good traffic (Brad Biehl)
Explorez tous les épisodes de good traffic
| Date | Titre | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02 Apr 2024 | 29 / A Texas-sized mistake: highway expansion in Austin (& other lone star cities) / with author Megan Kimble | 00:37:30 | |
Megan Kimble — Journalist and author of new book City Limits: infrastructure, inequality, and the future of American highways — is in good traffic to discuss the most infamous part of our cities. Megan contextualizes the current fight over the widening of I-35 through downtown Austin, navigating a freeway-crazed Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), and extensive research into the relationships between American cities and their highways. We talk the history, present struggles, and future ramifications of investing in auto-centric infrastructure. Megan’s new book is out today, April 2nd, wherever you buy your books. We discuss: 00:00 Megan Kimble is in good traffic. 01:34 Urbanist origin story: Tucson to Austin. 03:24 Texas' current highway expansion fights (in Austin, Dallas, and Houston). 05:08 I-35 expansion in Austin. 08:33 Funding transit vs. highways in Texas. 11:31 Grassroots movements and state decisions. 17:56 The case for removing urban highways. 19:41 Model highway removal projects in Rochester, New York. 27:09 More on Tucson urbanism. 29:55 The racial context of American highways. 35:49 A walkable collegiate commute in Tucson. 37:34 Where to find Megan’s new book. For context: On Austin’s current I-35 challenge. Connect with Megan: Connecting with me, Brad: On Instagram. | |||
| 24 Jan 2024 | 19 / Bird scooter bankruptcy & misguided micromobility hate. | 00:35:19 | |
There's been a mixed and varying reaction to scooters in our cities (even amongst urbanists). With Bird's recent bankruptcy — following a whirlwind few years — it's an interesting time to take stock of our cultural opinion of micromobility as a whole. Did the unregulated, wild-west-esque attempt at democratizing micromobility actually set us back in gaining public support for new ways of moving around the American downtown? A side note: we just moved — we're now live from Culdesac Tempe. Connecting with me, Brad: | |||
| 21 Nov 2023 | 10 / The state of the American dream, selling walkability, & suburban shifts / with realtor Obi Johns | 01:10:29 | |
Obi Johns — Rising Columbus, Ohio real estate professional (and budding urbanist) — is in good traffic to address the state of the American dream, how walkable neighborhoods have begun to replace the suburban fantasy of old, and how realtors are selling in the shifting market. We discuss:
Greater context:
Connecting with Obi: Connecting with me, Brad: | |||
| 03 Oct 2023 | 03 / Car calculus, landscape architecture, and TikTok / with creator Paul Stout | 00:59:47 | |
Paul Stout - @TalkingCities on TikTok, prolific creator, future landscape architect, and Culdesac alum - sits down for a chat on all-things content, cities, cars, and crafting practical places for people. We discuss:
Connect with Paul:
Connect with me:
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| 19 Sep 2023 | 01 / We're all urbanists / with Nathan Allebach | 01:25:14 | |
Nathan Allebach - TikTok urbanist, Strong Towns storyteller, walkable cities enthusiast, Creative Director at Allebach Communications, The Steak-umm Guy, and Scott Galloway's favorite Instagram follow (potentially) - joins the first episode of the show to ignite the good traffic conversation. We discuss:
Explore further: Strong Towns - https://www.strongtowns.org/ Nathan's walkable cities shop - https://the-allebach-market.creator-spring.com/ Connecting with Nathan: On Twitter (X) - https://twitter.com/nathanallebach?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor On TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@nathanallebach On Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nathanallebach/?hl=en Connecting with me: On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbiehl/ On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@citiesforpeople On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradbiehl/ | |||
| 27 Mar 2024 | 28 / Suburban subcategories, rural & urban common ground, & conservative urbanists. | 00:29:46 | |
Using the word suburb to describe both small towns and endless sprawl seems like a mistake. Small towns — even when on the periphery of a larger city — sometimes do gentle density even better than cities do. Sprawl is the beast that we are up against. We also touch on the misconception that cities and growth are bad for the environment, and why the rural v. urban debate is a false polarization. A common enemy is involved. We round out this week’s good traffic by listening to republican governor of North Dakota (recently flirted with as a potential Trump VP pick) Doug Burgum’s recent comments on zoning and walkability at the National Governors Association winter meetings. Many other (perhaps unsuspecting) political figures have shared similar sentiments, as of late. The short of it: republicans and conservatives have plenty of reasons to support walkability and urbanism, too. 00:00 The subcategories of suburbs: small towns and sprawl. 09:30 The false tension between rural and city, and why we may be on the same page. 15:28 Walkability is bipartisan; republican leaders are in favor. For context: Doug Burgum on walkability (via National Governers Association). How much does a mile of road cost? (via Strong Towns). The cost of sprawl in U.S., summarized (via California YIMBY). Kansas City’s outsized land area growth, as compared to population growth, in the mid-1900s (via Strong Towns). | |||
| 13 Nov 2024 | 64 / Countering NIMBYism with nostalgia, & expanding our definition of home / with Aly Marchant | 00:35:44 | |
Aly's back, and with some recent perspective on third places. Particularly, their significance in expanding our sense of home beyond four walls. We talk devised theatre, childhood restaurants, the power of nostalgia, and how to bring up urbanism at thanksgiving dinner. We discuss: 00:00 Aly's back. 02:54 Urbanism and nostalgia. 05:20 On third places. 13:35 Defining routine via walking routes. 21:45 The shared value of third places. 29:09 Final thoughts. | |||
| 28 Nov 2023 | 11 / The bike bus, active transportation, & empowering kids / with Coach Sam Balto | 00:46:10 | |
Coach Sam Balto — a physical education teacher, active transportation catalyst, and Portland bike bus leader — is in good traffic to open up on sustainable and healthy transportation options for children, disrupting the school car line, and what it all means for the collective movement of our cities. We discuss:
Further context:
Connecting with Sam: Connecting with me, Brad: | |||
| 08 May 2024 | 34 / Healthspan, active transportation, & practical mobility / with Steve Nash & Ryan Johnson | 00:59:38 | |
Steve Nash — NBA hall-of-famer and founder of BLOCK training — is in good traffic to chat on the concept of healthspan, and how quality of life and neighborhood design interconnect. We talk baking mobility and movement into everyday life, training intentionally, and stacking habits in a scalable way. Steve shares the framework and ethos behind his current endeavors with BLOCK, and origins in mobility training during his playing days and childhood. Culdesac founder Ryan Johnson is also back on the show this week — he shares perspective on building walkable places in the U.S. that prioritize the health and habits that Steve champions. We discuss: 00:00 Steve Nash and Ryan Johnson are in good traffic. 00:58 Healthspan definitions and pillars. 03:18 Healthspan in daily life. 04:28 The role of walkable communities in enhancing healthspan. 05:04 Moving from hall-of-fame pro athlete to founder of BLOCK training. 07:11 On the daily eight’ health habit builder. 18:08 The community element of BLOCK training. 25:42 Reflections on movement, mental health, and longevity. 29:16 Stress and coping mechanisms in professional sports. 32:39 How Steve Nash led through physical touch in the NBA. 41:03 Political polarization and walkable neighborhoods in the U.S. 57:05 Reflecting on walkable commutes. Further context: BLOCK training, Steve’s current project. Some Steve Nash highlights, for good measure. The study on Steve leading the NBA in physical touches with teammates. Connect with Steve: Connect with Ryan: Connecting with me, Brad: On Instagram. On TikTok. On LinkedIn. | |||
| 26 Jun 2024 | 45 / Duality of space. | 00:22:07 | |
On inefficiency of single-use spaces. Questioning the norm of planning for exceptions rather than the rule. Cities and individuals make choices based on rarer needs, leading to underutilized spaces. In homing differing usages in one space — like a morning coffee shop turning into a bar at night, or a parking lot hosting a farmer's market — we can deduplicate resources, overhead, and infrastructure.
