In this episode, I connect with the newly appointed Executive Director of BikeWalk Provo, Austin Taylor, for a discussion about the current status of walking and biking in Provo as well as the progress the city has made and how the community is rallying to address their street safety challenges and concerns. Austin Taylor is one very busy guy. He works as a Transportation Planner focussing on Active Transportation and Transportation Demand Management, also known as TDM, for the Park City Municip...
Mar 12, 2021•30 min•Season 2Ep. 63
In this episode, I reconnect with the Bike Train Guru of The Netherlands, Roland Kager, with the consulting firm Studio Bereikbaar One of the very first things I noticed upon my initial visit to The Netherlands in 2015 was the seamless connection and synergistic coordination between the national transit system and the bicycle network, both of which we experienced every single day, usually multiple times each day. It wasn't until subsequent return trips that I realized how well thought out and st...
Mar 05, 2021•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 62
In this episode, I connect with Doug "Mr. BrooklynSpoke" Gordon, one of three co-hosts of The War on Cars Podcast, for a conversation about the battle to create safer streets and more livable communities for everyone. You can pretty much count on it - anytime there's a proposal to install a bike lane or pedestrian crossing that might inconvenience or slow down motor vehicle traffic in any amount, no matter how small, there's a chorus of screams from a vocal minority of haters that this is clearl...
Feb 26, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 61
In this shortie, I check in after finally getting our power, heat, and internet service restored after the big winter storm of 2021 thumped Austin big time. While cold weather and even snow are not completely unheard of in Texas, clearly, the state, especially the power grid, is not prepared for such events. John touches upon some observations of neighborliness, community, and active mobility in the face of this powerful storm and extended power blackout. Landing Page for this episode Four Easy ...
Feb 20, 2021•4 min•Season 2Ep. 60
In this episode, I connect with Ryan Hale, founder of Laneshift, a consulting firm in Bentonville focused on helping other communities become more bicycle-friendly places. Northwest Arkansas has transformed itself into a Mountain Biking destination and, in the process, stimulated its economy and a culture of activity. The amazing culture of activity transformation that has been underway in the Northwest Arkansas region over the past couple of decades is an encouraging narrative that serves as a ...
Feb 12, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 59
In this episode, I connect with University of Colorado Denver Professor Dr. Wes Marshall for a fun and fascinating discussion about some of the safer streets research that he and his students have conducted over the past decade. Wes Marshall, Ph.D., is a Professor of Civil Engineering and an affiliate faculty member in Planning and Design at the University of Colorado Denver. Wes focuses on transportation research and teaching dedicated to creating more sustainable, equitable, and resilient tran...
Feb 05, 2021•51 min•Season 2Ep. 58
In this episode, I connect with Erin Riediger for a dive deep into the details of how and why there's a surprising Dutch bike culture bomb exploding in the prairie city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Erin Riediger is in the final stages of officially becoming an architect. You’ll quickly learn that she’s passionate about creating equitable cities which partly explains how she got interested in advocating for safer cycling for everyone. And she’s also a talented storyteller and the producer of th...
Jan 29, 2021•55 min•Season 2Ep. 57
In this episode, we head back up to the province of British Columbia, Canada for a conversation about Restorative Natural Areas with Vancouver-based Katherine Howard and Jo Fitzgibbons Joanne "Jo" Fitzgibbons is a Ph.D. doctoral candidate at the University of British Columbia and a Sustainability Scholar with the Urban Biodiversity Hub Katherine Howard is a Project Manager with the City of Vancouver currently working on its comprehensive master plan, she was involved with developing VanPlay, the...
Jan 22, 2021•59 min•Season 2Ep. 56
In this episode, I connect with Kelly Rodgers, a Ph.D. doctoral candidate in Urban Studies at Portland State University and the founder of the non-profit evidence-based resource platform, Streetsmart. Streetsmart is an amazing non-profit platform and resource clearinghouse for integrating climate change, public health, and equity concerns into transportation. Specifically the platform is evidence-based and helps users make the case for healthy investments and prioritize strategies that meet comm...
Jan 15, 2021•31 min•Season 2Ep. 55
In this episode, the first of a new year and new season, I head up to Ontario, Canada (virtually) for a discussion with Jamie Stuckless and Darnel Harris about the policies associated with e-assist bikes and an innovative cargo-bike library. Jamie Stuckless is a Hamilton-based advocate and policy wonk who has become increasingly interested in and working on the needed legislative updates with regards to e-bikes and other electric mobility devices. We reference a recent article that she published...
