Life in the Fast Lane (Suburbanization)

About this episode

This episode explores the transformation of Johnston County from farmland to suburban development following the arrival of Interstate 40.

For 250 years, Johnston County was farmland. Then Interstate 40 arrived, and Raleigh suddenly felt like a neighbor. This is the story of how one county went from tobacco rows to rooftops — and how a single date, October 1st, 1991, set everything in motion. From the first zoning ordinance to the Unified Development Plan being written right now, Johnston County has been racing to manage a growth it never quite asked for. The fields are still out there. But you have to look harder to find them.

Topics covered

• suburbanization
• growth management
• Johnston County
• history

Keywords

• tobacco
• zoning ordinance
• Unified Development Plan

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Johnston County, Raleigh

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