Building Inequities: The Cultural, Economic, and Environmental Justice Impacts of the Interstate Highway System

The multi-decade development of the Interstate Highway System has been one of the largest determinants shaping the built environment, culture, and economy of the United States. As the largest public works project in history, the Interstate Highway System had a profound influence on the life of virtually every American due to increased economic efficiency, improved automotive safety, and heightened urban and rural interconnectivity. Despite these extensive benefits, the unequal burdens posed by the Interstate Highway System have led to lasting impacts in the form of demolished neighborhoods, polluted communities, and degraded land use patterns experienced most acutely by minority and low-income individuals.