spreading cities outwards in America led to inner city decline in the 1960s

A vision from 1960 for north-east Atlanta, Georgia,  showing Ponce de Leon Avenue.  At least a rapid transit rail line is shown here, unlike Steven Joyce's ideas which only envision thousands of acres of new asphalt clogged with trucks and cars.

Auckland is already one of the world's most spread-out cities relative to its population (see earlier posts) and Steven Joyce's new northern motorways will continue that spread.  In American cities which did this 50 years ago, inner city neighbourhoods began to deteriorate during the 1960s as residents moved to the new suburbs. Less-affluent residents moved in to take their place, some single-family houses were turned into apartments, and crime increased. Some businesses closed and were replaced by lower-rent tenants such as pawn shops. Many buildings deteriorated. 

The inner city is where the money on new infrastructure like the central rail loop should be spent and the rural countryside left like that.