Killed by a Traffic Engineer: Shattering the Delusion that Science Underlies Our Transportation System

by Wes Marshall

Even today, decent sidewalk data is hard to come by in most cities. Back in 2009, Denver’s sidewalk data was a shocking find. But the sidewalk data had not been updated since it was first collected by the city in 2003. I asked somebody with the city why this information wasn’t being updated regularly like everything else. The reply? It’s not allowed. The city’s lawyer said not to. Wait, what? The lawyer’s thinking? If the city knew there was a problem, it would be liable. If the city stuck its head in the sand, it could feign ignorance. How can it possibly fix a problem it doesn’t know it has? So the city looked the other way on sidewalks while averaging nearly 250 pedestrian injuries each year. Unfortunately for the city, the old ostrich trick doesn’t work. Nor does trying to pawn sidewalk maintenance onto the adjacent property owners.b Like many cities with similar sidewalk policies, Denver was sued under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The city settled the case, promising to install at least 1,500 new sidewalk ramps each year for as long as it takes.