Inefficient traffic flow on an access route to a hospital puts lives at stake. Snow clearing problems associated with blocked-off streets and other traffic calming obstructions will increase delays in winter, when many home fires and medical emergencies occur. Liability issues associated with traffic calming are hardly ever considered. In our fast-paced society, slow traffic aggravates drivers. Removing lanes and turning the road into an obstacle course creates frustration, leading to dangerous moving violations.
Frustrated motorists make dangerous turns or run red lights.
Drivers swerve around speed humps into bicycle lanes to avoid damage to their vehicle. Some parents want to block off streets so their children can play on them. The flaw in this reasoning is that children should not be playing on the street in the first place. Safe play areas away from traffic and easily accessible to local communities are a much better solution. If safety is truly the goal, combine public safety education with an infrastructure that respects normal human behaviour.