In this episode, I connect with Peter Flax, author of the fabulous new book Live To Ride: Finding Joy and Meaning on a Bicycle. We discuss the fact that if you're riding a bike, you're doing it right and what can be done to get more people riding more often. Along the way, we channel the Dutch and Danish experiences and successes in making riding a…

In this episode, I speak with Bryn Grunwald on RMI's Carbon Free Transport Team about their new tools and calculators for measuring the benefits and impacts of shifting typical car trips to bikes and e-bikes across several environmental and economic metrics. Thank you so much for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend…

In this episode, you'll meet the duo behind the newest urbanism super-firm, Speck Dempsey, Jeff Speck, author of Walkable City, and Chris Dempsey, former Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Massachusetts. We talk about what prompted them to partner up and how they plan to help cities and towns create more walkable and bikeable environments. I…

In this episode, I connect with Petru Sofio, a passionate young transportation prodigy who is currently a high school senior in Arlington, MA, a small Boston area community next to Cambridge and Somerville. We discuss why and how he got engaged in advocating for Dutch-inspired cycle network and intersection signal design. Thank you so much for tuni…

In the episode, I welcome back Cathy Tuttle, an anthropologist and planner, currently living in Utrecht in The Netherlands, to discuss her recent work in and studies of the values and cultural norms influencing the Dutch built environment we've become accustomed to, including the overlapping mobility networks and their current approach to public sp…

Ethically, we should reduce highway lane miles, not expand them. In this episode, I chat with Jeanie Ward-Waller, who made national news last fall when she was let go from Caltrans, the California state DOT (Department of Transportation), after she blew the whistle on a process being employed to cut corners and add an additional freeway lane. Thank…

In this episode, I connect with Austin-based journalist and the author of the new book City Limits: Infrastructure, Inequality, and the Future of America's Highways, Megan Kimble. In the book, she follows the story of three major freeway fights playing out in the state of Texas over the period of about four years while channeling the movement of fr…

In this episode, I talk with Mike West about his quest to import proven Dutch sustainable safety mobility design concepts into his home state of Utah. Mike is a city planner working for Lehi, UT, while living in the planned community of Daybreak in South Jordan, UT, which features an impressive network of off-street pathways. Thank you so much for …

In this episode, I connect with Burnaby, BC-based transportation engineer Roy Symons, for a chat about his beautiful book fietspad: A Journey Through The Netherlands Documenting its Bicycle Infrastructure that he recently published. We also talk about his journey as a classically trained civil engineer from Scotland to a passionate advocate for the…

In this episode, I connect with Prue Oswin, founder of Sidelines Traffic from the Sunshine Coast of Queensland, Australia, for a deep conversation about safer active transportation infrastructure. We even explore applying the four core virtues of stoicism - wisdom, courage, moderation, and justice - in designing environments appropriate for all age…

Darcy Varney Kitching with Boulder Transportation Connections is back on the pod to talk about her new role in transportation demand management (TDM), share her personal experiences from her week without driving challenge, and reflect on her recent Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage. Thank you so much for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, please s…

In this episode, I reconnect with Michael "Mike" Pasternock, who has catapulted the Strong Towns YouTube Channel to new heights in the past year. We discuss his journey from a high school teacher in the Midwest to a wedding video producer in the Phoenix area to the new face of the Strong Towns YouTube Channel based in Chicago. Thank you so much for…

In this episode, I reconnect with Todd Litman, Founder and Executive Director of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute (VTPI) for a discussion about his research into the elements we must take into consideration as we strive to transform our communities into our desired paradises. Thank you so much for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, plea…

Rethink35 is suing TxDOT: Why this action has global implications. In this special, bonus episode, I connect with Kelsey Huse and Gregory Bertrand, volunteers with Rethink35, for an urgent conversation about the two legal actions that this community group has taken to try and stop this project. Please sign on to the Civil Rights Complaint and make …

In this episode, I connect with Lucy Maloney, an advocate and frequent spokesperson in the battle for safer streets and safe cycling routes in Vancouver, BC. We cover the ongoing disturbing trend of victim blaming instead of addressing the core street design issues, the recent move to remove bike lanes in Stanley Park, the push to create and mainta…

In this episode, I connect with Robert "Bob" Searns, the author of Beyond Greenways: The Next Step for City Trails and Walking Routes, a recent book published by Island Press. We discuss the concept of formal Grand Loops around entire cities and shorter Town Walks that can be cobbled together quite easily. Thank you so much for tuning in! If you en…

In this episode, I welcome back Professor Peter Norton of the University of Virginia for a continuation of our discussion about the long legacy of parents fighting for safer streets in the United States of America and how Motordom ultimately prevailed in most cases where they were challenged. We also draw comparisons between the street safety prote…