We discuss:
00:00 Shared space.
01:46 Decision-making for the exception, vs. the rule.
06:29 Examples of shared spaces, and deduplicating resources and infrastructure.
10:54 On Stoa.
13:54 Combining retail-specific spaces.
17:52 Upcoming topics and conversation.
Further context:
On Stoas (via Sidewalk Labs).
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| 23 Oct 2024 | 61 / Revamping the bus reputation / with Jerome Horne | 00:36:27 | |
Jerome Horne — transit advocate and communications executive — is in good traffic to talk buses, better transit advocacy, and Baltimore (among other places). We discuss: 00:00 Choosing cities for transit advocacy. 02:36 Career transition to public transportation. 09:37 On community building. 17:36 Youth engagement in urban planning. 21:35 Strategies for promoting bus usage. 23:36 Improving bus systems and user experience. 24:52 Transit bar crawls. 27:13 Comparing transit systems across American cities. 31:45 Infrastructure failures. 34:09 Favorite commute experiences. Connect with Jerome: Connect with me, Brad: On Instagram. On TikTok. | |||
| 12 Jun 2024 | 41 / Five under-the-radar reasons a walk might feel safer. | 00:19:36 | |
Recently, my partner Aly reflected on our walks in Columbus (OH) feeling safer than elsewhere in the states. We discussed the why behind this perceived feeling, and articulated the claim into five attributable rationales. We decided to rehash those, here. As planners, designers, and urbanists get deeper into the technical, it's important to keep the way that a place or piece of infrastructure simply feels top of mind. | |||
| 04 Dec 2024 | 67 / Building optimism... & housing / with Coby Lefkowitz | 01:01:49 | |
Coby Lefkowitz is back in good traffic. Amidst leading Backyard in developing housing in Southern California (and tweeting up a pleasant storm), Coby has written a new book. Building optimism is available now. We get into it, in this conversation. We discuss: 00:00 Building Optimism: the new book. 02:12 The genesis of the book. 05:42 Challenges and realities of American urban development. 10:27 Historical inspirations and modern applications. 17:13 A younger generation of developers. 26:40 Civics and urban planning in U.S. education. 28:41 Balancing optimism with realism. 33:42 Bridging city and rural perspectives. 34:14 Common goals. 35:09 Understanding density and development. 44:47 The human element in development. 50:05 Balancing growth and community concerns. 55:13 The role of specialists and community members. 59:46 Broader participation in urban planning. For context: Backyard (Coby's development firm). Connect with Coby: Connect with me, Brad: | |||
| 14 Aug 2024 | 52 / Overhauling parking pseudoscience / with Donald Shoup | 00:37:50 | |
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: Connect with me, Brad: On Instagram. On TikTok. On LinkedIn. | |||
| 02 Jul 2024 | 46 / Women moving people, regional passenger rail, & North Carolina insight / with Joan Lyons | 01:02:52 | |
Joan Lyons — transportation planner and urbanism writer — is in good traffic sharing on the Women Moving People project, which focuses on emboldening women's perspectives in the planning and transportation industries. We agree strongly on the importance of early exposure to urbanism for children and students. Joan also talks her career as a transportation planner in Louisiana, Denver, and North Carolina. Plus, a look at passenger rail corridors being identified, and funding challenges, across the states. We discuss: 00:00 Women Moving People: a project overview. 10:43 Introducing urbanism to coming generations. 15:48 Personal tales on public transit. 32:55 North Carolina's unique transportation landscape. 43:20 Regional connectivity and passenger rail initiatives. 48:40 Challenges in transportation funding. 54:54 Sign up for your city's newsletter, and fill stuff out. 01:01:22 Wrapping up. Further context: Transportation management organizations (e.g. Boulder Transportation Connections). Connect with Joan: Connect with me, Brad: On Instagram. | |||
| 21 Jun 2024 | 44 / Permaculture in your city / with Kev Polk | 00:51:19 | |
Kev Polk — founder of Edenicity — is in good traffic this week discussing a permacultural approach to urbanism. This is: ecologically sound cities that provide housing, food, energy, and transportation in a cohesive system. Kev shares his path from space exploration to realizing the importance of localized systems and cities in addressing environmental crises. Kev emphasizes the potential for greater freedom and convenience (the American wishlist) through thoughtful urban design and holistic planning. We discuss: 00:00 Welcome to the new studio. 00:21 On Edenicity as a concept. 01:24 Permaculture and urban planning. 02:12 From space exploration to permaculture. 03:38 Cities as the solution to environmental issues. 05:01 Opportunities in urban permaculture. 11:57 Examples of successful urban permaculture. 20:45 Holistic system design, governance, and execution. 28:54 Lessons from the roundabout project in Bloomington, Indiana. 29:48 Experiences in Ohio. 31:22 Tiny house community roadblocks. 36:13 Promoting abundance and freedom, instead of austerity. 42:22 Fake green vs. real green. 46:38 EV specticism. 48:42 Wrapping up. Further context: Biophilic building design in Singapore (via Summer Rayne Oakes). Electric vehicles by state (via Exploding Topics). Connect with Kev: Connect with me, Brad: On Instagram. On TikTok. On LinkedIn. | |||
| 05 Dec 2023 | 12 / Daylighting, bump outs, & bollards. | 00:45:49 | |
The first installment of a new subseries: a weekly walkabout (working title). We'll take stock of recent readings and stories, experiences while navigating via foot and bike, and comments received on social. Aly Marchant (who you may remember from conversation 6) joins and leads the chat from her very relatable perspective, as she still feels this whole urbanism thing out. We discuss:
Further context:
Connecting with me, Brad: | |||
| 15 May 2024 | 35 / Intercity v. intracity transportation (live from a cross-country move). | 00:16:40 | |
Live from the move from Tempe, Arizona to Columbus, Ohio: noting constant roadway maintenance, contextualizing intercity v. intracity transportation, and looking forward to getting out of this car. Also, just a tad bit of CNU Cincy FOMO. | |||
| 17 Apr 2024 | 31 / Scalable development patterns vs. personal lifestyle choices, & a weekend in SLC. | 00:29:27 | |
This week, we briefly touch base on three prevailing sentiments, from recent comment sections:
We also reflect on a weekend trip spent walking Salt Lake City neighborhoods, and observing positive infrastructure improvements amidst a sprawling metro. One note: in this episode, we referenced episode 29, in conjunction with recent comment sections. We meant episode 28. Catch up on that audio here. For context: On Salt Lake City bike infrastructure improvements (via The Salt Lake Tribune). A new SLC bus stop + buffered bike lane, approaching an intersection. A protected intersection, in downtown Salt Lake City. A UTA train pic (underrated, and greatly enjoyed). Connecting with me, Brad: On Instagram. | |||
