A road that was never built still managed to hollow out a neighborhood. We sit down with historian Emily Lieb to unpack how Baltimore’s “Road to Nowhere” took shape on paper, and why that was enough to destabilize Rosemont—a Black middle-class community of sturdy daylight rowhouses—through years of uncertainty, disinvestment, and policy misfires.

This conversation isn’t just about Baltimore. It’s about how plans, incentives, and vague labels shape markets and lives long before construction begins. We dig into the human toll of being told you’re “elected to be the sacrificers,” the choice to protect a cemetery over living homeowners, and the core question planners must face: is a city a place to live or a corridor to drive through? If we want the former, we have to align dollars, definitions, and decisions with the people already there.

If this episode moved you, follow the show, leave a review, and share it with someone who cares about housing, transportation, and urban justice. Your support helps more listeners find these stories and join the conversation.

Show Notes:

• Author Recommended Reads: 
  • Crime novels are a good way to understand cities (ex: Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead, The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler, The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett)
  • Colossus of New York by Colson Whitehead
• To help support the show, pick up a copy of the book or any of the recommended readings through our Bookshop page at https://bookshop.org/shop/bookedonplanning or get a copy through your local bookstore!
• To view the show transcripts, click on the episode at https://bookedonplanning.buzzsprout.com/

Marvin Planning Consultants
Serving the planning needs of communities and counties in Nebraska and throughout the Midwest.

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