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Conflicts/ Impacts on population

Resisted freeway construction and displacement

The construction of freeways resulted in the demolition of neighborhoods and displacement of their residents. Freeways were a symbol of freedom, civic progress, and the master plan for growth in Southern California as they were celebrated among progressives, freeway planners, and government officials. They did not have the same meaning to all as they caused destruction and the displacement of many.There were many freeway revolts won mostly by white middle class and wealthy communities to stop freeway efforts in certain areas and neighborhoods. This movement only directly served the white and affluent communities as it did not extend to communities of color viewed as “slums”. It illustrated themes of racialization and class privilege. In Southern California, the Beverly Hills Freeway is one of the freeway revolts greatest success against the 1958 Master Plan. The freeway would have run right through Beverly Hills, east-west Melrose Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard, connecting to the San Diego Freeway.Although freeway planners and government officials targeted minorities and their communities it did not stop them from inventing their own freeway revolt, such as that of East Los Angeles. Countless communities were ripped apart, isolated, and even completely erased in result of highway construction. The development of urban infrastructure created multiple forms of opportunity in communities but decimated others. The highway construction in California was brought by urban renewal programs as it implemented efficiency, growth, and progress but it also changed the lives of many with lasting consequences.

The Harbor Freeway

In the 1950s the Collier Burns Highway act sparked a surge in freeway construction in Los Angeles. The image of freeways and encouragement to purchase automobiles began to flourish. During this time the residents of South Central protested against the construction of freeways as the Harbor Freeway was proposed to destroy a maximum of twenty thousand homes. It would extend south from downtown between Broadway and Figueroa Avenues. Local leaders and South central residents pleaded to the State Highway Commission a change in the proposed routing of the freeway, but the original plan proceeded. The Division of Highways justified the decision of highway construction and negativity impacting communities in Los Angeles by referring to the concept of “ growth” and “progress” in American societies. Even after the removal and displacement of thousands of South Central residents as they sacrificed their homes for the construction of the Harbor Freeway.

The Hollywood Freeway

The Hollywood Freeway, commonly known as the 101, opened in 1954. It is said to be historical as it was outlined by an ancient highway that spread throughout various parts of Los Angeles. The Hollywood Freeway did not come without protest, in 1940 the Hollywood Anti-Parkway League condemned the construction of the freeway as not being part of American culture. Early planning maps proposed the Hollywood freeway or originally know as Hollywood Parkway, to be constructed across a heavily populated area in Los Angeles. The opposition of the freeway grew as it was planned to extend the freeway toward the downtown area.Although the 101 freeway was ultimately built despite the protest of actors and the Hollywood Bowl Association, the state, and highway planners worked to reroute and make compromises. They accommodated to white suburbia and industry because of the power coming from the white middle class and affluent Hollywood community. The construction resulted in the loss of historical structures and several homes in Whitley Heights but avoided the local community and many other industrial landmarks such as the Hollywood Tower, the KTTV television station, and even the First Presbyterian Church. Extensive landscaping was also installed to suite the complaints of Hollywood Bowl Association, and their fear of noise pollution.

The Santa Monica Freeway

The Santa Monica Freeway (I-10) is a grand man made structure that stretches across Los Angeles. It was fully opened on January 5,1966 and is now depended on by many Southern Californian residents as it is a major east-west highway that extends through much of Los Angeles and California. In the 1940s through the 1960s the construction of the Santa Monica Freeway was an immense modern project for urban renewal as it would be the start to connect the nation with superhighways, funded as a statewide and national effort. This plan like most freeway proposals would displace countless residents and disrupt local communities. One major route that was originally named the Olympic Freeway would extend between the East Los Angeles Interchange and the Pacific Coast Highway. The mapping of the Santa Monica Freeway was planned to be constructed across densely populated communities as the state would purchase any amount of property to construct this freeway. Community members, homeowner groups, and countless churches that would be displaced with construction began to organize and protest. They focused mainly to denounce the 6.6 mile area of the freeway that would extended west of La Cienega Boulevard. Public hearings were made to speak of the proposed freeway route and the concerns of many. A general agreement of the freeway was that it was needed in Los Angeles to connect the downtown area to the coast. The plan to construct the freeway proceeded, but it was revised and saved 47 homes. This change saved several homes but it impacted new neighborhoods, who also opposed the plan but were ultimately ignored by freeway planners. Many people were displaced but as the slow progress of the construction took many years, the local protests ended.

The East Los Angeles Freeway System

The East Lost Angeles Freeway system and the East Los Angeles Interchange perform as an important center for the Los Angeles freeway network. It is also known for being the cause of displacing countless Mexican Angelo communities, as 19 percent of East Los Angeles is intertwined with freeways. East Los Angeles faced many years of freeway construction. The freeway system grew as multiple freeways were built for over two decades; The Santa Ana 5 Freeway (1944), the Hollywood 101 Freeway (1948), San Bernardino 10 Freeway (1953), Santa Monica 10 Freeway extended to the East Los Angeles Interchange (1961) , Long Beach 710 Freeway (1961) and the last freeway to be constructed in East Los Angles was the Pomona 60 Freeway (1965). Boyle Heights and neighboring communities protested against the first construction of the freeways. Community leaders rallied together to fight for their neighborhoods as they circulated petitions and organized public hearings. The construction of the freeways started as scheduled despite the resistance. The numerous freeways in this era displaced many East Los Angles residents as they had their homes and property seized. Schools, Churches, and community parks were also lost from construction. One notable structure lost in Boyle Heights was Saint Isabella church and the Catholic elementary school. The loss of Hollenbeck Park was also a devastation to the community, being there was an already shortages of parks in the area. The Divide of Highways again justified the the loss of communities by contending that residents would save time using the new freeways. Boyle Heights was a densely populated area because of low mortgages that were enjoyed by Mexican Angelo families. When families were forced to give up their homes they struggled to find homes that matched in affordability. Some families were also displaced in gang ridden areas and further from the freeways that they never used. The remaining residents in the area also still suffer the consequences of the construction of the surrounding freeways. Residents are now separated from parts of the community and face many effects of the areas air pollution caused by vehicles.