Editor since 2019, with 25 years of experience in investigative and explanatory news. He has won awards for stories on officer-involved shootings, Iraq's contractor corruption, and misuse of funds at the Red Cross. David has also worked with Voice of San Diego, Voice of OC, and EdSource. He holds a B.A. from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and has previously worked for Dateline NBC.
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Claire Trageser
Assistant Editor -
Claire is KPBS' deputy editor leading digital-first content development and training for award-winning journalists. She has produced radio, TV, and podcast series, and created a police shootings database. Claire won San Diego Society of Professional Journalists' Journalist of the Year in 2020 and two Diversity Prizes. She studied chemistry at Reed College and earned a master's degree in journalism at UC Berkeley.
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Emily Jankowski
Mix and sound designer -
Emily Jankowski is a sound designer based in Boston. Previously, Emily was director of sound design for the cross-border podcast Port of Entry for KPBS in San Diego. Emily was first introduced to Boston in 2019 when Port of Entry was selected for PRX’s Project Catapult, a podcast accelerator and training program for public media stations. Before designing for podcasts, Emily was radio operations assistant at KPBS. She holds a MFA in Sound Design for Theatre from UC San Diego, and a BFA from UC San Diego in Interdisciplinary Computing and the Arts, Music.
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