Dayton should envision a future where US 35 no longer acts as a barrier but as a city street with a variety of uses and modes of transportation that connect Daytonians to one another. On the east side of I-75, there’s the possibility to reclaim over 100 acres of land currently occupied by the freeway, providing space for new housing, businesses, parks, and cultural amenities. On the west side of I-75 (the planning funding covers an area from Steve Whalen Boulevard to Gettysburg), we could reclaim 30 acres even before we narrow the roadway. This could allow businesses to expand, new housing to be built, and add new parks and trails. Lakeside Lake in the Pineview neighborhood is capped by a 35 overpass. We could contemplate removing it and making an already peaceful park more peaceful.
Dayton should envision a future where US 35 no longer acts as a barrier but as a city street with a variety of uses and modes of transportation that connect Daytonians to one another. On the east side of I-75, there’s the possibility to reclaim over 100 acres of land currently occupied by the freeway, providing space for new housing, businesses, parks, and cultural amenities. On the west side of I-75 (the planning funding covers an area from Steve Whalen Boulevard to Gettysburg), we could reclaim 30 acres even before we narrow the roadway. This could allow businesses to expand, new housing to be built, and add new parks and trails. Lakeside Lake in the Pineview neighborhood is capped by a 35 overpass. We could contemplate removing it and making an already peaceful park more peaceful.
Since I last wrote about this topic in 2016, I’ve visited Rochester, New York, and saw the results of their work removing a portion of the Inner Loop freeway. The project converted a sunken expressway into a walkable boulevard and it’s now very hard to tell the expressway was ever there. New buildings and parks have sprung up, repairing the old city fabric and demonstrating how freeway removal can transform urban landscapes for the better. I could easily imagine the section of US 35 between Jefferson Street and Ludlow rebuilt like this, with hotels, three- and four-story apartment buildings, and new, wide sidewalks.
I’ve written and made presentations on this topic before that call for the removal of 35 between Steve Whalen Boulevard and Ludlow Street. I’ve since enlarged the area to include US 35 west of I-75. Critics of freeway removal often raise concerns about increased traffic congestion and longer commute times. However, studies have shown that urban freeway removal does not necessarily lead to these negative outcomes. Instead, traffic patterns tend to adjust, with many motorists opting for alternative routes or modes of transportation. The removal of the freeway can encourage more sustainable forms of mobility, such as walking, biking, and public transit, ultimately reducing our reliance on cars.
On the Dayton Freeway Removal Facebook Page, I post stories every week from cities like Rochester that are making changes to their highway infrastructure and that are improving walkability, biking, and the quality of their public space. Dayton is making strides by building protected bike lanes, upgrading our park amenities, adding speed bumps, and implementing road diets, like the road narrowing that’s currently happening on North Main Street. These changes improve the quality of life, but we should also be looking to the future by tackling the 800-lane gorilla in the room.
The Reconnecting Communities grant provides the perfect impetus for this transformative change. Reclaiming land for development and parks, making the walk to the library safer, and creating a more livable city are goals within our reach. Now is the time for Dayton to imagine its future and make the US 35 freeway part of its past. Let’s pave the way for a vibrant, connected, and prosperous urban landscape.
Matt Sauer is a Dayton resident and architect specializing in adaptive reuse. He volunteers on Dayton’s Plan Board and as president of the Grafton Hill Association. He frequently shops at Gem City Market.