It was done decades ago… like in the Netherlands. As he explains in the video (@43:28), Utrecht and "Fake London" (London, ON, CA, where he grew up) have similar populations (300K vs 400K), and at one point were about equally car-focused. But one city deemphasized car use and the other continue to emphasize it.
Similarly Amsterdam switched focus and now is a poster child for active transportation:
* https://www.fastcompany.com/3052699/these-historical-photos-...
* https://exploring-and-observing-cities.org/2016/01/11/amster...
Paris seems to have begun the process:
* https://momentummag.com/paris-cycling-numbers-double/
* https://www.cntraveler.com/story/biking-cycling-in-paris-fra...
In contrast, many US cities are enacting policies and street designs that make things car centric (discussed @34:16) and hostile towards humans.
> Who cares about "proportion?" Absolute quantity is what matters here.
If there is X dB of noise, and (say) 80% of it is produced tire-road interaction, there is a floor that it cannot go below. And if "More traffic = more transportation services provided" is desired as you stated above, the proportion reduced by aerodynamic improvements will be eaten by by more vehicles on the road, for no net gain.
And you'll still have non-noise pollution like tire and brake dust.
Action happens, but it's hard to spot:
https://youtu.be/XOpjDSUmPtU?si=VC50ougKXQJp4nSz
https://youtu.be/PUnRr69GHJg?si=nopp1t0Sagj_YnXi
Many places are adding roundabouts, bike lanes, etc.
It's just slow and in some places they still don't get it (the South, Texas and Florida in particular).
The Netherlands did do this decades ago (Utrecht from the video).
What's North America's excuse?
The video even discussed how private tram companies in the US were bought up and dismantled in order to create more demand for cars.
Quite ironic to call AVs "pie-in-the-sky," then propose a gargantuan fixed infrastructure overhaul (which has been consistently mired in inaction for decades) instead.
Who cares about "proportion?" Absolute quantity is what matters here.Anyway I think this has played out. Good discussion, cheers