By Brad Biehl
5
1212 ratings
The podcast currently has 59 episodes available.
We've passed the year mark. Huge thanks to you all.
Here, we hit on five (and a half) summative takeaways from twelve+ months of weekly conversations.
These are points that keep showing up( in dialogue, notes, and research. They will help to steer much of what we do here, in the coming years.
John Simmerman — Founder of Active Towns — is in good traffic to talk the push for more active towns across the U.S. John travels the world's cities via active mobility, and creates stellar content to summarize the trips. By trade, he's an exercise scientist that believes in the power of the built environment as an avenue for solving some of our most pertinent health challenges (obesity, isolation, etc...).
We discuss:
00:00 The active towns concept.
02:03 John's background and career.
05:37 Transportation challenges in Honolulu.
17:41 Empathy and behavior change.
21:59 Mobility choice and infrastructure.
36:54 Evaluating active communities.
39:27 Categorizing active towns.
41:35 Emerging active towns.
42:47 Latent active towns and their transformation.
44:19 Success stories: Oklahoma City and Austin.
56:10 Wide and inclusive infrastructure.
01:00:26 Impact of active commutes.
01:02:39 Reframing mobility and the commuting.
01:05:30 Wrapping up.
For context:
activetowns.org
The YouTube.
Connect with John:
On YouTube.
On Instagram.
On LinkedIn.
On Patreon.
Aside from better infrastructure, varying and incongruent laws make biking very challenging. Should I ride on the sidewalk, or on the road? Where do I belong? Will I actually get a ticket if I make a judgement call?
Through the wacky ways that we regulate bikes in the states, we see starkly how they are not viewed as a viable transportation method (yet).
We scratch the surface on the head-scratching confusion; it's no wonder that folks are too overwhelmed and afraid to start biking, even if they want to.
Rest in Peace, Johnny Gaudreau.
We discuss:
00:00 Briefly on Johnny Gaudreau's death.
04:08 Cars and alcohol.
08:52 Legal inconsistencies in cycling and bike laws.
21:03 The Idaho Stop and its benefits.
24:42 Wrapping up.
Further context:
On the Idaho Stop (via the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).
Dr. Nadina Galle — ecological engineer and author of new book, The Nature of Our Cities — is in good traffic this week to hash out the crossroads of cities, nature, and technology. We talk proper park planning and tree management, and the cities leading the way. The nature side of the urbanism conversation is something we’ll be exploring more deeply here, soon. Nadina is the perfect person to help frame the needed emphasis.
We discuss:
00:00 Dr. Nadina Galle is in good traffic.
01:09 Publishing a book in two languages.
03:04 Embracing technology in urban design.
04:55 Smart cities and urban ecosystems.
11:11 Global leaders in urban nature solutions.
19:02 Opportunities in urban nature.
33:46 On ecological engineering.
33:52 The Miyawaki method and technological integration.
34:57 Building biodiversity in cities.
36:56 More on ecological engineering.
38:47 Communicating complex concepts.
42:30 The Internet of Nature concept.
44:42 North American urban greening outlook.
51:44 Wrapping up.
Connect with Nadina:
The book.
nadinagalle.com.
On Instagram.
On Twitter.
Connect with me, Brad:
On Instagram.
On TikTok.
On LinkedIn.
Schools are back in session — and in less than a week, we're already fielding car line and traffic complaints.
There has to be a better way to empower children's movement.
We discuss:
00:00 Back to school.
01:22 The daily commute struggles.
03:08 Alternatives: The bike bus movement.
05:47 Practical tips for parents and students.
10:54 Commuting while in college.
16:44 Empowering student and teacher movement.
21:33 Next week.
Kyla Scanlon — author of In This Economy? How Money and Markets Really Work — is in good traffic to talk oil and gas economics and sociology, consumer sentiment and election voting driven by vibes, the implications of widespread car ownership, and more at the X of econ and urbanism.
Kyla’s book is the best entry-level econ read out there. Read it, ASAP. You can get your copy, here.
We discuss:
00:00 Kyla Scanlon is in good traffic.
01:13 On the new book.
03:40 Housing market complexities.
06:52 The vibes economy, election years, and gas prices.
11:17 Subsidies and green energy.
18:39 Transportation alternatives.
23:29 Cycling infrastructure and safety.
28:20 Human behavior and economics.
28:43 Challenges of car-centric infrastructure.
32:14 Market demand for walkable neighborhoods.
34:47 Congestion pricing and public transit.
38:51 The financial burdens of car ownership.
44:32 Effective communication in urban planning and design.
46:33 Wrapping up.
Further context:
The book (again).
Connect with Kyla:
kylascanlon.com
Kyla’s newsletter.
Kyla’s podcast — Let’s Appreciate.
On TikTok.
On Instagram.
On YouTube.
Connect with me, Brad:
On Instagram.
On TikTok.
On LinkedIn.
