The Town Board and Project Engineer have continuously raised the spectre of safety to defend the development plan to widen Military Road. But guess what? The experts disagree with that assessment! Take a look at the following studies:
Dr. Robert Noland, of the Centre for Transport Studies at the Imperial College in London, completed a comprehensive statistical analysis of all 50 states in 2001 that has been enormously influential. His 2003 paper, "Traffic Fatalities and Injuries: Are Reductions the Result of 'Improvements' in Highway Design Standards?" published in the journal Accident Analysis and Prevention states that the studies "strongly refute the hypothesis that engineering design improvements have been beneficial for reducing total fatalities and injuries" and "strongly suggests that widening lanes to 12 feet will actually make roads less safe [emphasis added]."
To many this is just common sense. But when the actual research shows that widening roads make them less safe the Project Engineer and Town Board have an obligation to take note.
You can read the full study yourself at:
http://www.penbiped.net/highway-safety-not.pdf
Dr. Noland is hardly a lone voice. The Conservation Law Foundation has done some thorough research on the subject as well. Their conclusions speak directly to our situation here in Three Lakes:
"Highway engineers usually assert that their projects are necessary to improve "safety." While they are typically sincere, they are also typically relying on guidelines that were not developed with the goal of making roads safer for everyone. Projects that bring roads up to 'modern' standards generally do not provide safe places for people to walk or bicycle in-part because they tend to increase traffic speeds - or they improve walking and bicycling only as an afterthought."
They continue, "Regardless of posted speed limits, motorists will drive faster when given the "safety cushion" of a wider road and greater sight distances. Higher design-speed roads have an insidious psychological effect on most motorists, prompting them to increase their speed unwittingly [emphasis added]."
The Conservation Law Foundation's report sometimes seems like a guide specifically written about the Military Road project. Read the full report at:
http://www.clf.org/general/index.asp?id=385
The folks at saferuralroads.com have been doing some excellent work on dangerous "road improvement" and widening projects. They state the case succinctly: "Without a safe neighborhood road, there will be no neighborhood." They also have an excellent dowloadable flyer.
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