In this episode, I connect with Joshua Funches for a conversation about the National Youth Bike Council and the Youth Bike Summit happening in June in Lehigh Valley, PA. We talk about their efforts to engage more youths and young adults in the bicycle movement, the empowering nature of kids being able to ride bikes to meet their daily transportatio…

In this episode, I connect with Deema Aburizik, the force of nature behind the new Street Design Team, a firm that is taking inspiration from the Dutch Cycling Embassy, the European Cyclists' Federation, and other institutions to build the knowledge capacity needed to expand the active mobility networks on the ground in Dubai, the UAE and across th…

In this episode, I reconnect with Joe Minicozzi, founder of Urban3, to discuss why our traditional development patterns were and are more productive financially and how that relates to Strong Towns and creating more Active Towns that promote a culture of activity. Thank you so much for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a …

Yay! Megan Ramey is featured in this final podcast episode of the year and the conclusion of Season 6. We had a fabulous conversation about her efforts to help create a positive culture of active mobility in Hood River, Oregon, starting naturally with the kids. Thank you so much for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a fri…

In this bonus episode, which was adapted from our video conversation, Professor Billy Fields and Manuel "Manu" Calvo discuss the amazing transformation of Seville's cycle network and the emerging culture of utilitarian bike riding, especially with families, women, children, and the elderly. The network, which was patterned after those in the cyclin…

In this episode, I reconnect with traffic engineer activist and propagandartist extraordinaire, Mr. Andy Boenau. We discuss his recent documentary Healthy Havoc, the deadly challenge and legacy of status quo transportation engineering and planning in North America, and his new projects on the horizon. Thank you so much for tuning in! If you enjoyed…

In this episode, I catch up with bike map creator extraordinaire and Jenkintown Borough council member-elect, Steve Spindler for an in-depth discussion about maps, map art, and long-distance bike touring and bike camping with his teenage daughter. Thank you so much for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend and subscr…

Roger Rudick and Luke Bornheimer join me for a conversation about the ongoing sagas and successes playing out on the streets of San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area. We highlight several massive wins, including Car Free JFK, several amazing protected bike lanes, and the bike bus boom, but we also discuss the challenges of an ill-conceived cent…

In this episode, I connect with Gary Oddi, President and co-founder of the Bike Temecula Valley Coalition in Temecula, California, for a discussion about their efforts to create an active mobility network for all ages and abilities in the area. Thank you so much for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend and subscribe…

In this episode, I connect with Dr. Matt Schaeffer, MD, general surgery resident at Wright State University Premiere Health in Dayton, OH, for a discussion about the nuance of bike lane design, encouraging more people to ride for optimal health and crash prevention all from a medical perspective. Thank you so much for tuning in! If you enjoyed this…

In this episode, I connect with Steffen Berr, Traffic Advisor for the City of Haarlem in The Netherlands, for a conversation about the steps the city is taking to reduce the number of motor vehicles in the historic city center and we also discuss some of the specific traffic calming street design strategies the Dutch employ that the typical transpo…

In this episode, I connect with Jenna Hanes and Kelsey Huse, two of Austin's amazing change agents and activists who are making a profound difference through the TikTok videos they are producing and sharing out on X (formerly Twitter). From freeway fighting to advocating for protected bike lanes and safe crosswalks to making fun of silly, ineffecti…

In this episode, I reconnect with Mike Packard, a traffic engineer with the firm SSFM, based in Honolulu, Hawai'i, for a conversation about some encouraging signs of improvement in the construction of safe and inviting bicycle and pedestrian facilities across the Hawaiian Islands. Although none of the islands have a working high-comfort active mobi…

In this episode, I reconnect with Allen Cowgill, a Denver-based safer streets advocate extraordinaire who was inspired to start a new bike bus for his kid's elementary school, Brown International Academy. We chat about the good work being done to make Denver's streets safer and more inviting for all ages and abilities and the steps he and his volun…

In this episode, I connect with Veronica O. Davis, Houston's Director of Transportation and Drainage Operations and the author of Inclusive Transportation: A Manifesto for Repairing Divided Communities, for an in-depth conversation about how and why she got into the transportation field and what we can do to accelerate the process of building mobil…

In this episode, which I've edited down from our Livestream on Oct 27th, 2023, I welcome back Charles "Chuck" Marohn, founder of Strong Towns, for an in-depth discussion about proven strategies for creating safer streets without resorting to a constant cycle of trying to find someone to blame. Thank you so much for tuning in! If you enjoyed this ep…

