The Confessional

Back in 2010, Charles Marohn wrote a blog post entitled “Confessions of a Recovering Engineer.” In it, he describes his experience as a young traffic engineer, dismissing concerns of residents, defying common sense, and instead deferring to the books of standards that engineers are taught to follow. When it came to designing roads, safety and cost were considered only after prioritizing traffic speed and traffic volume. These roads “not only ruin our public places,” Marohn wrote, they “cost us thousands of lives every year.” This is still standard operating procedure for engineers. It is also professional malpractice.

Marohn’s article struck a chord and it became the most-shared article in the history of Strong Towns.

In the weeks surrounding the release of the new book, we’re giving other engineers a chance to make their “confessions” as well. We will share some of them here and at StrongTowns.org. By submitting your story, you agree to let us share. But you can also indicate in the form at right if you’d like your confession to remain anonymous.