Comments on: Not on My Block

By: Grant Johnson, PE, PTOE

Grant Johnson, PE, PTOE — Thu, 07 May 2009 10:27:10 +0000

The NIMBY’s (not in my back yard) mentality is basically selfish. They get their speed humps or a set of stop signs, and then the “thru” neighborhood traffic diverts to another street. The result is another street getting some, and another, until there is an eventual set of over-used traffic control devices littering the neighborhood street system. What we won’t go through to control speeds, as important as that is. I have always thought the BEST solution is radar speed enforcement by a cop. Best ever. Get the speeders! Get the stop sign runners. Give ‘em a ticket. And show up often to enforce. It WILL work over time to fix it.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 02:02:23 +0000

If you don’t have the juice to get a physical traffic cut-off, go for needless 4-way stops. They do not “calm” traffic, they are not safer, but if drivers detour to a street with fewer stops, they are, from your perspective, a success.

By: Nick

Nick — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 01:16:58 +0000

The basic axiom of the politics of traffic is you always want to live somewhere that’s easy to drive to, and you never want to live somewhere that’s easy to drive through.

By: Bossi

Bossi — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 21:42:13 +0000

My opinion (which I stand by professionally, too) is that public roads are for the public. Hence, it’s not so much that cut-through traffic exists; rather our duty is to ensure that it is traveling safely. If a community wishes to restrict traffic, however, it is my belief that they should be responsible for its maintenance costs.

However, public to private transfers can spurn pocket neighborhoods, shifting cut-through traffic solely to arterials & destroying what may otherwise be a functioning grid system. Hence, public policy should carefully consider what is desired: more suburban-style pocket neighborhoods or urban grid patterns.