| 17 Oct 2023 | 05 / Street furniture, local hardware stores, & getting started in your neighborhood / with Placemakin' Draven Pointer | 00:52:44 | |
Draven Pointer - architectural designer at Better Block, craftsman of street furniture, woodworker, and Marvel maniac - joins the traffic from Dallas, Texas. We discuss:
Explore further: Better Block Wikiblock street furniture library - https://www.betterblock.org/wikiblock Better Block projects - https://www.betterblock.org/our-work Connecting with Draven: On Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dray_arch/ Connecting with me: On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbiehl/ On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@citiesforpeople On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradbiehl/ | |||
| 28 Aug 2024 | 54 / Back to school... & thus stuck in carline. | 00:23:15 | |
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. | |||
| 25 Sep 2024 | 57 / Active American towns / with John Simmerman | 01:06:23 | |
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: Connect with John: | |||
| 22 May 2024 | 36 / Calming traffic, on the road to safer American streets. | 00:14:41 | |
Reflecting on traffic calming infrastructure seen this week in suburban Dublin, Ohio, on Tara Hill Drive. When car-dominated suburbs build infrastructure like neighborhood traffic circles, it's an acknowledgment that we surely know how to design safer streets, and thus every street designed on the contrary is an active choice against resident livability. The road to stronger, safer, and more livable neighborhoods is not a mysterious one. In addition, we briefly touch on an impactful Twitter thread from the week. It's on road accident death rates, how we compare to Russia (not good), and how to operate amongst the attributable dangers here in the states. The credit belongs to Mark Abraham, and you can find the thread here. It's worth your time. We discuss: 00:00 Live from the new home: Columbus, Ohio! 02:27 Traffic calming measures spotted in suburban Columbus. 04:00 We know the proper way to design safe streets. 10:54 Rising traffic deaths in the U.S. (we've passed Russia). 14:21 Wrapping up. Thanks for bearing with me during our studio move. Apologies for any sub-optimal sound, this week. | |||
| 10 Jul 2024 | 47 / A pedestrian in Portland. | 00:30:36 | |
Portland, Oregon has a polarizing reputation — it seems drugs and homelessness dominate headlines nationally. Though it has uphill battles like any place, it’s also an undisputed leader in urban design and multi-modal infrastructure. We’re spending the next two weeks here, biking and walking all over the city and its surrounding neighborhoods. Today, we start with three (of many) physical choices that Portland practices well, and that more American cities should develop patterns after. I. Neighborhood greenways / practical paths. II. Separated spaces for different modes. III. Network-level planning and design. Subscribe early to the new newsletter — first publishing in August. Appreciate your time, as always. More Portland context (mentioned in the audio): The South Waterfront neighborhood. On Portland bike safety (via People Powered Movement). Portland protected bicycle lane planning and design guide (via PBOT). | |||
| 09 Apr 2024 | 30 / Getting the U.S. back on its feet / with walkability expert Dan Burden | 01:17:12 | |
Dan Burden — America’s most legendary walkability and bikeability expert, and director of innovation at Blue Zones — is in good traffic to share a lifetime’s worth of work on making cities and streets more livable. He’s played a role in walkable design projects in thousands of communities, in all 50 states. Dan is also the mastermind behind the 4,300 mile long TransAmerica bike route, and leader of the famous bike journey from Alaska to Argentina. We discuss: 00:00 Dan Burden is in good traffic. 00:45 Dan’s first autonomous vehicle (Waymo) ride. 04:06 Biking into a career in urban planning and design. 13:35 Getting tapped to be the nation’s first bike and pedestrian coordinator… in Florida. 18:50 Walkability gaining momentum in American cities. 36:33 The three stages of cultural bike adoption. 37:38 Maintaining optimism throughout a long career in city planning. 43:37 Planning for the future of urban transportation. 52:35 Navigating political and social landscapes in city building. 01:00:37 Urban planners are storytellers. 01:12:22 Reflecting on a 50+ year career. For content: Biking across the U.S., thanks to Dan. Connecting with Dan: Connecting with me, Brad: On Instagram. | |||
| 02 Jan 2024 | 16 / Building gentle density & beautiful neighborhoods / with developer Coby Lefkowitz | 00:47:53 | |
Coby Lefkowitz — developer, writer, urbanist, and tweeter — is in good traffic to discuss the longstanding distrust of the big, bad developer in the urbanism conversation, and how partnership (versus vilification) is the pathway to building better places. Coby is the Founder of Backyard — a development group focused on gentle density in great American cities. We discuss:
Further context:
Connecting with Coby: Connecting with me, Brad: | |||
| 07 Nov 2023 | 08 / Norway's electric car experiment. | 00:22:11 | |
The prompt for this week's audio was David Zipper's recent Vox article, titled "Why Norway — the poster child for electric cars — is having second thoughts." Electric cars as the salient solution to climate change does a disservice to another brand of innovation: simplicity that works. Or, as we call it, biking, walking, public transit, and the like. We discuss:
Explore further: Connecting with me, Brad: | |||
| 01 May 2024 | 33 / Girls on trains / with Aly Marchant | 00:32:36 | |
Aly Marchant — my transit-taking girlfriend and a good traffic regular — is back for a walkthrough of being a women on public transportation. She shares recent challenges, protocols to help avoid and navigate uncomfortable situations, our collaboration towards mitigation as a couple, the role of young men, and optimism for female riders. For context: Gender distribution of public transit travelers in the United States (via Statista). Connecting with me, Brad: On Instagram. | |||
| 14 Jun 2024 | 42 / Branding American cities / with Ryan Short | 00:47:33 | |
