Evolving cities, including Kuala Lumpur, can emulate Boston’s success in its urban upgrade – by repurposing something old, cold and grey into a thriving, vibrant place that celebrates the old city and connects its people.
In 1950s, the idea of car ownership as the main urban transport mode grew into prominence, and Boston, one of America’s oldest cities in a drive to modernise itself, embarked on an ambitious plan of constructing “highway in the skies”; a series of elevated highways. The mainstay of the project is the Central Artery, completed in 1959, cutting through downtown Boston.
The stately elevated highway, once a pride of Bostonians, soon became an eyesore of “green monster pillars”. Beset by chronic overcapacity, it became deeply unpopular as it divided formerly-vibrant downtown neighbourhoods and cut off much of the city from its waterfront.
The highway replacement, the “Big Dig” project, was conceived in 1991 to alleviate Downtown congestion, transferring the busy Central Artery underground. When the “Big Dig” was finally completed in 2006, Boston is left with a large strip of unused downtown land.
Instead of completely demolishing the structure, much of this land was turned into what is now known as the Rose Kennedy Greenway. The Greenway, with its ample green space and urban plaza, has increased liveability in the inner city, promoted pedestrian traffic and public transport utilisation.
A spectacular park, it stretches over a mile long and is divided into six different sections, boasting gardens, recreational fields, sculptures installations, cafes and children's park. It hosts city festivals, public arts, community programs and a great selection of popular food trucks.
Evolving cities, including Kuala Lumpur, can emulate Boston’s success in its urban upgrade – by repurposing something old, cold and grey into a thriving, vibrant place that celebrates the old city and connects its people.
