...that they have some sort of constitutional right to drive through the center of a city at 50+ miles an hour? Yes, pulling down the Alaskan Way Viaduct—which no one would propose building today if we hadn't been dumb enough to build it then—and replacing it with a boulevard that reconnects the city to its waterfront may add a few minutes to some peoples' commutes. Tough shit. Cities are crowded places, and it usually takes a little time to get from one end of a city to another. Building or rebuilding freeways that encourage sprawl—and encourage a sense of supreme entitlement on the part of drivers—is not in any city's best interest. And a city can survive and thrive without freeways, highways, and expressways cutting through their hearts.

Anyone ever been to Vancouver, BC?

Don't want a long commute? Move closer to work—which means you may have to sacrifice a little bit of living space, or that yard. Don't want to move closer to work? Then you're to blame for the length of your commute and no one should have to listen to you bitch about it.