Traffic engineers build roads relying on outdated research, faulty data

Value and Bias of Traffic Studies

• Some argue post-hoc safety, congestion, and business-impact studies are used mainly to block safety projects, whereas earlier road widenings faced little scrutiny.
• Others counter that today virtually all major road projects get intense review and NIMBY pushback, making it “amazing” anything is built.
• Several posters claim study results often reflect the sponsor’s agenda, whether pro-car, pro-development, or pro-bike.

Bike Lanes, Traffic Calming, and Road Design

• Strong disagreement over bike lanes: some see empty or underused lanes and call them failures; others say poor design, lack of connected networks, and unsafe “stroads” explain low usage.
• Supporters note local bike counters showing real use and argue that well-designed “mobility lanes” can move more people per lane than car lanes.
• Traffic calming (bollards, chicanes, curb extensions) is defended as a proven way to reduce deaths and speeding; critics see it as unwanted obstruction imposed by “anti-car” activists.

Driver Behavior vs. Infrastructure

• Many describe rampant speeding, tailgating, phone use, and dangerous driving; some conclude education/enforcement are insufficient, so roads must be physically designed to limit speed.
• Others stress individual responsibility and “user error,” pointing to reckless cyclists and motorcyclists as well.

Vehicle Size, CAFE, and Externalities

• Significant concern over SUVs and pickups: higher front ends linked (in one cited study) to higher pedestrian fatality risk; calls to regulate hood height, weight, and pedestrian impact.
• Debate over CAFE and tax structures that make large vehicles relatively cheaper and safer for occupants but more dangerous and costly for everyone else.
• Counterpoint: many simply prefer big vehicles for comfort and utility; attempts to constrain choices are framed as paternalistic.

Pedestrian & Cyclist Safety and Data Disputes

• Some emphasize rising pedestrian/cyclist deaths since ~2010, pointing to in-car screens and smartphone distraction.
• Others scrutinize the article’s framing, noting that per-capita pedestrian and cyclist death rates were higher in the late 1970s–early 1990s, and question singling out SUVs as the primary culprit.

Politics, Power, and Process

• Multiple examples of safety-oriented “road diets” with strong local support being blocked by single officials or organized opposition.
• Broader disagreement over whether current policy constitutes a “war on cars” or, conversely, a heavily subsidized car-centric system that crowds out safer, higher-throughput modes.