Ryan Short — cofounder of CivicBrand — joins good traffic to emphasize why cities and towns of all sizes should care more about branding. We talk the need for civic pride and intentional urban design, qualitative and quantitative data collection, and using community perspective to refine strong, holistic, evergreen messaging. From Dallas, to suburban North Carolina, to mountain town Colorado, Ryan's perspective is forged from work in communities of all stripes. He's truly of wealth of successful precedents for proper placemaking. We discuss: 00:00 On CivicBrand, and branding cities. 04:29 On community engagement. 05:30 Car-centric design has ruined civic identity. 08:12 How to approach community engagement and placemaking. 16:37 Collecting data at community meetings. 25:23 Qualitative data in branding. 26:03 Personal taste versus city identity. 27:18 Toyota's branding as a model for cities. 30:44 Civic pride and economic growth. 34:13 Case study: High Point, North Carolina. 40:18 Learning from small towns. 45:16 Wrapping up. Further context: Connect with Ryan: Connect with me, Brad: On Instagram. | |||
| 28 Feb 2024 | 24 / Branding a New Urbanism / with CNU president Mallory Baches | 00:40:03 | |
Mallory Baches — President of the Congress for the New Urbanism (or, CNU), and urban designer — is in good traffic to hash out the details of the New Urbanism movement, and the overall progression of urban design, urban planning, and urban development in the U.S. We discuss: 00:00 On Mallory, and the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU). 04:10 How have urbanism and urban development evolved in the U.S.? 04:43 What is a “congress” for urbanism? 06:06 A background on new urbanism. 08:36 The history and criticism of the New Urbanist movement, and of urban planning movements as a whole. 15:53 On transit-oriented development, and density, in the U.S. 21:06 Southern urbanism: walkable cities in the Sun Belt and American south. 29:12 Selecting cities for an urban planning and design conference. 34:15 A commute into Chicago. A couple of quotes: “Sprawl is continuing. And so 30 years later, [CNU’s] mission to reverse that trend is still as important as ever.” “We call ourselves a Congress and we talk about intentionally being based on the idea of debate, exploration, and critique where necessary. That sort of approach to understanding cities is fundamentally evolutionary in nature. “The idea of connecting transit with new development — transit-oriented development, transit-accessible development — there are a lot of acronyms, a lot of ways to describe the idea of designing your mass transportation systems and your higher intensity development to happen in conjunction with each other.” For context: On New Urbanism. On CNU (the organization). On CNU 32 in Cincinnati, Ohio (the annual conference). Connecting with Mallory: On LinkedIn. On Twitter. Connecting with me, Brad: On Instagram. On TikTok. On LinkedIn. | |||
| 04 Sep 2024 | 55 / The nature of our cities / with Dr. Nadina Galle | 00:57:14 | |
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: Connect with me, Brad: On Instagram. On TikTok. On LinkedIn. | |||
| 11 Sep 2024 | 56 / Law & disorder (bike edition). | 00:31:20 | |
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). | |||
| 01 Jun 2024 | 38 / Why walkability matters in commercial real estate (an excerpt from the Real Finds podcast). | 00:08:13 | |
This is a brief excerpt from my appearance on the Real Finds podcast, last week. Within, we examine why walkability, livable neighborhoods, and human-scale environments should be top of mind for commercial real estate professionals and business owners. Thanks to Gordon Lamphere for the audio. | |||
| 26 Sep 2023 | 02 / Growing up in the Netherlands / with pro footballer Eva Van Deursen | 00:50:41 | |
Eva Van Deursen - professional footballer for Bayer Leverkusen and the Dutch National Team - joins live from Phoenix, Arizona for the second episode of the show. We discuss:
Connect with Eva: On Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/eva_vandeursen/?hl=en Connect with me: On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbiehl/ On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@citiesforpeople On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradbiehl/ | |||
| 30 Oct 2024 | 62 / Bus rapid transit in Columbus, Ohio (election edition) / with Sophia Mohr | 00:27:37 | |
Sophia Mohr — Chief Innovation and Technology Officer at the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) — is in good traffic this week ahead of a big vote on November 5. Issue 47 is on the local ballot in Columbus, Ohio — which will help bring BRT to life in the region. We elaborate on the technological advancements ahead, such as traffic signal prioritization, digital payment solutions, and customer experience enhancements. Sophia reiterates the critical role of expanded public and active transit in supporting the region's rapid growth. Public perception and engagement strategies are included. Apologies for any audio imperfections; we expedited this edition to allow for maximum listening time before election day. We discuss: 00:00 Sophia’s background and role at COTA. 02:09 Current transportation initiatives in Columbus. 03:55 Future transit plans and challenges. 07:19 Issue 47 and its implications. 12:26 Learning from the likes of Portland, Indianapolis, and Richmond. 18:22 Tech in public transit. 22:03 Public perception and community involvement. 26:08 Wrapping up. For context: More on LinkUS and Issue 47 in Columbus, Ohio. Connect with me, Brad: On Instagram. On TikTok. | |||
| 17 Jul 2024 | 48 / Transportation engineering & congestion pricing / with The Transit Guy, Hayden Clarkin | 00:49:20 | |
Hayden Clarkin — a NYC-based transportation engineer known widely as The Transit Guy — is in good traffic this week to talk the engineering profession, getting transit projects across the finish line, and storytelling the technical aspects of the process. We cover the background, and current stasis, of halted congestion pricing implementation in New York City. We discuss: 00:00 The Transit Guy namesake. 02:15 Falling in love with transit. 08:54 Visually storytelling our arguments for transit. 18:08 Challenges and misconceptions. 23:32 Congestion pricing, and looming NYC subway system questions. 31:17 Governance and policy upgrades needed, with examples in Austin and Philadelphia. 37:48 Transportation engineering education and challenges. 47:06 Wrapping up. Further context: On the shortage of true transportation engineers (via Strong Towns). Some background on the congestion pricing standstill (via New York Times). Connect with Hayden: Connect with me, Brad: On Instagram. | |||
| 29 Nov 2024 | 66 / Gratitude journaling, for urbanists. | 00:13:49 | |
