As in other major American cities in the postwar era, modernist planning ideology drove the construction of a federally subsidized, extensive highway and freeway system around Detroit, and pent-up demand for new housing stimulated suburbanization; highways made commuting by car for higher-income residents easier. However, this construction had negative implications for many lower-income urban residents. Highways were constructed through and completely demolished neighborhoods of poor residents and black communities who had less political power to oppose them. The neighborhoods were mostly low income, considered blighted, or made up of older housing where investment had been lacking due to racial redlining, so the highways were presented as a kind of urban renewal. These neighborhoods (such as Black Bottom and Paradise Valley) were extremely important to the black communities of Detroit, providing spaces for independent black businesses and social/cultural organizations. Their destruction displaced residents with little consideration of the effects of breaking up functioning neighborhoods and businesses.
as in other major american cities in the postwar era modernist planning ideology drove the construction of a federally subsidized extensive highway and freeway system around detroit and pent-up demand for new housing stimulated suburbanization; highways made commuting by car for higher-income residents easier however this construction had negative implications for many lower-income urban residents highways were constructed through and completely demolished neighborhoods of poor residents and black communities who had less political power to oppose them the neighborhoods were mostly low income considered blighted or made up of older housing where investment had been lacking due to racial redlining so the highways were presented as a kind of urban renewal these neighborhoods (such as black bottom and paradise valley) were extremely important to the black communities of detroit providing spaces for independent black businesses and social/cultural organizations their destruction displaced residents with little consideration of the effects of breaking up functioning neighborhoods and businesses