In this episode, the second in a two-part series, I reconnect with Dr. Tristan Cleveland, Ph.D. to discuss additional strategies for transforming the suburbs into more desirable walkable, bike-able, and transit-served places. Thank you so much for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend and subscribe to the Podcast on …

In this episode, the first in a two-part series, I connect with Dr. Tristan Cleveland, Ph.D. to discuss how the suburbs can be transformed into more desirable walkable, bike-able, and transit-served places. Thank you so much for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend and subscribe to the Podcast on your preferred list…

In this episode, I reconnect with Ray Delahanty, the self-proclaimed Plangineer behind the smash hit City Nerd YouTube Channel. We discuss his journey to becoming a full-time content creator, some of his biggest surprises, and where he gets his inspiration for new videos. Thank you so much for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it…

In this episode, Melissa and Chris Bruntlett bring us along for a review of their summer family vacation explorations in Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo, Trondheim, and Bergen. Naturally, they provide snapshots of the people-oriented places they experienced, an evaluation of the cycle and cargo bike scenes, and a healthy dose of reveling in the access …

In this episode, I reconnect with former pro soccer player, Tesho Akindele, for a conversation about his unlikely and unexpected journey from pro sports to urbanism and developing, walkable and bike-friendly communities in Charlotte, NC. I first met Tesho at the annual Congress for the New Urbanism gathering in Charlotte and immediately knew I need…

In this episode, I reconnect with Martina Haggerty, the new Senior Director for the PeopleForBikes Local Innovations initiative. Martina shares some information about the history of the Local Innovations efforts at PFB and the newly announced Great Bike Infrastructure Project. Thank you so much for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, please sha…

In this episode, I connect with Professor Kelly Clifton, Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia, for a conversation about using comics as a way to present complicated urbanism, transportation, and land use issues in a more approachable way for the general public. Thank you so much for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it w…

In this episode, I connect with Babet Hendriks with Mobycon in The Netherlands for a discussion about the theoretical construct of the Mobility Doughnut, a concept inspired by the Economic Doughnut theory. To illustrate the points, we'll do some side-by-side photographic comparisons between Dutch and North American mobility systems. Also discussed …

In this episode, I connect with Murilo Casagrande and Heloisa Bento Ribeiro with the Aromeiazero Institute, an organization in São Paulo, Brazil that develops social, educational, and cultural projects to reduce social inequalities and make cities more resilient. Their mission is to promote change in the way of life of people and cities through bic…

In this episode, Dr. Natalia Barbour and I discuss her family's big move from The Netherlands back to Florida and a few of her recent publications as a researcher and Assistant Professor at the University of Central Florida. We talk about the network of separated pathways that allow her and her family to meet many of their daily needs, including ge…

In this episode, the first of Season Six of the Active Towns Podcast: Conversations About Creating a Culture of Activity, I speak with Grant Ennis, the author of the fascinating and thought-provoking new book Dark PR: How corporate disinformation harms our health and the environment. Thank you so much for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, ple…

In this episode, I'm honored to connect with Will Butler-Adams, the CEO of Brompton Bicycles, about the role that the humble bicycle is playing in addressing the most pressing issues we face globally, from health, well-being, loneliness, unproductive and financially unsustainable urban environments and yes, climate change. And a HUGE thank you to R…

In episode 199, I connect with Sir Graham Watson, President of the World Cycling Alliance, for a conversation about coordinating best practices around the globe as we strive to create safer, more inviting cycle networks for all ages and abilities. Thank you so much for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend and subscr…

In this episode, I connect with Amy Kenreich, a Denver crossing guard mom turned safe streets advocate who is part of a growing number of engaged community members making a difference on the streets of the mile-high city. We talk about recruiting new crossing guards, conducting bike rodeos, fighting for a needed protected bikeway where a tragic fat…

In this episode, I connect with Sara Stace, Director of Cities for WSP in Sydney, NSW, Australia, to discuss our need for a whole new paradigm surrounding what our streets are for and how they should make us feel. We pose the question, why can't our streets promote a feeling of being relaxed and carefree, as is depicted by these girls riding to fie…

In this episode, I connect with Ryan Howell, The Events Coordinator at the Tulsa River Parks Authority network of trails and pathways connecting Tulsa's neighborhoods and downtown while providing amazing recreation opportunities, which are now high on my list of places I must visit! Thank you so much for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, plea…

In episode 195, Nicole McSpirit of Denver, Colorado, gives us a look into her radical plan to create a Dutch-inspired cycling paradise in the Mile High City. She also provides a sneak peek into her secret behavior modification tactics to slow down aggressive drivers near schools in her role as an elementary school crossing guard. Thank you so much …