On this episode of Infrastructure Insights, we’re joined by Ethan Meszaros to explore how traffic simulation models serve as a practical, decision support tool for evaluating pedestrian crossing treatments in complex, multimodal environments. Ethan walks us through how simulation can be used to test real-world questions — such as how a crossing treatment may affect pedestrian delay, vehicle operations, safety tradeoffs or interactions between different modes — before changes are implemented in the field.

We also talk about what makes traffic simulations useful: clear assumptions, careful calibration, and a model that reflects how people actually move through a corridor or intersection. And for cities and agencies with limited time or resources, Ethan shares how traffic modeling does not have to be an all-or-nothing effort. When used selectively, it can support phased implementation, compare practical alternatives, and help teams focus on their investment where it adds the most value.