Skip to content

Translating Road Engineer-Speak Into Honest English

Scott White at Velo Paso in the great state of Texas has been developing these "snarky pseudo infographics" based on some of his observations of the traffic engineering world. He's been Tweeting them under the hashtag #TransPedia, a satirical take on the language of road widening and car-centric street design.

Scott White at Velo Paso in the great state of Texas has been developing these “snarky pseudo infographics” based on some of his observations of the traffic engineering world. He’s been Tweeting them under the hashtag #TransPedia, a satirical take on the language of road widening and car-centric street design.

Image by Andy Boenau. Words by Scott White.
Graphic: Scott White/Andy Boenau

The images, White says, were inspired by some of his experiences at public meetings in El Paso and in part by graphics produced by Andy Boenau, who also makes the Urbanism Speakeasy podcast. “It kind of turns out, these faux definitions are just a little too true,” White said.

Here are some samples of what he and others have come up with.

CFVT50mVEAA9aML
Graphic: Scott White/Kostelec Plans
CFP0syhWAAEpPjf
Graphic by Andy Boenau
CFEbOSAWoAA44hE
Graphic by Andy Boenau
unnamed-3
Photo of Angie Schmitt
Angie is a Cleveland-based writer with a background in planning and newspaper reporting. She has been writing about cities for Streetsblog for six years.

More from Streetsblog USA

Friday Video: The Three Ingredients to a Great Trick-or-Treating Neighborhood

October 30, 2026

Friday’s Headlines (Except Spooky)

October 30, 2026

Five Simple Hacks to Avoid L.A. City Speed Camera Tickets

October 29, 2026

Talking Headways Podcast: Architecture Won’t Save a Bad Street

October 29, 2026

Thursday’s Headlines Live in an Endless Summer

October 29, 2026
See all posts