Changes in Birmingham Following the Interstate Highway

Abstract: Historical research has shown that the construction of the U.S. Interstate Highway System from the 1950's to the 1970's disrupted many urban communities leading to worsening racial inequalities, injustices, and segregation. Birmingham, Alabama, specifically the I-20 and I-65 Interstate exchange, serves as a case study area to document the changes that occurred following the construction. Aerial photography and Census data were used to compare the area of interest before and after the establishment of the highway. The aerial photography documented land use/land cover (LULC) alterations and the Census data measured demographic changes. Usage of geospatial data such as these enables quantitative and qualitative assessment of the impacts immediately surrounding the I-20 and I-65 Interstate exchange since its construction. A case study like the I-20 and I-65 Interstate exchange serves as evidence that transportation planning practices often have unequal and negative impacts on their surrounding communities.

The Interstate Highway system's legacy has become very mixed since its construction as the roads have often negatively impacted minority and poor communities. There are a growing number of historical cases demonstrating the effects of the highways on these communities. One case by Connerly, 2002 found that Atlanta's Interstate highways were used to segregate black neighborhoods from white neighborhoods as the highway intersected their neighborhoods. Birmingham is an interesting example because it was a center for civil rights and there are already documented cases reporting the effects of the Interstate highways on neighborhoods (Retzlaff, 2020). For instance, Retzlaff, 2020 argued that the highways in Birmingham were used to preserve segregation in school districts. The I-20 and I-65 Interstate highway exchange is located in the heart of Birmingham and presents the same questions about the impacts of the highway to disadvantaged communities of color.

To see the changes that have occurred around this area, I looked at Census demographic data and conducted a qualitative land use/ land cover (LULC) change over the construction of the highway through three time periods, the 1950's, the 1970's, and the 2000's. The Census data was used to calculate the demographic variables: total population, racial composition, and total vacant homes. Total population and racial composition provided insight on which populations lived in the surrounding area of the highway. Total vacant homes was used as a metric of past housing conditions. The LULC analysis was conducted over georeferenced aerial imagery with the aid of Susan Hoskins, a geospatial expert with Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Total population was calculated through a single variable in the Census data for each year. The symbology used for this map is dot density. Therefore, it is important to note that these dots are dispersed randomly within their tract or block group (polygon) and do not represent their true location.

From the comparison of these maps, we see that the total population around the Interstate exchange gradually decreases throughout the years. The most major decline in population is from 1970 to 2000.

Racial composition was aggregated into two categories: white and non-white. The maps display percentage non-white compared to the total population according to the Census. The percentage is displayed in a proportionally sized circle (maximum size = 50). A smaller circle represents a smaller percentage of non-white residents.

Comparing the different maps, the percentage of non-whites is generally the same throughout the years with the exception of one area from 1950 to 1970. This tract in the top right corner goes from a predominately white population in the 1950's to a predominately black population in the 1970's.

Housing changes were tracked through total vacant homes. Total vacant homes was calculated by aggregating all Census data relating to vacant homes to a singular variable: total vacant homes. This map set shows the total vacant homes for the area of interest from the 1950 Census, 1970 Census, and the 2000 Census. The symbology used for this map is dot density. Therefore, it is important to note that these dots are dispersed randomly within their tract or block group (polygon).

There is a general increase in vacant homes throughout the years with the 2000 Census reporting the most vacant homes. The most major increase in vacant homes occurred between the 1970 and 2000 Census data.

The most major changes were seen between the 1947 and 1970 images, largely because the construction had mostly been completed by 2002. In the 1970 LULC, much of the housing was in development or had recently completed construction. Additionally, the housing was mainly multi-family and single-family housing that had begun construction in the 1950s. The downtown area, on the other hand, had mainly converted to a more commercial land use. This was reinforced by the 2000 LULC because there were more distinct differences and less transitional areas between the commercial and residential zones.

Taking into account all of the LULC and Census data throughout the three time periods, there has been a general decrease in population with an increase in vacant homes. Therefore, it is likely that as homes were being built, many people left the area surrounding the highway exchange, leaving more vacant homes. While most of the areas have remained predominately non-white, one area has shifted from predominately white residents to predominately non-white residents. Additionally, the LULC changed from a more mixed-use area to more distinct commercial and residential areas.

When the highway was built in the 1970's, more homes were developed. However, the highway was built through the established neighborhoods of predominately black and other minority communities. Furthermore, the tract in the upper right corner was occupied by white single-family homes in the 1950's, yet the houses remained unchanged in the 1970's and the 2000's. Overall, it is difficult to attribute specific impacts to the Interstate exchange but we can say that the highways played a major role in the demographic and LULC changes to the communities it was built through. The I-20 and I-65 Interstate exchange serves as a case study to demonstrate the unequal and negative impacts of transportation planning to communities of color.

Connerly, C. E. (2002). From Racial Zoning to Community Empowerment: The Interstate Highway System and the African American Community in Birmingham, Alabama. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 22(2), 99–114.  https://doi.org/10.1177/0739456X02238441 

Dottle, D., Bliss, L., and Robles, P. (2021). What It Looks Like to Reconnect Black Communities Torn Apart by Highways. Bloomberg.com. https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2021-urban-highways-infrastructure-racism/

Retzlaff, R. (2020). Connecting Public School Segregation with Urban Renewal and Interstate Highway Planning: The Case of Birmingham, Alabama. Journal of Planning History, 19(4), 256–280.  https://doi.org/10.1177/1538513220906386