Comments on: Studies Refute DOT’s Claim That One-Way Avenues Are Safer

By: anon emp

anon emp — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 09:21:14 +0000

Primeggia has been practicing science free traffic engineering for years. This is just the most recent example. His views on the (in)elasicity of traffic, parking supply, and ped protection measures (like bollards) are similarly backwards.

he just hasn't been keeping up on the literature. His praxis is stuck in a 1977 time warp.

By: JF

JF — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 20:43:14 +0000

According to the Lum and Soe paper, Primeggia's understanding of one-way street safety is superficial and based on conventional wisdom that turns out to be wrong. It's good to have that counterpoint to his overconfidence.

Thanks, anonymous transportation planner!

By: bev_rd

bev_rd — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 19:49:37 +0000

This statement certainly needs much more clarification with respect to what type of networks were compared:

" there are simply more (typically 30-40 percent) more vehicle/pedestrian conflicts within a one-way street network than in a comparable two-way system."

I can't wrap my mind around how there could be that many more conflicts introduced by a one way. Further, in my mind at least, the worst kind of conflict is the fast left turning vehicle looking for a hole in the oncoming traffic to fly into with absolutely no regard for pedestrians in the crosswalk, or me on my bicycle heading straight for them. These conflicts are totally eliminated on a one-way.

My question to those who may know the study sited is this, are they comparing a 100% 2-way network converted to a 100% one-way network as a way to derive the vast increase in turning conflicts? If one-ways create additional turning conflicts, we;re already in that world and the introduction of two more avenues as one-ways may not have the dramatic effect sited.

I don't have the answer, but I'm trying to understand this.

By: Hill

Hill — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 17:05:09 +0000

This guy cites these respected transportation journals and studies. Does Primeggia not read them? Are there other studies showing one ways do are just as safe? A guy like Primeggia is just trying to do a good job. He deserves to be heard out. But how does what he said square with this?

By: anonymouscowherd

anonymouscowherd — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 16:54:04 +0000

Hmm, I wonder who this was.

I know a few transportation engineers who live in the neighborhood.