Thankful for you all. Pardon a slight deviation from our usual Tuesday release. We discuss: 00:00 Thanksgiving and urbanism. 04:35 A journaling exercise. 10:01 Upcoming guests and episodes. 11:21 A note on black friday and parking minimums. A sample journal exercise. First, the point of gratitude, followed by a summarized root-cause analysis. Apologies for brevity, these were transcribed from my field notes. Aly – got to know each other on walks, solve problems on walks, stay fit on walks, save money on walks, all of which are made possible by living in walkable pockets of American cities. also, even met on a dating app in Dallas, which exists/thrives because of a decline in serendipitous interactions and third-place prevalence. Simple routines that define home – the walk to school in 45 minutes, through beautiful tree-covered brick streets lined with gorgeous architecture – to the grocery store, through goodale park – to coffee, any number of possible routes. Urban nature, and small moments of natural respite – made possible via breaks in car-dominated infrastructure. Bikes – only able to ride in effectively-designed places. Travel to places like portland, boston, new york, and tempe – all made endlessly enjoyable due to their various brands of strong or emerging urbanism. Sunrises + sunsets – only able to be experienced fully because I don’t have to sit in traffic anywhere close to the american average of 30-min one-way commutes. Rich memories from formative times like high school and college – physical proximity and socialization. re: colleges, campuses are the largest collection of continuous car-free spaces we have in the U.S. Gentle-density – the best photos, views, and future home aspirations. Parents – started walking with me from a young age, which instilled autonomy; sense of direction, and forever fuels rich nostalgia. My health (physical + mental) – walking powers this. Even when the gym gets notched out of a day, I always have long walks, because they are built into my commute + lifestyle. This is also where I breath, think, reflect, and ideate. | |||
| 14 Nov 2023 | 09 / Athletes should be urbanists / with former pro footballer Tesho Akindele | 00:42:22 | |
Tesho Akindele - Former Major League Soccer and Canadian national team player turned urbanist and real estate developer - is here for the pitch on why athletes make great urbanists, and a dialogue on the intersection of sports and American cities. We discuss:
Explore further: Connecting with Tesho: Connecting with me, Brad: | |||
| 07 Feb 2024 | 21 / Suburban sprawl & the loneliness epidemic / with Dr. Tayana Panova | 00:52:55 | |
Dr. Tayana Panova — a psychologist focused on the long-tailed effects of American suburbs and sprawl — is in good traffic to talk the X of urbanism (or lack thereof) and psychology. Dr. Panova summarizes how American urban and suburban design over the last century has had profound effects on our mental, social, and physical wellbeing. She centers the need to reshape people in our urban environments; making them more walkable and conducive to human connections. Tayana also previews her upcoming book, which further studies these points. We discuss: 00:00 Dr. Tayana Panova is in good traffic. 00:44 The intersection of psychology and urbanism. 01:59 The state of youth psychology in a suburbanized nation. 02:27 Perceptions of the suburbs. 06:35 Technology molds psychology… especially cars. 10:00 The impact of car dependence on our minds. 12:35 The concept of control in urban planning. 15:38 The freedom paradox. 20:32 Shaping POV, via travel. 28:24 A pure joy found in walkable spaces. 29:47 The relationship between urban design on mental health. 35:36 A suburban dilemma. 42:44 Room for improvements. 49:15 The joy of commuting in well-designed cities. Further context: Connect with Dr. Panova: Connecting with me, Brad: | |||
| 19 Mar 2024 | 27 / Your next minivan might be a bike / with @cargobikemomma Maddy Novich | 00:53:31 | |
Maddy Novich — @cargobikemomma on Instagram — is in good traffic this week to talk raising and transporting a family by bike. Maddy moves throughout New York City daily via one of her many cargo bikes. We discuss the relationship between parenting and car-reliance in the U.S., and how parents can begin replacing car trips with bike trips sooner than they might think. In the episode, you might just find your next minivan. Hint: it's not a Honda Oddessey. We discuss: 00:00 Meeting Maddy, @cargobikemomma. 02:01 How and why Maddy's family started biking everywhere. 06:03 How to gain confidence on a cargo bike or e-bike. 11:21 Cargo biking in different American cities. 14:54 The deeply-rooted relationship between parenting and cars. 27:25 Biking inspires independence, autonomy, and self-sufficiency in children. 29:22 Biking with kids in New York City. 33:08 How parents benefit from their kids biking. 34:46 Preventing e-bike theft using routine activity theory. 43:09 Bike and cargo bike recommendations. 48:58 Wrapping up. For context: On routine activity theory (via Simply Psychology). Different styles of cargo bikes (via Momentum Mag). Connecting with Maddy: On Instagram, @cargobikemomma. Connecting with me, Brad: On Instagram. | |||
| 14 Feb 2024 | 22 / Financial freedom from cars / with Mr. Money Mustache | 00:50:37 | |
Mr. Money Mustache — a leading voice on financial freedom, prolific writer, and conscious craftsman — is in good traffic to survey the impractical costs of cars, ways to cut down on unnecessary expenses, and how to create more environmentally friendly, livable urban spaces. MMM actionably advocates for forging a lifestyle that centers essentials, better transportation options like biking and walking, and conscious choices toward lowering waste. We discuss: 00:00 At the intersection of personal finance and urban design. 05:45 The personal finance of our transportation choices. 11:17 Frugality in today's economic climate. 14:48 The role of government in urban planning. 20:56 Individual and community financial responsibility. 27:02 Passive housing and sustainable building. 33:47 Incentivizing transportation choices. 35:39 The cost of car dependency and the freedom of bikes. 45:33 Embracing localized living. 48:55 Walking commutes and the luxury of time. Connecting with MMM: Connecting with me, Brad: On Instagram. | |||
| 19 Jun 2024 | 43 / Overparked (part one of many). | 00:15:44 | |
On the hobby of spot-checking availability in nearby parking garages, and American driving and parking data. We discuss: 00:00 Counting unused parking spots in downtown Columbus, Ohio. 00:27 Parking garage supply and demand. 01:47 Reevaluating urban land use. 02:44 U.S. parking data. 03:57 Parking case study: Des Moines, Iowa. 06:09 Larger implications of car-centric infrastructure. 11:11 Personal finance and transportation costs. 14:46 Coming Thursday: Kev Polk (Edenicity). Further context: Number of parking spots, compared to cars on the road in the U.S. (via Fast Company). The parking density of American cities (via Bloomberg CityLab). Cities' 'parking scores' (via Parking Reform Network). Average car ownership count by household (via Forbes). Average American household size (via Statistica). | |||
| 15 Sep 2023 | You're in good traffic. | 00:13:34 | |
Welcome, you’re in good traffic. This audio begins an ongoing, optimistic conversation on urban planning and urban design in the United States. Hear from city and community leaders, and everyday citizens, as they join me (Brad Biehl) in catalyzing conversations on our built environment. Join a prolific collective en route to branding American urbanism. Today, we lay a bit of framework and background; next week, the conversation begins.
