It Takes Money to Make Money?

We never calculate—let alone track—the public's actual return-on-investment (dollars in versus dollars out over multiple life cycles) when we do a project. We never even ask the question.

Engineering Profession, Growth Ponzi Scheme, Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnAugust 8, 2016antifragile, Risk, Megaprojects

More Thoughts on Ending Traffic Stops

Let's stop using the terrible design of our cities as a random pretext for pulling people over and, instead, be proactive about fixing the design.

Talking about Antifragility (Pt. 1)

The history of city planning is largely a story of meddling and overreaction creating ever more fragile cities by reducing any apparent volatility while increasing debt, building out a system that is not financially productive, and ruining the neighborhoods of our most disadvantaged residents.

Greatest Hits: Gross Negligence

As a general rule, engineers show a conscious indifference to pedestrians and cyclists, misunderstanding their needs where they are not disregarded completely. This is the very definition of gross negligence.

#SlowtheCars, Marohn, Engineering ProfessionCharles MarohnJune 22, 2016pedestrian safety, STROADS, children

Ask R. Moses: When does a bridge actually need to be repaired?

How can I parse through the engineering jargon to determine if my town's infrastructure really needs replacement or if it just needs maintenance and rehabilitation?

Narrow Streets Do More With Less

The recipe for a successful residential street is simple, timeless, and requires very little costly engineering.

Engineers Should Not Design Streets

Engineers are great at building roads, but we should never ask them to build our streets.

#SlowtheCars, Marohn, Engineering ProfessionCharles MarohnMay 23, 2016roads, traffic engineering, engineers, streets

Conversation with an Engineer

This classic Strong Towns video explains what's wrong with the engineering profession.

Top Story, Engineering Profession, For Newcomers, Engineering ReformStrong TownsApril 28, 2016video

What are you doing, Maine?

Maine's response to a serious road maintenance funding emergency is to cling to AASHTO’s archaic code book while projecting a value system of improve, Improve, IMPROVE, even going so far as to assume massive traffic increases where there is little traffic today.

Deck Chairs on the Titanic

Proposed changes to federal rules on congestion mitigation reaffirm that real responses to the complex problems we face will only come from our cities, towns and neighborhoods.

Complete Street? Check. Waste of Money? Check.

Engineers in Obetz have built a hamster wheel for walkers and cyclists.

A Simple Idea for Flint

It's possible that large parts of Flint could be served with really high quality water for drinking and sanitation at a fraction of the cost while preserving the existing, lead-infested system for fire fighting purposes only.

Engineering Profession, Marohn, Rational ResponsesCharles MarohnFebruary 8, 2016Flint, Detroit

Ask R. Moses: What is "future traffic?"

Our new advice column hosted by the one and only R. Moses, invites your questions on engineering issues in your town or city.

Ask R Moses, #SlowtheCars, Transportation, Engineering ProfessionR. MosesFebruary 3, 2016Street Design

Thoughts on #NoNewRoads

Concluding remarks and steps forward after a week of #NoNewRoads.

#NoNewRoads, Marohn, Engineering ProfessionCharles MarohnJanuary 29, 2016Minnesota

Navigating DC's Narrow Streets

When arguing for wider streets, many proponents point to bus or emergency vehicle access, insisting that a wide berth is necessary for large vehicles to pass through. In Washington, DC, I've seen firsthand how buses and ambulances have no problem navigating narrow streets.

The Five Ways Engineers Deflect Criticism

There are a handful of ways engineers deflect criticism. Here are five that we’ve heard time and time again.

A Stroad Analysis in Burnaby

A recent study by Slow Streets near Vancouver uncovers the damage a stroad is doing to an otherwise productive, lively neighborhood street.

Quednau, Engineering ProfessionRachel QuednauSeptember 17, 2015STROADS

The Diverging Diamond Video Lives On

Every now and then someone shares my Diverging Diamond overdub on a random site and I get a blast of negative feedback on our YouTube channel. It just happened again. I find this funny.

Walkability, Engineering ProfessionCharles MarohnJune 26, 2015Diverging Diamond