99% Invisible

Service Request #2: Why Is This Red Light So Damn Long?

March 24, 2026·28 min·4-min readnarrativearts
Podzilla Summary (4 min)
TLDR
The episode explores how Los Angeles manages its notorious traffic through a sophisticated, citywide traffic signal system born from the 1984 Olympics, revealing the blend of engineering, human judgment, and urban design that shapes daily commutes. Despite advanced technology, some inters

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Guest

S

Salita Reynolds

narrative on 99% Invisible

Mentions

Books, people, and resources mentioned in this episode.

People

Salita ReynoldsEd RoweEric Zambon

Books

The Lean Startup

Companies

LA MetroLADOT

Products & Tools

ATSAC

Topics

Long Form Journalism

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