Connect further :) On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbiehl/ On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@citiesforpeople On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradbiehl/ A few quotes from today: [00:04:00] "Traffic is one of the few unanimous political ideologies that I think we all in this country share." [00:05:33] "It's time that we start looking at traffic, not as this inevitable foregone conclusion, but rather as a choice of the built environment." [00:12:10] "No matter who you are, no matter how much money you make, no matter how you get around, you cannot escape the realities of urbanism, of urban planning and design." [00:12:27] "Understanding how urban planning works is crucial because so few of us do." [00:13:00] "We don't think about they were all intentionally designed by a person or a group of people throughout history." | |||
| 11 Dec 2024 | 68 / The state of children's mobility / with Sam Balto | 00:41:43 | |
Sam Balto — cofounder of Bike Bus World, and leader of the Portland Bike Bus — is back in good traffic for an updated chat on children’s mobility, the failure that is school carlines, and the paradox of prompting local-level progress via a national community. We discuss: 00:00 Bike bus year in review. 01:19 The global bike bus community. 04:08 Bike commuting infrastructure for families. 07:02 Empowering children's independence and risky play. 11:19 Balancing local, national, and global advocacy. 33:08 White House invitation and future plans. 37:59 Wrapping up. For context: Connect with Sam: | |||
| 07 Aug 2024 | 51 / Biking from Canada to Mexico / with Sam Westby | 00:50:18 | |
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: Sam's video on biking across the U.S. Connect with Sam: Connect with me, Brad: On Instagram. On TikTok. On LinkedIn. | |||
| 10 Jan 2024 | 17 / Noticing in your neighborhood / with The Happy Urbanist, Jon Jon Wesolowski | 00:52:15 | |
Jon Jon Wesolowski — The Happy Urbanist, content creator, and Chattanooga community leader — is in good traffic for a conversation about the conversation itself. Jon Jon is the most effective creator of entry-level, accessible urbanism content. He's bringing in new ears and minds at a rapid rate, and the collective is better because of it. We also talk the upward trajectory in Chattanooga, as well as recent worldwide travels. We discuss:
Further context:
Connecting with Jon Jon: Connecting with me, Brad: | |||
| 05 Jun 2024 | 39 / Single occupancy vehicles, heavier cars, & transportation inefficiency. | 00:21:48 | |
Musing from recent neighborhood walks. Notably: counting single occupancy vehicles (SOVs) entering and exiting the city during rush hour. Surely, some of these are coming from — and going to — similar areas of the metro. There has to be a better way. And, they're all driving increasingly-large SUVs, too. Bigger, heavier cars. More inefficient, wasted space. There is much we can glean from a basic neighborhood wander. This is one such observation; what is one of yours? We discuss: 00:00 Observations from neighborhood walks, amongst rush hour commuters. 04:27 The inefficiency of single occupancy vehicles. 11:28 The exploding popularity of larger vehicles in the U.S. (SUVs, trucks, etc.). 16:44 More on inefficiencies in American cities. 21:30 What have you noticed in your neighborhood? For context: U.S. commuter data (via CSIS). Market share by vehicle type, 1975-2021 (via Center for Sustainable Systems, University of Michigan). Cost of empty airline seats (via Forbes). Most popular vehicle type in each state (via iSeeCars). | |||
| 20 Nov 2024 | 65 / Funding cuts, DOT mechanics, & Waymo optimism. | 00:28:22 | |
Quick hits re: the federal-level implications of the recent election on transportation, housing, and urbanism in the U.S. No political post-mortems or predictions, but rather look at existing policies and their potential impacts. Surface level breakdown of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), detailing the combined $566 billion in federal transportation spending through 2026. Heading into Thanksgiving, we also stress the importance of communicating urbanism ideas effectively across political divides at the family gathering. The episode concludes with a clip from Pete Buttigieg discussing road safety goals, in comparison to the aviation industry. It's a helpful framing. We'll take a look at state and local-level implications, soon. That edition will be far more optimistic, as many local transit funding measures passed, across the country. Ran out of time, today. We discuss: 00:00 On transportation and urbanism post-election. 03:14 Infrastructure act and federal funding. 08:19 CAFE standards and pollution metrics. 11:39 Transit-oriented development and housing. 21:07 Private sector progress in transportation, featuring Brightline and Waymo. 23:08 Optimism. 27:37 Coby Lefkowitz returns, next week. For context: Yonah Freemark's perfect election thread. On the IIJA (via The White House). | |||
| 16 Oct 2024 | 60 / Voting with feet. | 00:21:45 | |
Urbanization is a forgone conclusion. Yet, we still hear remnants of the old, more rural American dream being presented as American cultural taste. But, even in our most rural states (like Texas), the vast majority of folks reside in cities. Economic productivity and impact follow suit. People vote with their feet, and taste/preference account for more than aesthetics. The 'shithole' city narrative is extraordinarily uncomprehensive, and an over-squeezed political talking point. This is why investing in transportation infrastructure and systems in our great cities should be seen as a state and national priority, as well as local. We discuss: 00:00 Urbanization trends. 01:57 Election season and sociological implications. 03:33 The American dream. 06:52 Cognitive dissonance in preferences. 09:13 Texas as a case study. 12:26 Urban growth in Ohio. 13:33 On American urbanism. 15:04 The historic value of cities and what they provide. 16:13 Public opinion on in-person work. 17:05 Innovation through collaboration. 18:59 Economic contributions of cities. 19:15 Wrapping up. | |||
| 06 Nov 2024 | 63 / New urbanism & landscape architecture / with Mallory Baches | 00:54:33 | |
Mallory Baches returns for a conversation on the highlights of the 2024 CNU congress in Cincinnati, where restorative urbanism and connected communities policy were focal points. We talk the CNU transect and its application in urban planning, emphasizing the importance of landscape architecture. We also examine the challenges of branding and public perception of new urbanism. The chat finishes with reflections on Providence and Pittsburgh, and positive changes along their urban riverfronts. We discuss: 00:00 Recapping the CNU congress in Cincinnati. 03:29 Highlights from the congress. 09:28 Upcoming congress in Providence, Rhode Island. 16:36 Landscape architecture X urbanism. 36:59 New urbanism X faux urbanism. 50:00 On Pittsburgh. 54:18 Wrapping up. For context: Connecting with Mallory: On LinkedIn. Connecting with me, Brad: On Instagram. On TikTok. On LinkedIn. | |||
| 26 Dec 2023 | 15 / Walkable Pockets: Indianapolis, Indiana / with Downtown Indy Inc. CEO Taylor Schaffer | 00:48:22 | |
