THE DESIGN OF THE HIGHWAY 183 



2. That it will complement any existing or proposed future values. 



3. That in areas which are presently nondescript or in need of 

 rehabilitation it will be the seed to induce good adjoining develop- 

 ment. 



Now let's apply these principles 



1 . Location. The continued destruction of other public facilities 

 such as parks, playgrounds and educational institutions is a gross 

 and unwarranted extension of the highway fund. While the dollar 

 value of the land taken appears less, it is only because of a lack of 

 realistic appraisal of the public function destroyed. 



In locating the highway, due regard should and can be given to the 

 views both of countryside and cityscape if care is exercised. Merging 

 of the highway plan and other redevelopment programs, too often 

 omitted in the planning, is one way that such locations can aid rather 

 than hurt the urban scene. 



2. Design. One of the difficulties of expressway design is in the 

 elephantine size of many urban and suburban roads. An 8-, 10-, 

 or 12-lane highway is a tremendous thing. The designer is some- 

 times caught between hiding it under the rug or autocratically bull- 

 dozing a wide swath. Neither need be done. 



If the multilane highway is broken down into its component parts, 

 none need be in excess of four lanes. And if each such four-lane 

 element is designed as to form and placement, vertically as well as 

 horizontally, all the necessary traffic functions can be performed 

 and each integral section can be designed with a fineness often re- 

 served for good buildings. 



In this respect the usual technique is to have an engineering 

 design gussied up by an architect to cover its too obvious rough shell. 

 Such wallpapering techniques serve little or no purpose of permanent 

 environmental value. 



The proper procedure is to have the architect involved in all 

 projects and to have him as a prime member of the team in the 

 control of line, grade, and general form. Unnecessary and expen- 

 sive facing techniques can often be avoided and a sculptural form 

 can be obtained complementary to the area through which the high- 

 way traverses. 



Design by directive is not in the interest of creating a good high- 

 way. Little things, even as little as the indiscriminate use of massive 

 doses of chain-link fence, can destroy an otherwise good design. 

 There are better and cheaper methods of accomplishing the same 

 thing. 



