Good Roads Podcast

Thomas Barakat

Good Roads publishes a quarterly magazine that looks at all things infrastructure and transportation that effects our municipal members across Ontario. In this podcast we will select a couple of interesting or pressing articles from the magazine and expand upon and discuss them.

  1. 4d ago

    The Bulletin Breakdown | Waymo in Toronto, Rising Road Deaths & the Light Truck Loophole

    This week, Thomas and Andrew unpack three stories that explore autonomous vehicles, road safety trends, and vehicle emissions standards. 🤖 Waymo Testing NeededWaymo is beginning testing on Toronto’s streets this month, mapping the city and testing vehicles with human drivers before moving to fully autonomous operation, with a robotaxi service planned for 2028. We discuss how Toronto’s winters could challenge the technology, the questions around congestion and transit, and why the province will need to update its regulations before AVs can pick up passengers. 🚶 The Carnage ContinuesBy mid-October, 42 people had been killed in traffic collisions in Toronto, including 20 pedestrians and 11 motorcyclists, a 24% increase from 2025. Ottawa has already recorded 29 traffic deaths this year, compared with 23 in all of 2025. We look at what the numbers say about vulnerable road users and what municipalities can do. 🚙 The Unbearable Lightness of TrucksFor decades, a regulatory loophole has let SUVs qualify as “light trucks” under less stringent fuel-economy standards. Beginning in 2030, the US will classify light trucks by towing and payload capacity instead, but the change comes alongside a sweeping rollback of fuel-economy requirements. We explore what it could mean for Canada, which has similar classifications and is set to strengthen its own standards in 2030. 📚 Show ReferencesKelowna council candidate who joked he was unqualified wins a seat (CBC News)https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/brady-rogers-satire-kelowna-campaign-win-9.7387848 Why Watch the Good Roads Podcast?✔ Fast, informed municipal discussions✔ Infrastructure, transportation, and policy explained clearly✔ Built for municipal leaders, engineers, and decision-makers 👍 Stay Connected with Good RoadsGood Roads https://goodroads.caGood Roads Conference https://goodroads.ca/conferenceSubscribe to the Good Roads Bulletin (Free Weekly Email) https://goodroads.ca/good-roads-bulletin/ If you enjoy the episode, like, subscribe, and share it with someone working in municipal infrastructure.

  2. Feb 17

    The Bulletin Breakdown | Snowbank Dangers, Salt Alternatives & Rural Robotaxis

    This week’s episode covers three stories that highlight the real-world challenges facing municipalities during winter and beyond: ❄️ When Snow Becomes a Launch PadSeveral vehicles have vaulted over guardrails after striking packed snow along Ontario highways, including a dramatic incident linking Highway 427 and Highway 401. While driver error has been cited, Good Roads argues that road design must account for human mistakes — especially during winter conditions. Overpasses freeze faster, snowplows create unintended ramps, and the consequences can be fatal. 🧂 Is There a Better Way Than Road Salt?With ongoing salt shortages and environmental concerns mounting, researchers at Western University are testing alternative de-icing products — from sodium acetate to beet juice blends. Rock salt remains cheap and effective, but corrosion, environmental runoff, and rising costs are forcing municipalities to rethink winter maintenance strategies. 🚗 Could Robotaxis Transform Rural Transportation?Rural communities often lack transit options, leaving residents without cars isolated from jobs, healthcare, and essential services. Some argue autonomous vehicles could change that. While AVs aren’t yet legal in Ontario, the technology continues to evolve — raising questions about safety, accessibility, and whether rural areas will once again be left behind.

  3. Feb 9

    The Bulletin Breakdown | Rural Road Safety, Canada’s EV Strategy & Transit Costs

    This week, our hosts discuss three developments shaping roads, transit, and infrastructure funding in Canada and beyond: 🚜 Advocating for Safer Rural Roads Good Roads President and Hornepayne Mayor Cheryl Fort appeared at provincial pre-budget consultations in Thunder Bay, calling for dedicated funding to improve safety on rural and northern roads. With vast road networks, limited tax bases, and infrastructure designed a century ago, municipalities face growing safety and liability risks without adequate provincial support.  ⚡ Canada’s National EV Strategy Takes Shape The federal government has revised its electric vehicle approach, replacing sales mandates with rebates, emissions standards aligned with Europe, and a new $1.5 billion EV infrastructure fund. As the U.S. steps back from emissions tracking, Canada appears to be charting a different path—raising important questions for municipal infrastructure planning and charging networks.  🚍 What Would It Take to Fix American Transit?  New research estimates that bringing U.S. public transit up to international standards would require $4.6 trillion USD over 20 years—still less than what’s planned for highways. The analysis highlights how vehicle density, long-term investment, and global benchmarks could reshape transit debates, even amid political resistance.

  4. Feb 6

    The Bulletin Breakdown | Buy Ontario, Safer Northern Roads & AI Traffic Cameras

    This week, our hosts dig into three developments that matter to municipalities across Ontario and beyond: 🏗  Buy Ontario Rules: What Municipalities Need to Know New regulations under the Buy Ontario Act could soon require municipalities to prioritize Ontario- and Canadian-made goods in procurement. While intended to support local jobs, these rules raise serious concerns around cost, supplier choice, trade agreement conflicts, and funding risk. Good Roads explains what’s at stake and why clarity from the province is critical. 🚧 Northern Ontarians Rally for Safer Roads Hundreds gathered in Cochrane to demand action on Highway 11, calling it a corridor of unacceptable risk. With tragic stories driving the message home, the province is responding with enhanced enforcement and coordination. This movement may mark a turning point for northern road safety. 🤖 AI Traffic Cameras Target Distracted Driving Arkansas has deployed AI-powered cameras in work zones that detect phone use behind the wheel—flagging drivers for police without issuing automated tickets. With similar technology already active worldwide, is this the future of work-zone safety?

