Cities clinging to highways: Two tales

Despite evidence indicating that expanding highways does not alleviate congestion—due to the notorious induced demand phenomenon—transport planning professionals remain reluctant to acknowledge the limitations of current practices. This qualitative research examines the possibility of removing urban highways in two second-tier cities, Brisbane, Australia, and Shiraz, Iran, through in-depth semi-structured interviews with transport policymakers, planners, and other experts. Framed by the concepts of ‘paradigm shifts’ and ‘path dependencies’, the findings reveal that entrenched interests and beliefs, alongside obstacles such as costs and limited alternatives, inhibit a shift away from urban highways. Both cities demonstrate a lack of consensus regarding the detrimental effects of automobility and urban highways, signaling that a significant change in mindset has yet to occur. Ultimately, the study concludes that substantial obstacles must be overcome and a paradigm shift is needed before highway removal can be seriously considered. Such changes may be decades away in both Brisbane and Shiraz.