Taylor Schaffer — President and CEO of Downtown Indy Inc. — is in good traffic to share an ongoing story on the proliferation of placemaking, urbanism, walkability, and the potential to live car-free or car-lite in Indianapolis, Indiana. This is the first-ever episode of the new good traffic subseries: Walkable Pockets. We'll traverse underrated, often unsuspecting, pockets of the U.S. where one can find walkability at the crossroads of affordability. The usual suspects for walkable community are often either too pricey, too far, or too impractical for many folks to move or travel to. This series will bring walkable neighborhoods (or, pockets), and the potential of a less car-dependent lifestyle closer to home, and within budget. We discuss:
Further context:
Connecting with me, Brad: | |||
| 24 Apr 2024 | 32 / Induced demand, Jevons paradox, & wider bike paths. | 00:28:00 | |
Expanding highways and adding lanes doesn't solve traffic. If it did, the cities that have been doing so for decades would have fixed their traffic woes. But, they're worse than ever. Through the continuously misguided approach to transportation, we've learned a lot about the principle of induced demand, and Jevons paradox. In short, when we increase capacity in the name of efficiency, what we actually increase is demand and use. Thus, efficiency actually goes down. What if we were to induce the demand for other methods of transportation? With more and better bike infrastructure, would we not see a rise in those biking? Paris has done just this, and it is working. Biking has now passed driving in the city, as a means of transportation. Your move, *insert name of American city*. For context: A great walkthrough on why expanding highways doesn't solve traffic (via Business Insider). Shots of the Salt River Shore and Rio Salado Pathway in Phoenix, Arizona (via AllTrails). Connecting with me, Brad: On Instagram. | |||
| 02 Oct 2024 | 58 / Five (& a half) reflections from year one. | 00:28:57 | |
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. | |||
| 20 Dec 2023 | 14 / The duality of winter festival season, zoo lights traffic jams, & U.S. traffic deaths on the rise / recorded in a self-driving car. | 00:14:44 | |
Holiday markets and festivals are great. The traffic we sit in to get to them is quite the opposite. If we built more of the walkable environments that we love (those which festivals replicate), we wouldn't have to sit in standstill traffic, merely to access them for a couple of hours. Also, U.S. traffic deaths are on the rise. It's a uniquely American predicament. Further context:
Connecting with me, Brad: | |||
| 24 Oct 2023 | 06 / Walkable cities are good for your love life / with Aly Marchant | 00:50:39 | |
Alyssa Marchant - actor, teacher, and my beautiful urbanist girlfriend - is here this week for an important conversation on how walkable cities, bikes, and public transportation have been the life-changing foundation for our relationship and love life. We discuss:
Connecting with Aly: On Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/alyssa.marchant/?hl=en Online - https://www.alyssamarchant.com/ Connecting with me: On Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bbiehl/ On TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@citiesforpeople On LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradbiehl/ | |||
| 21 Aug 2024 | 53 / Cars? In this economy?! / with Kyla Scanlon | 00:50:50 | |
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: Connect with Kyla: Kyla’s podcast — Let’s Appreciate. Connect with me, Brad: On Instagram. On TikTok. | |||
| 20 Dec 2024 | 69 / Stanley park superiority (post-walk, from a Vancouver hotel room). | 00:11:29 | |
Vancouver continues to be the favorite city I've ever been to, largely due to what is arguably the best city park in North America: Stanley Park. Plus, a non-sponsored holiday gift guide for urbanists, listed below. We discuss: 00:00 Vancouver is the best. 00:49 The marvel of Stanley Park. 02:17 Density and nature. 03:19 Vancouver's natural setting. 07:20 Winter challenges and urban mobility. 08:09 Embracing weather with proper clothing. 10:08 Holiday gift guide and final thoughts. For context: On Stanley Park (via City of Vancouver). Vancouver density map (via Census Mapper). A NON-SPONSORED HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE FOR URBANISTS (short, to make it easier on you). Walking boots — Blundstones. Versatile down jacket — Patagonia (higher price), or LL Bean (lower cost). Pocket-sized journal — Field Notes. Layers + basics — Muji. Cheap headphones that allow you to still hear your surroundings — basic-ass apple earpods. Tote bag that zips — you choose. Transit pass — from your local transit authority. Bikeshare membership — from your local bikeshare. | |||
| 31 Jan 2024 | 20 / Crafting the American car-free neighborhood / with Culdesac founder Ryan Johnson | 00:35:02 | |
Ryan Johnson — CEO and founder of Culdesac — is in good traffic, amidst building the first car-free neighborhood in the United States, in Tempe, Arizona. We talk the evolution of American neighborhoods, working with cities instead of against them, and the future of mobility beyond private car ownership. Ryan also speaks on the potential pathways to living car-free, as well as the math, places, and ebikes that enchant those paths. Appropriately, we’re live from the new good traffic studio at Culdesac Tempe, in Tempe, Arizona. We'll be live from the site all Spring. We discuss:
Further context: Connecting with Ryan: Connecting with me, Brad: | |||
| 01 Nov 2023 | 07 / Parenting, a plant shop, & no parking minimums / with "Density Dad" Barry Greene Jr. | 00:49:51 | |
Barry Greene Jr. - The “Density Dad”, plant and record shop owner, car-free commuter, and Richmond urbanist - is in good traffic this week to discuss how parenting and entrepreneurship intersect with cities and urbanism. We Discuss /
Connect with Barry / On Instagram - https://instagram.com/barrygreenejr and https://instagram.com/density.dad On Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrygreenejr On Substack - https://density.dad Explore further / Shades of Moss - Richmond, Virginia's plant and record shop - https://www.shadesofmoss.com Connecting with me / On Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bbiehl/ On TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@citiesforpeople On LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradbiehl/ | |||
| 17 Jan 2024 | 18 / Sensorial urbanism / with walking artist Jonathon Stalls | 01:04:31 | |
Jonathon Stalls — A walking artist, and leader of Pedestrian Dignity and Intrinsic Paths — is in good traffic (by way of Denver, CO) to talk the power of human mobility and transportation’s most foundational form: walking. Jonathon adds a poetic and expressive element to the inanimate and harsh likes of pavement, engineering, and cities at large. His storytelling is unrivaled in its ability to convey the realness and rawness of human movement in our American cities, outside of the automobile. We discuss:
Further context:
Connecting with Jonathon: Connecting with me, Brad: | |||
| 10 Oct 2023 | 04 / Urbanism and water conservation / with 'Western Water Girl' Teal Lehto | 00:47:42 | |
Teal Lehto - known as Western Water Girl for her thorough storytelling and commentary on the worsening water crisis in the U.S. - brings the water conservation conversation to the city. We discuss:
Connect with Teal:
Connect with me:
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| 12 Mar 2024 | 26 / Leading one of the most underrated cities in the U.S. / with Tempe Mayor Corey Woods | 00:54:20 | |
