MOBILITY UNBOUND
Imagine a society where everyone is free to move safely and with self-determination; where everyone flourishes socially, culturally and economically, unrestricted by structural barriers within transportation systems.
Achieving this vision of mobility unbound requires a collaborative approach that is grounded in principles of mobility justice. This framework begins with an understanding of the ways that transportation infrastructure and practices have historically excluded or harmed groups of people, particularly communities of color, in order to heal the harms of the past and build transportation systems that work for all.
Building systems that work for everyone requires that we acknowledge the unjust histories of mobility and economic prosperity in American cities.
A mobility justice approach to transportation planning includes facilitating dialogue, funding the participation of people and community organizations who are directly affected, and establishing partnerships that lead to the shared decision-making that is necessary for meaningful repair.
By taking a mobility justice approach, government agencies and elected officials can advance transportation policies, programs, and projects that bring community-driven visions to life.
Reconnecting East Central
The Community Connectors program in Spokane, WA seeks to reconnect the East Central neighborhood–a community divided by construction of the I-90 highway–through community engaged planning and changes in land use.
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Just east of downtown, East Central developed as a strong community of working-class and immigrant families in the early 1900s and continues to be one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Spokane. Over the decades, the community has built systems of resilience and entrepreneurship, and East Central has many culturally important organizations and businesses today. The area is the historic center and cultural hub of the Black community in Spokane, with a re-emerging district of the largest concentration of Black-owned and Black-led businesses and organizations in Spokane serving East Central residents and beyond, including the MLK Jr. Family Outreach Center, Carl Maxey Center, Fresh Soul, Larry’s Barber Shop, and the Southeast Daycare Center. The area is also home to a growing diversity of residents including Latinx, Marshallese, and Vietnamese communities, and recent immigrant communities.
The neighborhood population was approximately 13,840 people in 2020 [1]. In the census area that includes the core of 5th Avenue, close to 40% of the population are people of color, compared to 23% at the City level. Over 10% of residents are foreign-born, and 15% speak a language other than English at home. The median household income in CT30 is $46,868, compared to $56,977 for the City. The areas north and south of I-90 include business areas that have a mix of commercial, residential, and industrial zoning.
The 5th Avenue area is south of the freeway and includes a historical and resurging Black business district. This area has a mix of low-density residential and a small neighborhood center, though commercial parcels have diminished from conversions and land acquisitions for freeway projects. This area has had some recent infrastructure improvements, but much of the area south of I-90 still lacks pedestrian infrastructure like crosswalks, bump-outs, and a cohesive walking environment. Still, the 5th Ave area remains rich in culture, history, and community service, and is the home to community organizations, historic churches, parks, an aquatic center, two new library centers, a trail system, and three public schools, including Frances L.N. Scott Elementary School which is named for Spokane’s first Black attorney who grew up in East Central.
Sandy Williams, who passed away in 2022, was the East Central community's crown jewel, the founder of the only, Black-led publication in Spokane, The Black Lens, and Executive Director of the Carl Maxey Center. For over 40 years, Sandy was involved in anti-oppression and anti-discrimination work, standing steadfast in her commitment to the Black community in East Central and beyond. She led the fight for addressing the past harms caused by divisive highway infrastructure with the passage of SB 5853 to repurpose surplus highway lands for community redevelopment, and laid the foundation for the work that the East Central and Black community carries forward today [2,3].
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Construction of the I-90 freeway in the 1950s divided the East Central neighborhood north and south. The highway displaced residents and businesses, devastated economic opportunities, and destroyed park space. I-90 also isolated a smaller, diverse area along East 5th Avenue, leaving residents in the area especially cut off from opportunities.
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The Community Connectors project brings together community and government partners to address the historical and ongoing harms from I-90 in the East Central neighborhood in Spokane, WA by building capacity, fostering trust, and deepening relationships in authentic ways. The project seeks to co-design solutions through an integrated and equitable approach of land use, transportation, housing and anti- displacement, economic opportunities, arts and culture, climate resilience, and community health so all residents can thrive.
The project team will work with impacted and historically marginalized communities in the 5th Avenue area to explore what reconnection looks and feels like, with regard to safety, livability, and amenities. The project will also support the process for leasing to the community key Washington Department of Transportation surplus lands that had been held for highway purposes as part of the US 395/I-90 interchange, but are no longer needed.
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Each City Snapshot offers local historical context related to mobility justice. The MOBILITY LEGACIES are organized according to five themes.
These MOBILITY LEGACIES do not provide exhaustive histories of the cities. Rather, they point to harmful policies and decisions and, subsequently, opportunities for repair and reconnection.
