Andy Boenau
@urbanismspeakeasy.com
When I'm not engineering safe & healthy streets, I'm running my mouth about it.
urbanismspeakeasy.com
urbanismspeakeasy.com
When DOTs refuse to use roundabouts, commercial corridors turn into this:
November 23, 2025 at 9:58 PM
When DOTs refuse to use roundabouts, commercial corridors turn into this:
In the US, local land use regulations are the key to unlocking healthy infrastructure. Zoning forces everything to be sprawled out across creation.
If neighborhoods are allowed to have a variety of land uses, then riding a bike becomes an obvious & practical way to get around.
If neighborhoods are allowed to have a variety of land uses, then riding a bike becomes an obvious & practical way to get around.
September 20, 2025 at 7:43 PM
In the US, local land use regulations are the key to unlocking healthy infrastructure. Zoning forces everything to be sprawled out across creation.
If neighborhoods are allowed to have a variety of land uses, then riding a bike becomes an obvious & practical way to get around.
If neighborhoods are allowed to have a variety of land uses, then riding a bike becomes an obvious & practical way to get around.
The auto industry spent about $12 BILLION on advertising in 2023. Whatever device you’re using to consume media, car makers and car dealers are paying to keep their products in front of you.
June 29, 2025 at 10:51 PM
The auto industry spent about $12 BILLION on advertising in 2023. Whatever device you’re using to consume media, car makers and car dealers are paying to keep their products in front of you.
Motorists break the law to save time, cyclists break the law to save their life.
Anyone who uses a bicycle for transportation understands this is true.
Anyone who uses a bicycle for transportation understands this is true.
June 24, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Motorists break the law to save time, cyclists break the law to save their life.
Anyone who uses a bicycle for transportation understands this is true.
Anyone who uses a bicycle for transportation understands this is true.
Driving fast in populated areas is dangerous. The Dutch recognized this almost 400 years ago.
If you don't govern your own speed, vehicles will govern the speed for you.
If you don't govern your own speed, vehicles will govern the speed for you.
June 15, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Driving fast in populated areas is dangerous. The Dutch recognized this almost 400 years ago.
If you don't govern your own speed, vehicles will govern the speed for you.
If you don't govern your own speed, vehicles will govern the speed for you.
It can’t be good for childhood development that so much time is spent looking at this.
May 24, 2025 at 7:51 PM
It can’t be good for childhood development that so much time is spent looking at this.
If car commercials were honest, they'd say things like
"The new Dodge, from 0 to kill-a-pedestrian in 2.2 seconds."
"The new Dodge, from 0 to kill-a-pedestrian in 2.2 seconds."
May 9, 2025 at 11:02 AM
If car commercials were honest, they'd say things like
"The new Dodge, from 0 to kill-a-pedestrian in 2.2 seconds."
"The new Dodge, from 0 to kill-a-pedestrian in 2.2 seconds."
This silly claim pops up every day on social media, as if *bicycles* are the primary threat on city streets.
April 5, 2025 at 1:03 PM
This silly claim pops up every day on social media, as if *bicycles* are the primary threat on city streets.
"Sorry, not my job."
March 7, 2025 at 6:01 PM
"Sorry, not my job."
Whether you’re a frustrated homeowner, an urbanist, or just someone tired of seeing “neighborhood character” used to prevent change, I wrote this book to make you laugh, think, and reconsider the rules that shape our communities.
February 15, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Whether you’re a frustrated homeowner, an urbanist, or just someone tired of seeing “neighborhood character” used to prevent change, I wrote this book to make you laugh, think, and reconsider the rules that shape our communities.
"If you don't read the newspaper, you are uninformed; if you do read the newspaper, you are misinformed."
—Mark Twain
—Mark Twain
February 15, 2025 at 6:15 PM
"If you don't read the newspaper, you are uninformed; if you do read the newspaper, you are misinformed."
—Mark Twain
—Mark Twain
🔥 "The city of Binghamton is a place where we cut red tape. We get rid of regulations, we get rid of onerous zoning laws that may be antiquated or not. 21st century. Our message is build, build, build."
February 8, 2025 at 9:18 PM
🔥 "The city of Binghamton is a place where we cut red tape. We get rid of regulations, we get rid of onerous zoning laws that may be antiquated or not. 21st century. Our message is build, build, build."
Wouldn't this be a fun twist.
February 2, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Wouldn't this be a fun twist.
The argument about using tolls to reduce traffic congestion has unified Americans.
It turns out many on the Left and Right agree that streets were meant to be clogged. They don't think packing the street network with cars is a burden, so there's no reason to pay a toll.
It turns out many on the Left and Right agree that streets were meant to be clogged. They don't think packing the street network with cars is a burden, so there's no reason to pay a toll.
