Talking Traffic

Christian Yarnell of the Columbia School of Journalism had a conversation with me last month about speed humps. Here is his final article. It’s well worth the read. He manages to summarize pretty much the entire situation around these traffic calming devices.

Speed Humps face a Roadblod

Topics: Traffic Calming, Chicanes, Speed Humps, Speed Bumps, Safety, Statistical Analysis

 

 Episode 11 - Traffic Calming [15:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Look for Episode 11, on Traffic Calming, tomorrow. Busy weekend.

 

 Episode 10.5 - Episode 11 Not Done Yet [3:57m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Topics: Grab Bag: Speed Measuring Units, Foreign Coins, Interstate Myths, Random Statistics, Traffic Calming

 

 Episode 10 - Another Grab-bag of Topics, Celebrating X Episodes [11:09m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Navigation Devices causing Havoc: An English village is complaining that since satellite navigation devices have started identifying their main street as the “quickest route”, the traffic has been a nightmare. It’s time to do some strategic networking with the various navigation companies.

Welsch Speed Bumps: I won’t even attempt to pronouce this word. Twmpath (/tʊmpaθ/).

Why is Israeli Traffic Different? Tali Aben answers that question on her blog.

Bicyles as Second Class Citizens: Bill Bean of Take the Lane points me to the website of Bob Shanteau, who is asking why there is such an engineering bias against bicycles in this country. He rightly complains that there is little data, and less reliable research that treats on how to effectively manage a bicycle/vehicle roadway project. I talked about the historically anti-pedestrian bias in road design in my last podcast, but I think we need to talk about bicycles soon.

Speaking of Roundabouts (see episode 4!): Chandler, AZ made the news for discussions related to installing more roundabouts and traffic circles, primarily for traffic calming.

Red Cow: The only reason I’m linking to this news item is because of the name of the interchange. The N7 Red Cow interchange. Great name. It reminds me of Where’s my Cow? by Terry Pratchett.

Sustainable Campus Transportation: The Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE, not be confused with ASHE, of which I’m a member, or ASHE, which I’m not) has a blurb about a University of Kentucky discussion to green their campus transportation. The upshot: they want to, but aren’t sure how.

Topics: Roundabouts

 

 Episode 4 - Roundabouts [16:08m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Bicycle vs. Automobile: News about the ongoing conflict between bicycles and larger motorized vehicles, out of San Diego.

Increase Safety be Reducing Comfort: A German town has followed the lead of several Netherlands projects by removing traffic signals and stop signs and other positive control devices. The theory is that with less direction, drivers/pedestrians/cyclists will be forced to pay more attention and act accordingly.

Teen Driving in Kansas: Kansas is pursuing more restrictive teen-driving regulations in order to gradually ease teens into the driving milieu. Statistics show that teen drivers are more likely to get into collisions not because of drinking or cellphone use, but because of inexperience.

Transporting Chickens: Don’t drive with chickens in your trunk (or cocaine in your cigarettes).

I-35 Bridge Wagons are Circling: There is blood in the water, and the scent of lawsuits in the air. Not to put to fine a point on it, but this is exactly what this case does not need. As I discussed in Episode 2, there are lessons to be learned from this tragedy, but no one will learn anything if all the time is spent trying to sue someone with deep pockets.

• Don’t Know which way is North? Fight about it! Two men have a round of fisticuffs due to an argument whether Pennsylvannia is north or south of Virginia. As someone mentioned in the comments, I sincerely hope that the drunk one though VA was north of PA.  This link brought to us through the kind services of Matt Rosenberg who also has a link to an article about the Clearview highway sign font.
• Improving Traffic Safety in the US: If you’re interested in a very very long report, please click through to the Improving Traffic Safety Culture in the United States: The Journey Forward, produced by the AAA foundation.  I haven’t gotten through this whole thing yet, but it is cogent and the introduction is worth the read for anyone.
• Arbitrary Speed Limit Changes . . . Don’t Work: The Chattanoogan reports on speed limit changes on Signal Mountain.  The article describes the enforcement regime, which claims to have reduced the average speed, although they don’t say by how much.  The article uses a bunch of numbers that don’t necessarily demonstrate any changes. Reductions in certain speed bins do not (necessarily) show a statistically significant change in traffic patterns.  I’m going to call the police dept. at Signal Mountain and see if they documented this study.
• Bridge Collapse in China: This bridge was under construction when it collapsed, not in service.  Thanks to the Transportationist for the tipoff
• Angkor Died due to Infrastructure Collapse: According to this article the ancient city of Angkor in Cambodia was the largest metropolitan area of a preindustrial nation.  It failed due to a lack of basic infrastructure maintenance.  This has some resonance given all the uproar about the I-35W bridge collapse
• Senator Clinton Urges a Quick and Thorough Analysis: In 2005 Senator Clinton amended the SAFETEA-LU (”Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act—A Legacy for Users” and don’t get me started about names for transportation bills…) to include a comprehensive study of the nation’s infrastructure.  It isn’t complete yet, so Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is using the political hay that has fallen to pad her race to the presidency.  In case you can’t tell, I do not support Senator Clinton in her bid.

• New Roundabouts in Detroit: Many intersections are being replaced by roundabouts in the Detroit, MI, area.
• Innovative Traffic Calming:  This man used cardboard likenesses of his children to slow vehicles through his neighborhood [video].
• British Airports Are Having Long Lines, Too: Transport Blog debates whether the government-run British Airporty Authority should be broken up.
• NASA Solicits Information:  If you can provide efficient logistical support to a far off outpost, e.g. the International Space Boondoggle, NASA wants to talk to you.  Of course, any commercial or private service that can lessen the cost of achieving low Earth orbit will benefit the entire space program, Space Station or no.
• Traffic Prediction:  NPR stands up for us traffic engineers!
• Bicycles in the Traffic Stream: Mr. Viddy discusses his experiences with being a bicyclist mixed with cars in the Pacific Northwest.
• Physics of Inductance Loops: Physics is Phun explains the inductance loops used to detect vehicles at stop bars.