The Southwest Corridor encapsulates 1960s urban renewal, 1970s protest, and 1980s participatory democracy in a single narrative on a narrow stretch of land extending from the South End to Forest Hills. In the fifties and sixties, plans were developed for a twelve-lane highway extending through established Boston neighborhoods into Cambridge. As demolition pressed forward, protestors pressed back, and in 1969, highways funds were diverted towards instead developing mass transit and open space. Though the resulting park and subway line has some dark undersides – resources were diverted from other areas, class separation was reinforced, and selective underinvestment remains an issue – Southwest Corridor Park ultimately shows us what a good collaborative design process is capable of.