  5. 12/02/2025

    Unlocking the Secrets of Successful Infrastructure with Dan Gardner | Good Roads Podcast Ep. 40

    Why do so many infrastructure projects—big or small—go over budget, run late, or fall apart? And how can Ontario’s municipalities avoid the same fate? In this episode of the Good Roads Podcast, bestselling author, journalist, and human-behaviour expert Dan Gardner breaks down the real reasons projects fail—and the surprisingly simple principles that can make them succeed. Drawing from his book How Big Things Get Done, co-authored with megaproject scholar Bent Flyvbjerg, Dan explains why planning slow and acting fast, managing risk, and understanding human behaviour are essential for municipalities of every size.  From California’s high-speed rail disaster to Morocco’s success story, Dan shows how politics, culture, and psychology shape project outcomes far more than engineering ever will. He also shares practical lessons for municipal leaders: building cohesive teams, defining clear project goals, maximizing experience, and creating a culture where every worker understands their role in the mission. Dan Gardner will also be the keynote speaker at the 2026 Good Roads Conference—catch a preview of his insights here. Register for the 2026 Good Roads Conference: https://goodroads.ca/conference  How Big Things Get Done (Dan Gardner & Bent Flyvbjerg): https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/boo...  🎧 Listen to more Good Roads Podcast episodes: https://goodroads.ca/podcast  📚 Learn more about Good Roads training & education: https://goodroads.ca/education

    Unlocking the Secrets of Successful Infrastructure with Dan Gardner | Good Roads Podcast Ep. 40

  6. 06/02/2025

    Bridging Communities: Indigenous Leadership & Municipal Collaboration | Good Roads Podcast Ep. 39

    In this episode of the Good Roads Podcast, Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict joins us for a vital conversation on Indigenous leadership, municipal collaboration, and community development. Chief Benedict represents 133 First Nations across Ontario and brings deep insight into the challenges and opportunities in infrastructure, economic development, and reconciliation. We explore successful partnerships like the joint Akwesasne-Cornwall waterfront project, the infrastructure gap affecting First Nations, the impacts of Bill 5, and why Indigenous inclusion from day one is essential to responsible development. This episode is a must-listen for municipal leaders, planners, and anyone working toward a more equitable and collaborative Ontario. https://twitter.com/Goodroads https://www.instagram.com/on.goodroads/ https://www.facebook.com/goodroads.ca https://www.linkedin.com/company/goodroads/ https://www.GoodRoads.ca

    Bridging Communities: Indigenous Leadership & Municipal Collaboration | Good Roads Podcast Ep. 39

  7. 04/30/2025

    Cycling, Safety & Systemic Change: Eleanor McMahon on Building a Bike-Friendly Ontario | Good Roads Podcast Ep. 38

    In this powerful episode of the Good Roads Podcast, co-hosts Thomas Barakat and Andrew Blackburn sit down with Eleanor McMahon — founder of the Share the Road Cycling Coalition and a former Ontario Cabinet Minister — to talk about the tragic loss that inspired a movement, and the decades of advocacy that followed. Eleanor shares her personal story of loss, the creation of Share the Road, and the fight for safer, more inclusive streets across Ontario. From legislative victories like Greg’s Law and the 1m Safe Passing Rule, to the rise of cycling tourism and infrastructure in rural communities, this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in road safety, active transportation, and community well-being. https://twitter.com/Goodroads https://www.instagram.com/on.goodroads/ https://www.facebook.com/goodroads.ca https://www.linkedin.com/company/goodroads/ https://www.GoodRoads.ca

    Cycling, Safety & Systemic Change: Eleanor McMahon on Building a Bike-Friendly Ontario | Good Roads Podcast Ep. 38

  8. 02/19/2025

    Episode 37 - Rethinking Road Safety with Dr. Wes Marshall

    Dr. Wes Marshall, professor of civil engineering and urban planning at the University of Colorado, Denver, joins the Good Roads Podcast to discuss road safety and outdated traffic engineering practices. His book, Killed by a Traffic Engineer, challenges long-held assumptions about road design and its impact on safety. In this episode, he debunks common myths, explains how municipalities can push for better design, and highlights the role of data in making roads safer. As a keynote speaker at the upcoming Good Roads Conference, Dr. Marshall shares insights on changing the culture of traffic engineering to prioritize safety over convenience. Tune in to rethink what makes roads truly safe. Good Roads Conference - https://www.goodroads.ca/conference https://twitter.com/Goodroads https://www.instagram.com/on.goodroads/ https://www.facebook.com/goodroads.ca https://www.linkedin.com/company/goodroads/ https://www.GoodRoads.ca

    Episode 37 - Rethinking Road Safety with Dr. Wes Marshall
See All (45)

About

Good Roads publishes a quarterly magazine that looks at all things infrastructure and transportation that effects our municipal members across Ontario. In this podcast we will select a couple of interesting or pressing articles from the magazine and expand upon and discuss them.

Information

  • Creator
    Thomas Barakat
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    45
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Good Roads Podcast
  • Show Website
    Good Roads Podcast

You Might Also Like