At least in major Southern cities, the problem was often &quot;the blacks.&quot; Highway locations were often chosen to cut off less-desirable neighborhoods from city centers and more upscale residential neighborhoods. (I-30 in Dallas and the proposed I-485 in Atlanta, and arguably Robert Moses&#x27; Cross Bronx Expressway all come to mind.)<p>Today, the need for highways hasn&#x27;t gone away, but more enlightened urban planning and urban gentrification means that cities are finding ways to either relocate or ameliorate the effects of those roads -- though the expense is significant.