Skip to Content
Streetsblog Los Angeles home
Streetsblog Los Angeles home
Log In
Streetsblog USA

Talking Headways Podcast: The Freeway That Never Was

This week we’re talking with Brendan Wittstruck about St. Louis's never built freeway, I-755, which he recently wrote about at Streetsblog member NextSTL.

podcast icon logo
Meal delivery is one service of Project Roomkey. Photo: LAHSA

Brendan discusses the history of the project and how drawing lines on maps can be seductive to planners, who always have to be careful about trying to “fix” cities. He also talks about the racial politics of freeway construction in St. Louis, and how that legacy still shapes the city today. Finally, we chat about what the I-755 story means for freeway teardown movements today in terms of data collection and why this freeway never saw the light of day.

Join us and hear about the teardown that never had to happen, and the freeway that was never built.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog Los Angeles

This Week In Livable Streets

Long Beach 2nd Street Bridge, Metro board meetings, NoHo-Pasadena BRT, SB79, LADOT speed camera program, and more

February 23, 2026

Monday’s Headlines

ICE, Playa del Rey, L.A.'s worst intersections, Huntington Library, SFV Metro construction, car-nage, and more

February 23, 2026

Metro Committee Approves Additional Early Construction Funding for Union Station Run-Through Tracks

Link US is a huge undertaking which includes building a new bridge over and along the 101 Freeway

February 20, 2026

Friday’s Headlines

ICE, Playa del Rey cyclist memorial, potholes, don't poop on buses PSA, Santa Monica, Pasadena, Venice Dell housing, car-nage, and more

February 20, 2026

Thursday’s Headlines

Metro D Line, speed cameras, housing, beach path, Little Tokyo, Big Blue Bus, SB79, South Pasadena, 6th St. Bridge, Pico Rivera, car-nage, and more

February 19, 2026
See all posts