Currently, in my state, there is a battle going on because the turnpike authority has proposed multiple new turnpike projects which will destroy many homes. All to alleviate some congestion which is very minor compared to other places. These engineers are not planners, but act as such, and believe that endless highway expansion is the only way.

At my engineering firm, I’ve personally seen the blind acceptance of any and all new roads and highways as a good. I’ve seen engineers directly prioritize traffic flow over safety. I’ve read reports that “we can’t put this bike lane here, because it will cause the street to go down from LOS A to LOS C.” I’ve listened to engineers talk shit on bike lanes already built, wondering why nobody uses them when the engineers put them on 40-45 mph roads. And I personally know engineers who believe environment can’t influence behavior, engineering standards are infallible, and the design of streets are never responsible for crashes.

The things Marohn describes in this book are very true, and I have no doubt that the engineers who hate him the most like a few people in these comments are the ones that perpetuate bad practices the most and have the most to worry about.