Road Diet
A Road Diet is a technique used by traffic engineers to make streets safer and more efficient by reducing the number of traffic lanes. Think of it like redesigning a wide road to be more balanced for all users. For example, a four-lane street might be converted to two lanes plus a center turn lane, with the extra space used for bike lanes or wider sidewalks. This approach is also known as a "roadway reconfiguration" or "road conversion." It's similar to how an interior designer might reorganize a room to make better use of space - traffic engineers do this with streets to improve safety and usability for everyone.
Examples in Resumes
Implemented Road Diet projects resulting in 40% reduction in traffic accidents
Led design team for major Road Diet and Roadway Reconfiguration on urban arterial streets
Conducted before/after studies of Road Diet implementations to evaluate safety improvements
Typical job title: "Traffic Engineers"
Also try searching for:
Where to Find Traffic Engineers
Professional Organizations
Online Resources
Job Boards
Example Interview Questions
Senior Level Questions
Q: How do you determine if a roadway is a good candidate for a Road Diet?
Expected Answer: Should discuss traffic volume analysis, crash history, community needs, and operational considerations. Should mention the importance of public engagement and stakeholder input in the decision-making process.
Q: What challenges have you faced implementing Road Diets and how did you overcome them?
Expected Answer: Should discuss managing public concerns, addressing business owner worries about access, coordinating with various stakeholders, and using data to demonstrate benefits.
Mid Level Questions
Q: What are the typical benefits and potential drawbacks of a Road Diet?
Expected Answer: Should mention safety improvements, reduced speeds, better pedestrian access, and potential concerns about traffic capacity and emergency vehicle access.
Q: How do you measure the success of a Road Diet project?
Expected Answer: Should discuss before/after crash data analysis, traffic flow measurements, pedestrian and bicycle counts, and community feedback collection methods.
Junior Level Questions
Q: What is a Road Diet and what is its primary purpose?
Expected Answer: Should explain that it's a technique to reduce the number of travel lanes to improve safety and accommodate other road users, typically converting four lanes to three lanes with bike lanes.
Q: What types of data would you collect before proposing a Road Diet?
Expected Answer: Should mention traffic counts, crash history, peak hour volumes, turning movement counts, and existing pedestrian and bicycle activity.
Experience Level Indicators
Junior (0-2 years)
- Basic traffic analysis and data collection
- Understanding of road safety principles
- Knowledge of design software
- Familiarity with traffic standards and guidelines
Mid (2-5 years)
- Project management of small road redesigns
- Public presentation skills
- Traffic impact analysis
- Safety assessment expertise
Senior (5+ years)
- Complex project management
- Stakeholder coordination
- Policy development
- Team leadership and mentoring
Red Flags to Watch For
- No experience with traffic safety analysis
- Lack of understanding of multi-modal transportation
- Poor communication skills for public engagement
- No knowledge of federal and state transportation standards
Related Terms
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