‘It’s just more and more lanes’: the Texan revolt against giant new highways

‘There’s no train, there’s no bus, there’s no anything that supports mass transportation. It doesn’t exist.’ Photograph: Arturo Olmos/The Guardian

Texas, with its wide-laned roads and supersized highways, seems like an unlikely place for a rebellion against the supremacy of American car culture.

But last week a band of residents from across Texas descended upon the state’s department of transportation (DoT) to voice fury over new highway expansions that are set to displace thousands of people and raze hundreds of businesses, schools and churches. Meanwhile, the state is actively crushing local plans to encourage more cycling and walking as an alternative to driving.