There is exactly one other American city crazy enough to attempt anything like what Boston did with The Big Dig. That city is Seattle, and they are not done tearing down highways. Guests: Joshua McNichols, Greg Nickels, Cayce James, José Manuel Vasquez Recorded live with KUOW at the Seattle Public Library. Archival audio courtesy of the Seattle Municipal Archives
Highway Teardown Tour | 4. Austin, TX
10/06/2026 | 33min
How did the Austin City Council find themselves locked in a ‘death match’ over what to do about Interstate 35? Two councilors and two journalists talk through the fraught politics of so-called highway caps. Guests: Megan Kimble, Nathan Bernier, José “Chito” Vela, Mike Siegel Recorded live at the KUT Festival in Austin, TX.
Highway Teardown Tour | 3. Rochester, NY
03/06/2026 | 41min
Once the highway is gone, can the divisions these structures created actually be healed? Can the people on either side become neighbors again? Rochester, NY is trying to answer that question. Guests: Erik Frisch, Brian Sharp, Shawn Dunwoody, Suzanne Mayer Recorded live at the WXXI studios in Rochester, NY.
Highway Teardown Tour | 2. Syracuse, NY
27/05/2026 | 47min
Is it possible to re-write the Interstate map and send highways around cities instead of through them? Syracuse, NY is doing just that. Guests: Marie Therese Dominguez, Lanessa Owens-Chaplin, Joe Driscoll Recorded live in partnership with WRVO and the Syracuse Museum of Science and Technology.
Highway Teardown Tour | 1. New York, NY
20/05/2026 | 51min
What to do with the BQE? It’s a one of a kind highway in desperate need of repair, but no one can agree how to fix it. Guests: Polly Trottenberg, Lara Birnback, Stephen Nessen Recorded live at WNYC’s Greenspace. Archival audio courtesy of Municipal Archives, City of New York.
In recent years, there has been a surge of interest in projects that attempt to address the harm done by urban highways – covering them up, transforming them into boulevards, or removing them entirely. But even as the problems with these structures are easy to see, the right solution for any given city is usually not obvious. Often, it’s contentious.Two years ago, GBH News released the acclaimed podcast The Big Dig, about Boston's messy attempt to reckon with its own highways. Now host Ian Coss is taking the show on the road to do live tapings in different cities facing the same issue – in Seattle, Portland, Austin, Syracuse, Baltimore and more — looking at stories from the past, present and future. It’s called The Highway Teardown Tour.-------------------------------------“This is a town where there are three pastimes: politics, sports and revenge.” The town is Boston.Seemingly dry topics become gripping political dramas in this Peabody Award winning show from creator Ian Coss and GBH News. Each season of “The Big Dig” uncovers a different facet of society – infrastructure, gambling, food, healthcare – together the pieces connect to tell the story of modern America. Season One: "The Big Dig" The highway project known as “The Big Dig” is infamous – a shorthand for government failure – but it all started as one engineer’s dream to correct the wrongs of the past, and its legacy is far from simple. Season Two: "Scratch & Win" America’s most successful state lottery – and its greatest innovation, the scratch ticket – all starts with mafia bookmakers and state bureaucrats going toe to toe in a battle to own the future of gambling. Season Three: "Catching The Codfather"A fishing tycoon is arrested in an elaborate sting operation, but claims he’s the real hero fighting back against the state.--------------CREDITS:Host & Creator: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducer: Isabel HibbardStory Editor: Lacy Roberts Contact us as thebigdig@wgbh.org
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