The Pew Charitable Trusts is reporting that highway parks are becoming increasingly popular in sprawling downtown areas and that "highway cap parks" also known as "deck parks" are bringing life back to urban centers.

These parks are put in areas over freeways, which cut through the urban center of cities. Several cities including Pittsburgh, Denver and Dallas already have highway park projects underway. Houston, Atlanta and Santa Monica, Calif., are considering similar projects.

Highway parks are a way for cities to encourage downtown development, by reconnecting urban neighborhoods that may have been separated by highway development.

Bobby Abtahi, the president of the Dallas Parks and Recreation Board told The Pew Trust it is important to remind people they don't have to live in a "concrete jungle."

Dallas began construction on deck parks when officials realized the lack of green spaces was hurting competitiveness with businesses and decreasing real estate values.

The interstate boom is wearing off and soon reconstruction efforts will begin, according to Michael Morris, director of transportation for the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

To read a more in depth article about the future of highway parks, click https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2018/04/more-cities-are-banishing-highways-underground-and-building-parks-on-top.