Friday Video: Traffic Engineers Are Wasting Trillions

You might’ve heard of the law of induced demand — but have you had it explained to you in a British accent?

All kidding aside, the UK-based Global Cycling Network just put together one of the best video explainers we’ve seen on why countries are wasting billions of dollars on “junk roads” — and why we need to reduce motorists’ lane capacity and open up space for other ways of getting around if we want to solve some of society’s most pressing problems.

The first 25 minutes are perfect for those who have never really questioned the idea that more asphalt is always a good investment (e.g.: U.S. Transportation Sec. Sean Duffy, whose public comments suggest he doesn’t understand why there’s so much congestion in America.) But even veteran Streetsblog readers should stay tuned for a mind-blowing mini-interview with Dutch author (and SBUSA favorite) Marco te Brömmelstroet about how even the Netherlands has bought into motonormativity more than you think — and why we must question all the values that underlie our transportation choices.