Los Angeles County is crisscrossed by 515 miles of freeway. Due to traffic on the Interstate 5 and Ventura freeways, the cities of Burbank and Glendale endure the worst 1% of pollution burden in all of California. We have spent decades and billions of dollars expanding highways to “solve” gridlock, but this strategy has failed completely. This means we need to radically rethink our transportation networks. This framework proposes to address pollution burden through public transportation investment, pollution mitigation with green infrastructure, road diets, vehicle electrification, high-speed rail, and finally by reclaiming highways into linear parks. The existing infrastructure will be transformed from an impermeable, 10-lane, pollutant-spewing barrier into a vegetated, job-creating, carbon-absorbing connector between communities. Each element of a freeway becomes something new. Roads become the backbone of a linear park system, with several options proposed depending on programming and site context. Strategic use is made of existing storm drains, and clean, manufactured soil is added to create a new topography planted with native vegetation. Clovers would be naturally suited by their grading to become stormwater infrastructure to filter, infiltrate, or retain water. Finally, former interchanges become community hubs, with the space and location to support recreation, cultural and educational centers, and resource generation. Transforming the freeways of the most polluted areas of Burbank and Glendale could be just the first step. Freeways bisect many of our most polluted, underserved communities. As our transit patterns change, we can choose to promote a healthier, more equitable Los Angeles.

1. 1
Andrea Binz
ARCH 542a: Urban Design Studio | Edge Conditions
Instructor: Jessica M. Henson, RLA, ASLA
Fall 2020
University of Southern California School of Architecture
Master of Landscape Architecture + Urbanism
Second Year Studio
Final Presentation
December 4, 2020
S U P E R H I G H W AY S
t o S U P E R B L O O M S

2. California has the
biggest network
of highways in
the country.
2

3. 3

4. 4
CalEnviroScreen
Score
+ =Pollution
Burden
Population
Characteristics

5. I-5
I-5
Ventura Freeway
G R I F F I T H P A R K
B U R B A N K
G L E N D A L E
5

6. 6
+ =
POLLUTION
BURDEN
Traffic density*
PM 2.5
Diesel PM
Ozone
*top contributor
POPULATION
CHARACTERISTICS
Linguistic isolation
Housing burden
Cardiovascular rate
Education
Poverty
Unemployment

7. 7
Traffic DelayPopulation Growth Freeway Growth
6%
12%
83%
We have spent decades and
billions of dollars expanding
highways to “solve” gridlock,
but this strategy has failed
completely.
Los Angeles (1993-2017)
Source: Transportation for America

8. 8
Why?
SPRAWLING DEVELOPMENT
Vehicle-miles traveled increased 20% from 1993-2017.
INDUCED DEMAND
Expanding highways encourages people to drive more. Braess’ Paradox
shows that adding or widening roads in a road network can worsen traffic.
Source: Transportation for America

9. 9
Conversely, removing or narrowing
roads can reduce traffic.
Embarcadero Freeway (San Francisco, CA)
Central Freeway (San Francisco, CA)
Harbor Drive (Portland, OR)
Park East Freeway (Milwaukee, WI)
Source: Removing Freeways - Restoring Cities, Image source: Global Designing Cities
West Side Highway (New York, NY)
Robert Moses Parkway (Niagara Falls, NY)
Pompidou Expressway (Paris, France)
Cheonggyecheon Freeway (Seoul, South Korea)

10. 10
This means we need to radically
rethink our transportation networks.
Pollution will never be reduced
significantly if we leave the status quo.

11. 11
Vehicle electrification
2035
High-speed rail
2045+
Remote work
2020
Changes are coming:
Image sources: NPR, Mercury News, California High-Speed Rail Authority

12. Framework Plan
12

13. Framework Plan
13

14. Framework Plan
14

15. Framework Plan
15

16. Framework Plan
16

17. Framework Plan
17

18. Framework Plan
18

19. Framework Plan
19

20. Framework Plan
20

21. Breaking down a highway:
21
KIT OF PARTS
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA

22. Breaking down a highway:
Roads
Linear
Parks
22
KIT OF PARTS
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA

23. Breaking down a highway:
Roads Clovers
Linear
Parks
Stormwater
Infrastructure
23
KIT OF PARTS
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA

24. Breaking down a highway:
Roads Clovers Interchanges
Linear
Parks
Stormwater
Infrastructure
Community
Hubs
24
KIT OF PARTS
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA

