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Stroads are Ugly, Expensive, and Dangerous (and they're everywhere) [ST05]

Not Just Bikes · explainer · Watch on YouTube

Transit, cities & urban planningCivil engineering & construction

What it is

Not Just Bikes introduces the "stroad", a street-road hybrid common in the US and Canada that fails at both jobs. He contrasts it with Dutch design, where each road has a single purpose, and covers cost, danger and ugliness.

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN links it constantly as the standard introduction to stroads and Strong Towns-style arguments about car-centric design.

  • 12 people recommended it
  • 11 different months
  • 2 strong recommendations
  • first 2021, last 2025

What HN commenters said

  1. “also has an excellent series of videos based on work from Strong Towns”

    Excellent series on Strong Towns ideas.

    benrbray, 2021-07 · Strong recommendation · in “The Growth Ponzi Scheme”

  2. “They're very solid.”

    Solid points despite the snarky tone.

    oblio, 2025-12 · Strong recommendation · in “Accepting US car standards would risk European lives”

  3. “This is a good video on the deficiencies of suburbia road design if you're curious”

    Covers deficiencies of suburban road design.

    panopticon, 2021-06 · Recommendation · in “Kids need freedom, too”

  4. “it really needs to be spread out more”

    vinceguidry, 2021-08 · Recommendation · in “Culdesac Tempe: The first car-free neighborhood built from scratch in the US”

  5. “For another view point of why biking may be shit in your area, I invite you to watch a few videos of this channel”

    Explains why cycling may be poor in your area.

    bodo11, 2021-10 · Recommendation · in “Is Ford about to reinvent the bicycle derailleur?”

  6. “Here’s Not Just Bikes’ video about Stroads”

    Introduces stroads and Strong Towns ideas.

    drivers99, 2021-11 · Recommendation · in “The Stroad”

  7. “This video from the Not Just Bikes channel shows the stark difference between a street and a road”

    Contrasts streets and roads in the Netherlands with stroads.

    throw0101a, 2021-12 · Recommendation · in “How do you fix a stroad?”

  8. “The Ugly, Dangerous, and Inefficient Stroads found all over the US & Canada”

    Presentation on stroads in the US and Canada.

    gregors, 2022-01 · Recommendation · in “Ask HN: Best Talks of 2021?”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: stroads, strong towns, netherlands, road safety, car-centric design

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