January 27, 2025 at 11:39 AM
The argument about using tolls to reduce traffic congestion has unified Americans.
It turns out many on the Left and Right agree that streets were meant to be clogged. They don't think packing the street network with cars is a burden, so there's no reason to pay a toll.
It turns out many on the Left and Right agree that streets were meant to be clogged. They don't think packing the street network with cars is a burden, so there's no reason to pay a toll.
The weeping and gnashing of teeth will continue as commuters are charged a fee for clogging up city streets.
It’s been 10 days since NYC started its decongestion pricing. Some thoughts…
www.urbanismspeakeasy.com/p/let-someon...
It’s been 10 days since NYC started its decongestion pricing. Some thoughts…
www.urbanismspeakeasy.com/p/let-someon...
January 16, 2025 at 12:05 PM
The weeping and gnashing of teeth will continue as commuters are charged a fee for clogging up city streets.
It’s been 10 days since NYC started its decongestion pricing. Some thoughts…
www.urbanismspeakeasy.com/p/let-someon...
It’s been 10 days since NYC started its decongestion pricing. Some thoughts…
www.urbanismspeakeasy.com/p/let-someon...
Americans have been repeating the lie for ages that roads are funded through car registrations, gas tax, and other user-ish fees.
www.urbanismspeakeasy.com/p/let-someon...
www.urbanismspeakeasy.com/p/let-someon...
January 14, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Americans have been repeating the lie for ages that roads are funded through car registrations, gas tax, and other user-ish fees.
www.urbanismspeakeasy.com/p/let-someon...
www.urbanismspeakeasy.com/p/let-someon...
Junk infrastructure is downstream from land use regulations.
January 10, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Junk infrastructure is downstream from land use regulations.
There's a common gripe that congestion pricing will hurt the poor. Thing is, only 2% of NYC's poor are driving into Manhattan. A whopping 61% rely on public transit.
January 8, 2025 at 1:13 PM
There's a common gripe that congestion pricing will hurt the poor. Thing is, only 2% of NYC's poor are driving into Manhattan. A whopping 61% rely on public transit.
People don't like paying taxes, but they love when other people's taxes subsidize their lifestyle.
Nothing ever changes but the date.
Nothing ever changes but the date.
January 6, 2025 at 8:20 PM
People don't like paying taxes, but they love when other people's taxes subsidize their lifestyle.
Nothing ever changes but the date.
Nothing ever changes but the date.
Either planners don't believe what they preach, or they lack the courage to act on what they believe.
"The dominance of automobility is fundamentally embedded in urban planning. Its negative consequences, e.g., air pollution, congestion, and climate change, are known and perceptible."
"The dominance of automobility is fundamentally embedded in urban planning. Its negative consequences, e.g., air pollution, congestion, and climate change, are known and perceptible."
January 4, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Either planners don't believe what they preach, or they lack the courage to act on what they believe.
"The dominance of automobility is fundamentally embedded in urban planning. Its negative consequences, e.g., air pollution, congestion, and climate change, are known and perceptible."
"The dominance of automobility is fundamentally embedded in urban planning. Its negative consequences, e.g., air pollution, congestion, and climate change, are known and perceptible."
Congestion pricing hasn't begun, but it's already taking its toll. 😢
January 4, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Congestion pricing hasn't begun, but it's already taking its toll. 😢
They've been reading my book! 🤪
January 4, 2025 at 12:28 AM
They've been reading my book! 🤪
Planning Dept Presentations:
"Jane Jacobs was right."
Planning Dept Policies:
"Robert Moses was right."
"Jane Jacobs was right."
Planning Dept Policies:
"Robert Moses was right."
January 3, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Planning Dept Presentations:
"Jane Jacobs was right."
Planning Dept Policies:
"Robert Moses was right."
"Jane Jacobs was right."
Planning Dept Policies:
"Robert Moses was right."
It's been said that this is the best selling satirical book on the topic of land use regulations in history.
December 31, 2024 at 8:20 PM
It's been said that this is the best selling satirical book on the topic of land use regulations in history.
"Killed by a Traffic Engineer: Shattering the Delusion that Science Underlies our Transportation System"
It's good that planners have been reading this book. It'll be great if planners will stop requiring standard traffic engineering analysis for development projects. 🤦♂️
It's good that planners have been reading this book. It'll be great if planners will stop requiring standard traffic engineering analysis for development projects. 🤦♂️
December 29, 2024 at 7:51 PM
"Killed by a Traffic Engineer: Shattering the Delusion that Science Underlies our Transportation System"
It's good that planners have been reading this book. It'll be great if planners will stop requiring standard traffic engineering analysis for development projects. 🤦♂️
It's good that planners have been reading this book. It'll be great if planners will stop requiring standard traffic engineering analysis for development projects. 🤦♂️