25. Section A-0: Road Existing Condition
25
SITE SECTION: ROAD
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA
A-0

26. Section A-0: Road Existing Condition
Section A-1: Linear Park
26
SITE SECTION: ROAD
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA
A-1

27. Section A-0: Road Existing Condition
Section A-1: Linear Park
27
SITE SECTION: ROAD
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA
A-1

28. Section A-0: Road Existing Condition
Section A-1: Linear Park
Section A-2: Cross-Embankment Connector
28
SITE SECTION: ROAD
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA
A-2

29. Section A-0: Road Existing Condition
Section A-1: Linear Park
Section A-2: Cross-Embankment Connector
29
SITE SECTION: ROAD
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA
A-2

30. Section A-0: Road Existing Condition
Section A-1: Linear Park
Section A-2: Cross-Embankment Connector
Section A-3: Downtown Plaza
30
SITE SECTION: ROAD
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA
A-3

31. Section A-0: Road Existing Condition
Section A-1: Linear Park
Section A-2: Cross-Embankment Connector
Section A-3: Downtown Plaza
31
SITE SECTION: ROAD
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA
A-3

32. Section B-0: Clover Existing Condition
32
SITE SECTION: CLOVER
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA
B-0

33. Section B-0: Clover Existing Condition
Section B-1: Stormwater Chambers
33
SITE SECTION: CLOVER
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA
B-1

34. Section B-0: Clover Existing Condition
Section B-1: Stormwater Chambers
34
SITE SECTION: CLOVER
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA
B-1

35. Section B-0: Clover Existing Condition
Section B-1: Stormwater Chambers
Section B-2: Detention Basins
35
SITE SECTION: CLOVER
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA
B-2

36. Section B-0: Clover Existing Condition
Section B-1: Stormwater Chambers
Section B-2: Detention Basins
36
SITE SECTION: CLOVER
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA
B-2

37. Section B-0: Clover Existing Condition
Section B-1: Stormwater Chambers
Section B-2: Detention Basins
Section B-3: Neighborhood Stormwater Diversion
37
SITE SECTION: CLOVER
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA
B-3

38. Section B-0: Clover Existing Condition
Section B-1: Stormwater Chambers
Section B-2: Detention Basins
Section B-3: Neighborhood Stormwater Diversion
38
SITE SECTION: CLOVER
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA
B-3

39. Section C-0: Interchange Existing Condition
39
SITE SECTION: INTERCHANGE
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA
C-0

40. Section C-0: Interchange Existing Condition
40
SITE SECTION: INTERCHANGE
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA
C-0

41. Section C-0: Interchange Existing Condition
41
SITE SECTION: INTERCHANGE
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA
C-0

42. Section C-0: Interchange Existing Condition
42
SITE SECTION: INTERCHANGE
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA
C-0

43. Section C-0: Interchange Existing Condition
Section C-1: Community Hub
43
SITE SECTION: INTERCHANGE
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA
C-1

44. Section C-1: Community Hub
Section C-0: Interchange Existing Condition
44
SITE SECTION: INTERCHANGE
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA
C-1

45. Section C-1: Community Hub
Section C-0: Interchange Existing Condition
45
SITE SECTION: INTERCHANGE
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA
C-1

46. 46
SITE PLAN
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA

47. 47
BIRD’S EYE VIEW: EXISTING
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA

48. 48
BIRD’S EYE VIEW: PROPOSED
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA

49. 49
BIRD’S EYE VIEW: PROPOSED
Superhighways to Superblooms
Burbank + Glendale, CA

50. 50
In Los Angeles County...
515Miles of Freeway
113Clovers
63Interchanges

51. 51
In Los Angeles County...
515Miles of Freeway
113Clovers
63Interchanges
Linear
Parks
Stormwater
Infrastructure
Community
Hubs

52. 52
1930 Olmsted-Bartholomew Plan for the Los Angeles Region
A bold vision for Los Angeles
CalEnviroScreen Pollution Burden Expanded Framework Opportunities

53. 53
Andrea Binz
ARCH 542a: Urban Design Studio | Edge Conditions
Instructor: Jessica M. Henson, RLA, ASLA
Fall 2020
University of Southern California School of Architecture
Master of Landscape Architecture + Urbanism
Second Year Studio
Final Presentation
December 4, 2020
S U P E R H I G H W AY S
t o S U P E R B L O O M S