WTS

Event Recap: WTS-Boston PD Book Club - 'Confessions of a Recovering Engineer'

Virtual Book Club Recap 

April 29, 2025

The Women in Transportation (WTS) Boston Chapter continued its 2025 Professional Development Series with a Virtual Book Club event centered on Confessions of a Recovering Engineer by Charles Marohn. The event brought together a cross-section of transportation professionals for a lively and reflective conversation on the book’s bold critique of conventional engineering practices and its call for community-centered change. The Book Club was facilitated by the two MassDOT Program Managers who manage the Safety & Intersection Programs, Kayla Sousa and Phoebe Whitwell.

Attendees joined via Zoom, where Kayla kicked off the evening with introductions. The conversation began with a series of interactive polls developed by Phoebe using Mentimeter, helping ground the discussion in participant experience and perspective. Kayla and Phoebe then led a discussion with a combination of prepared questions and organic discussion!

Mentimeter Poll Insights
  • Did you finish the book?
    • Yes, I did! — 5 participants
    • Started but didn’t finish — 7 participants
    • Didn’t get to start — 0 participants
  • What best describes your occupation?
    • Site/Civil Engineer — 3
    • Transportation Planner — 3
    • Bridge Engineer — 2
    • Other — 2
    • Roadway Designer — 1
    • Traffic Engineer / Transit Planner — 0
  • Average Goodreads-style rating: 3.41 out of 5

The group represented a range of professional backgrounds—civil engineers, planners, and bridge specialists—bringing diverse insights to the discussion. Most participants had at least started the book, and many shared that it challenged their thinking and reframed how they see their work.

Discussion Highlights & Key Themes

Facilitated discussion drew from key chapters and themes of the book, including:

  • The distinction between roads and streets and the rise of “stroads”
  • The values embedded in current engineering practices—especially those that prioritize speed and traffic flow over safety and place
  • The dangers of routine traffic stops, which Marohn argues are not just enforcement issues but infrastructure design failures
  • The book’s critique of top-down transportation funding and the push to realign investment with local needs
  • The example of the Poynton, UK shared space intersection, which sparked thoughtful debate about its feasibility and adaptability in U.S. contexts

Attendees reflected on local examples of overbuilt infrastructure and shared how some of their projects are beginning to move away from car-centric standards. The Springfield, MA case study resonated with many, bringing home the real-world consequences of flawed design and limited community engagement.

Resources Shared

Podcast link - also available at other podcast sources: https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2023/5/1/ian-lockwood-thoughts-from-an-engineer

Free audiobook on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16o1qlplJ2MOadCvvJFdKo?si=i60UjaYsStqU91XV5P8C7w

Supplemental resources: https://www.confessions.engineer/

 

Final Reflections

While opinions varied on some of the book’s stronger assertions, attendees agreed on the value of Marohn’s call for humility, reform, and people-first transportation planning. Many noted that the book challenged them to consider the why behind their designs—not just the how.

The event closed with open-ended questions and resource sharing, including links to the Strong Towns podcast, the free audiobook, and supplemental reading.

WTS Boston extends its thanks to all attendees for their thoughtful contributions and commitment to building more equitable, human-centered infrastructure. This session was a meaningful reminder that transforming transportation starts with critical conversations—and courageous professionals willing to do the work.

 

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