Donald Shoup — economist, author, and distinguished research professor at UCLA — is in good traffic this week re-emphasizing the economic implications of free parking and its hidden costs, advocating for reforms such as market-based pricing for curb parking and parking benefit districts. He delves into the nuances between doctrine and dogma, sharing his perspective from a summary of lifelong research and practice in cities nationwide. The conversation explores various cities (including good traffic's home base in Columbus, Ohio) that are implementing these changes, promoting the idea that paid parking and strategically managed space can improve urban environments dramatically.
We discuss:
00:00 Donald Shoup is in good traffic.
00:37 Doctrine vs. Dogma in urban planning.
01:53 Challenging minimum parking requirements.
03:48 The evolution of parking policies.
04:44 On parking economics within research and universities.
07:23 On American parking reform.
10:20 Parking benefit districts and performance parking.
10:49 Unexpected success stories.
18:29 The political landscape surrounding parking.
19:26 Value of an economist approach to the parking conversation.
24:16 Parking cash outs and employer transit stipends.
28:57 The hidden costs of free parking.
32:58 The direction of parking reform.
36:40 Wrapping up.
37:35 A Shoup pitch: paid parking and free podcasts.
Further context:
Donald's book: The High Cost of Free Parking.
The Shoup Doggma, referenced in this episode.
A summary of the three reform tools discussed, from Vox.
Connect with Donald:
shoupdogg.com
On LinkedIn.
On Twitter.
Connect with me, Brad:
On Instagram.
On TikTok.
On LinkedIn.
Sam Westby — touring cyclist, bike commuter, and content creator — is in good traffic this week to talk all things biking. We delve into Sam's recent Tour Divide ride, traversing from the Canadian border to the Mexican border on varying surfaces. The conversation also touches on the evolving bike culture in cities like Boston, and the impact of ebikes. We touch on an upbringing in a cycling-focused family. We also discuss Sam's PhD work in network science, with potential applications in urban cycling infrastructure.
We discuss:
00:00 Sam's epic Tour Divide ride.
01:29 Bike touring preparation and decision making.
04:25 Diet and nutrition on biking excursions.
07:15 Bike community while on the road.
10:25 Urban vs. touring cycling.
16:27 Early beginnings and family influence.
22:03 Cycling amidst rapidly improving Boston infrastructure.
24:55 Boston's hardy biking culture.
26:29 Electric bike shares.
28:34 Social interactions.
30:04 The ebike debate and sufficient infrastructure.
34:09 PhD work in network science.
39:04 Navigating urban cycling via technology.
47:13 Best commutes and memorable rides.
Further context:
The Tour Divide ride.
Sam's video on biking across the U.S.
Connect with Sam:
On Instagram.
On YouTube.
On TikTok.
On Strava.
Connect with me, Brad:
On Instagram.
On TikTok.
On LinkedIn.
Steve Dunn — New Jersey firefighter and safe infrastructure advocate — is in good traffic this week to talk bikes as financial freedom, bike commuting as a public servant and emergency responder, and work done with his organization Union County Connects. The discussion also covers suburban and urban dynamics, the economic implications of car dependence, and the need for greater collaboration and understanding between fire departments in urban planning efforts. Steve offers a hopeful perspective on the future of biking and mobility in the states.
We discuss:
00:00 Introduced to urbanism via our former guest.
01:33 Bike commuting.
06:04 Advocacy and community impact as a fireman.
08:20 Navigating suburban and urban dynamics.
19:58 Car dependency and alternative transportation.
27:35 An $11 billion turnpike expansion debate.
28:21 The psychology of infrastructure spending.
30:01 Hope for American transit and biking.
32:45 Balancing car use and sustainable living.
33:25 Advocating for bike parking and safer infrastructure.
34:18 Perceptions of car use.
46:30 The role of firefighters in the urban planning dialogue.
52:22 The future of emergency services and urbanism.
56:28 Wrapping up, and Steve's ride to work.
Further context:
Union County Connects (Steve's org).
The Biking Fireman.
Connect with Steve:
On Instagram.
Connect with me, Brad:
On Instagram.
On TikTok.
On LinkedIn.
Nico Larco — professor and director of the Urbanism Next Center at the University of Oregon — is in good traffic this week to dive deeply into his new book, The Sustainable Urban Design Handbook, and utilizing Portland as a laboratory for developing leading urbanism practices.
We discuss:
00:00 Portland, Oregon's urban design.
02:15 Bike commuting culture in Portland.
03:07 Portland's national perception.
06:14 Authoring a new sustainable urban design framework.
27:57 Intricacies of urban design.
29:37 Trees in urban environments.
33:02 Portland's neighborhoods.
38:16 University of Oregon's Sustainable Cities Institute and Urbanism Next Center.
43:41 An academic viewpoint on tactical urbanism.
46:09 Grassroots involvement in local urban design.
47:53 Favorite commutes and final thoughts.
Further context:
Nico's new book - The Sustainable Urban Design Handbook.
From the book: Sustainable Urban Design Framework.
The Urbanism Next Center.
Portland's South Waterfront neighborhood.
Connect with Nico:
On LinkedIn.
Connect with me, Brad:
On Instagram.
On TikTok.
On LinkedIn.
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