DenverUrbanism Special Episode: Interview with Wes Marshall (Author: Killed by a Traffic Engineer)
Sep 10, 2025
Wes Marshall, a Professor at CU Denver and author of Killed by a Traffic Engineer, discusses critical urban safety issues in Denver. He highlights the tragic pedestrian fatality on a notorious street and the complexities of advocating for pedestrian safety. The conversation dives into Denver’s Vision Zero program and the need for better funding and innovative traffic accident analysis. Marshall also explores automotive safety design challenges, proposing innovative solutions to enhance visibility and improve road safety through collaboration and inspiration from global practices.
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One-Way Couplets Create Mini Highways
- Wes describes 13th and 14th avenues as "mini highways" where one-way designs push high speeds and make walking or biking dangerous.
- He says these designs go against known safety practices and advocates gain leverage after tragedies to push for change.
Use Rapid Response And Reenact Perspectives
- Wes praises Denver's Vision Zero Rapid Response and urges investing more resources into it to investigate crashes thoroughly.
- He advises responders to reenact victims' perspectives to see design failures drivers or pedestrians experienced.
Rapid Response Signals Political Will
- Denver's rapid response shows political willingness to fix safety rather than avoid admitting fault after crashes.
- That willingness is a critical step because many places resist changes that imply responsibility.
