I love highways and I love cars. I grew up in a very middle class household in Nagpur, an unremarkable tier two Indian city. Understandably, I was fascinated by the interstate highway system and cars when I arrived in the US for post-graduate studies in computer science.
When I landed at New York’s JFK international airport one August afternoon so many decades ago, I could hardly believe that I was in New York city. After picking me up at JFK, my friends took me through Manhattan. Just the drive around town was fascinating. There were the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, there was the Empire State Building, there we were on 42nd Street.
To get to Rutgers from NYC, you have to take the New Jersey Turnpike and then take exit 8. Anyone would be impressed with the 18-lane highway and toll booths — especially if you are from the boonies like I was. In those days, you had to take a ticket on entering the turnpike and then use the ticket to pay upon exit.
Anyhow, that’s when my love for highways and cars began. Over the decades I have traveled a few hundred thousand miles on the US interstate highways. I still enjoy that thrill after all these years. Even now I can comfortably do 12-hour nonstop road trips.
I am a big fan of urbanization. Cities are the engines of growth. I learned about the critical role of urban areas only when I started learning economics. Around that time, I realized that urban planning was critically important. Without proper planning, a city can become a bit of a hell-hole. But planning has to be done right. Unplanned growth is bad but so also are plans done by stupid people.
I began to understand that part of the reason that India has failed to develop is because stupid people were in charge of urban planning (if there was any planning at all.) Mumbai and Kolkata are disasters. Delhi is also a disaster, except for those who rule over Indians–they live in an enclave built by the British for the British. Now Indian babus and politicians live in style in Delhi.
Actually, I was much impressed with Chandigarh when I first visited in 1980. It was planned by the famed Swiss-French architect and urban planner Le Corbusier (1887 – 1965). The rectangular layout of the sectors of the city seemed modern to me. Later I came to understand why it was a disaster. Only after I got to read the activist and author Jane Jacobs’ “The Death and Life of Great American Cities” (1961.)
Cars and highways are great. But neither of them belong in cities. Jacobs criticized highways for destroying neighborhoods, and prioritizing cars over people. They are not compatible with the organic complexity of urban life. She challenged top-down urban planning and influenced a shift toward participatory, pedestrian-friendly urban design.
Jacobs was the nemesis of Robert Moses, a powerful urban planner who dominated New York’s infrastructure development from the 1920s to the 1960s. He championed large-scale, car-centric projects, believing highways were essential for modernizing cities. He saw cities as systems to be engineered for efficiency. He favored top-down planning, prioritizing cars, suburban commuters, and monumental infrastructure over local communities.
The Moses-Jacobs debate shaped modern urbanism. Moses’ highways left lasting scars, while Jacobs’ ideas inspired urban renewal and historic preservation. I was reminded of this issue today thanks to a youtube video by NotJustBikes. I love that channel. This one is a story of urban renewal. Or at least, a bit of a movement away from car-centric development.
I encourage you to spend the 22 minutes. If you are familiar with the growth of urban highways in many Indian cities, you’d be dismayed to realize that the Indian planners are bat-sh!t crazy. They are building “car sewers” as the guy puts it.
I visited Seoul for a few days some years ago. Perhaps it is time for me to go see the city again.
I have been to two American cities which have river-walks: Chicago, IL and San Antonio, TX. A couple of pictures.
Alright, time for some music, don’t you think? Drive by The Cars seems appropriate.
Since I mentioned the New Jersey turnpike, we have to listen to the song which has the lines, “counting the cars on the New Jersey turnpike.”
That’s it for now. Be well, do good work and keep in touch.
Atanu Dey : Life is a Random Draw 
The Swiss learnt this early:
https://x.com/grescoe/status/1883176316024893935
India, on the other hand, is still not open to such ideas.
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People are generally critical of urbanization because many of our cities are poorly planned. Like you said cities are engines of growth. What we need are better planned urban centres that balance both robust business and peaceful corners of calmness.
Pradeep / Time and Tide
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Criticism of urbanization is nowhere in this post. It is about ‘car sewers’ created by urban planners who prioritize cars over humans, degrading the quality of urban living.
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Yaman, you’re correct. I approve of urbanization. In fact, I have written extensively on that. Economic development and urbanization are highly correlated and the causation is bi-directional.
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I am glad that Moses won over Jacobs. USA would have been a depressing place for me if I had to take subway for work.
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I am glad that Moses was opposed by Jacobs. I have spent time in cities that are people friendly — such as Paris. I spent months in Paris and did not miss driving at all. Walk or bike or take the metro. Driving in Paris is not much fun anyway because the traffic is unruly. You can also get by without a car in New York city. But San Jose or LA are impossible without a car. Sure I like to drive to Costco but driving on Tully or 101 or 880 is not much fun, is it?
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