Corey Woods — Mayor of Tempe, Arizona — is in good traffic while leading a walkable, healthy, and multi-generational college town, suburb, and rapidly-growing city, all at the same time. We converse on the beauties and challenges of density, tourism, and different forms of transportation in one of the United States’ most underrated cities. Notably, we touch on Prop 478, which is on the table (in March 2024) to positively amend the Tempe General Plan 2050 to empower needed real estate development and more multimodal transportation (bikes, light rail, streetcar, etc.). We discuss: 00:00 How one becomes a mayor. 04:25 Why Tempe, Arizona? 07:42 Working alongside a university and college campus to plan a walkable city or town. 09:24 Growth and longevity of a city, and understanding differing viewpoints on change. 12:36 On Prop 478 and the Tempe General Plan 2050. 21:47 Urbanism and walkability in Tempe. 27:11 Planning for the seasonality of a college town. 30:48 Regional collaboration for transportation and development in Phoenix. 33:57 Balancing tourism and resident needs. 36:00 Mayor Woods loves kombucha. 36:43 Tourism’s role in economic development. 40:13 A mayor's day-to-day. 45:30 Widening the urban planning and urban design community. 53:49 Wrapping up. For context: On Prop 478, and the Tempe General Plan 2050. Mayor Woods’ re-election campaign. Connecting with Mayor Corey Woods: Connecting with me, Brad: On Instagram. | |||
| 13 Dec 2023 | 13 / Walkability trojan horses, downtown stadiums, & a weekend at MLS cup. | 00:23:06 | |
An evening episode, following a weekend at MLS Cup in the underrated city of Columbus, Ohio. Festivals, sporting events, concerts, and holiday gatherings are all great entryways into the concept of walkable cities; people are empowered to explore an environment on foot - often on streets closed to cars, and opened up to people. They're a trojan horse, if you will. This audio is a reflection from one of those (don’t worry, if you don’t like soccer this one is still for you!). We discuss:
Further context:
Connecting with me, Brad: | |||
| 06 Jun 2024 | 40 / A new creative industry town? / with Rob Parker | 00:45:28 | |
Rob Parker — president of the Town at Trilith — is in good traffic this week to share on constructing a walkable town around creatives and the film industry. 40 minutes outside of Atlanta, a 235-acre neighborhood is taking shape. It’s budding around one of the largest film studios in the U.S., and is looking to become a cradle for creatives, on the way to establishing a revamped, stronger model of an industry town. Even amongst all of the glitz and glamour of movie studios — simple, practical walkability is top of mind. We discuss: 00:00 Centering a town around a leading Atlanta movie studio (the home of multiple Marvel productions). 01:44 Building and curating a walkable community, specifically designed for creatives. 07:20 Intentionality in crafting diverse, ‘missing middle’ housing options. 11:53 New, greenfield development that doesn’t feel fake, cheap, or cookie-cutter. 15:14 Challenges and solutions of a ‘new urbanist’ development project. 29:28 Connectivity and transportation between suburban and rural towns. 37:37 Balancing cars and walkability. 42:28 Wrapping up. Further context: Connect with Rob: Connect with me, Brad: On Instagram. | |||
| 21 Feb 2024 | 23 / Should we be building places for residents or visitors? | 00:23:24 | |
A Columbus Dispatch article recently came out discussing why suburbanites aren't visiting the mixed-use Short North neighborhood as often. It prompts the question: should we be depending on suburban residents for the success of our city neighborhoods (especially when they have to drive there)? Or, should we be recalibrating the conversation around density and increased residency in/around these neighborhoods? In this vein, we touch on Minneapolis' recent progress (via Pew) in deploying the urbanism playbook. A hint: they're doing a great job. Connecting with me, Brad: On Instagram. | |||
| 06 Mar 2024 | 25 / Cults and communes are good at walkability. | 00:27:47 | |
Interest in cults is extremely high, at the moment; Americans' Netflix and podcast queues suggest as much. Why are these notorious communities always so walkable and human-centered in their designs? Can we create community-oriented places without another, separate shared purpose? Aly Marchant - actor, teacher, and my thought-provoking girlfriend - is back in good traffic for a conversation on the cultural zeitgeist. Even Oppenheimer gets a mention on this urban design show. | |||
| 24 Jul 2024 | 49 / A new urban design handbook / with professor Nico Larco | 00:51:22 | |
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. Portland's South Waterfront neighborhood. Connect with Nico: Connect with me, Brad: On Instagram. On TikTok. On LinkedIn. | |||
| 31 Jul 2024 | 50 / Everyone loves a firefighter, & this one loves bikes / with The Biking Fireman, Steve Dunn | 00:58:23 | |
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). Connect with Steve: Connect with me, Brad: On Instagram. On TikTok. On LinkedIn. | |||
| 09 Oct 2024 | 59 / Overheard urbanism. | 00:24:47 | |
Sharing a few conversations that have veered into urban planning / design, transportation, American mindset, and the like. Clips shared during the episode: Ari Matti on Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast, on the American pedestrian experience. George Kamel (of the Dave Ramsey Show) on The Iced Coffee Hour, talking the biggest wealth crushers. Neil DeGrasse Tyson on Joe Rogan, discussing the rollout of cars and highways in the states. | |||
| 29 May 2024 | 37 / Desensitized driving — the lost meaning of speed limits and stop signs. | 00:26:28 | |
Road signs seem to get read less than a seventh-grade history textbook. Even the most ubiquitous, exact signs like — STOP — are seemingly up for interpretation (everyone is an artist now, or something). Unfortunately, we're not obeying those crafty yard signs that encourage slowing down, either. Signs that give dynamic feedback — thanks to a radar function that feeds a display board — do make an impact, but not enough. Thorough, safer urban design is the way to lower speeds, and thus lower pedestrian and bike fatalities and accidents. The bottom line: we humans aren't good at judging the proper speed at which to drive. Whatever number is listed, we add nine-ish mph. We need an environment (streets) that demand driver caution, care, and presence. Also, data to follow up on last week’s Tara Hill Drive conversation. Hint: traffic calming measures work (see links below). We discuss: 00:00 Slow down: duck crossing. 01:38 Becoming desensitized to pedestrian safety? 02:28 Effectiveness of road signage. 07:31 Dynamic, electronic feedback signs. 10:07 Why we need urban design and traffic calming infrastructure. 10:59 Data on speed and fatalities on U.S. roads. 16:59 Case study follow up (from last week): traffic calming in Dublin, Ohio. 23:47 The new studio, soon. 25:57 Wrapping up. For context: On street sign design (via Behavioral Scientist). On the chance of being killed by a car, correlated with vehicle speed (via ProPublica). On the efficacy of radar speed signs (via Radarsign). NHTSA speed data (via The League of American Bicyclists). Tara Hill Drive (Dublin, Ohio), BEFORE the traffic calming implementations. Tara Hill Drive AFTER the traffic calming implementations. | |||