Jan 08, 2021•50 min•Season 2Ep. 54
On this, the final day of the crazy year that was 2020, I look back and reflect on the 52 episodes in Season One, giving thanks to our guests and you, our listeners. I also provide some surprise bonus material at the end of the main recording; a brief overview countdown of each of the 52 episodes. See below for links to each of the episode landing pages, which feature special photos and video links. Season One Episode Landing Page Links: Active Towns Podcast Intro Episode 1: Wading into Walkabil...
Dec 31, 2020•20 min•Season 1Ep. 53
In this episode, I connect with Jonathan Fertig, who is no stranger to the world of tactical urbanism, as he is compelled to do something to make the situation safer for everyone. We chat about what got him started in advocacy, his move to Denver, and how his life and activity levels have shifted now that he and his wife Helen are in the outdoor playground that is Colorado. This episode is also available as a video podcast Flowers in pots, a flower in a traffic cone, red cups, 6-foot tall cardbo...
Dec 16, 2020•49 min•Season 1Ep. 52
In this episode, I connect with Veteran podcaster Andy Boenau from Richmond, VA, for a discussion about the power of storytelling and persuasion when it comes to transforming our built environments. Andy Boenau has a formal background as a transportation engineer, but his career has gradually evolved over the years and now he focuses much of his energy on how storytelling, marketing principles, and persuasion can help us transform our communities into more walkable, bike-able, and people-oriente...
Dec 10, 2020•50 min•Season 1Ep. 51
In this episode, I welcome Mr. Michael McGinn into our virtual studios for a wide-ranging conversation about creating cities for people. Michael McGinn served as the 52nd mayor of Seattle, WA and was recently selected as the new Executive Director of America Walks , a 20-year old national nonprofit organization that has been leading the way in advancing safe, equitable, accessible, and enjoyable places to walk and move by giving people and communities the resources to effectively advocate for ch...
Dec 03, 2020•58 min•Season 1Ep. 50
In this episode, I connect with Matt Pinder and Justin Jones for a detailed discussion about the ubiquitous Dutch Fietsstraats or Bicycle Priority Streets and how North American cities can best implement these innovative facilities. Matt Pinder, a Senior Designer with Alta Planning + Design , in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and Justin Jones, Manager of Bicycle Friendly Communities with the Share the Road Cycling Coalition , in Collingwood, Ontario, Canada decided to dive into the details of the Bicyc...
Nov 26, 2020•53 min•Season 1Ep. 49
In this episode, I catch up with bicycle and clean air advocate extraordinaire Frank Peters of Santa Barbara, CA. The primary topic is the city's transformation of State Street, its iconic downtown main street, into a car-free zone because of the devastating impacts from Covid-19. Cities around the world have been dramatically reshaping and reimagining their public spaces, especially their downtown streets in response to the negative economic and health impacts from the novel coronavirus pandemi...
Nov 13, 2020•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 48
In this episode, I reconnect with Meredith Glaser, a Ph.D. doctoral candidate within the University of Amsterdam's Urban Cycling Institute, for a discussion about living in The Netherlands as an ex-pat from California, accelerating reform to support human-scaled accessibility, and developing an understanding about the transfer of knowledge from study tours. Meredith had originally planned to only study and work abroad for a year or so, well that has turned into a decade of living in Amsterdam, r...
Oct 28, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 47
In this episode, I catch up with Pam LeBlanc, a freelance writer based in Austin, TX, who is constantly creating content about adventure, fitness, and travel. In addition to chatting about some of her recent and upcoming explorations, they talk about her recently published book. NOTE: Video episode available. Having a spirit of adventure and being pretty much "Up for Anything" has served Pam LeBlanc well over the decades as an accomplished journalist, photographer, and author. We were fortunate ...
Oct 20, 2020•42 min•Season 1Ep. 46
In this episode, I connect with Angie Schmitt, the author of the new book Right of Way: Race, Class, and the Silent Epidemic of Pedestrian Deaths in America published by Island Press . We discuss the many complicated and convoluted reasons why this has been happening and talk about some of the inspiring, hopeful stories of change she highlighted in the book. Helpful Links: Streetfilms video of Jorge Canez aka Peatónito ("little pedestrian") https://www.streetfilms.org/peatonito-is-in-nyc-protect...
Oct 07, 2020•54 min•Season 1Ep. 45
In this episode, I welcome back a good friend to the Active Towns Podcast, Mr. Ryan Van Duzer, to talk about his recent bikepacking adventures and help us launch our video podcast. That's right! We will now feature a video version of a select number of our future episodes that will really benefit from having a visual component. Ryan is the perfect guest for our first video episode because of all his vibrant imagery that he produces on his DuzerTV YouTube channel . So if you'd like to watch the v...
Sep 24, 2020•53 min•Season 1Ep. 44
In this episode, I connect with Donald Shoup, a Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Urban Planning at UCLA for a fascination discussion about how strategic parking policy reforms can help create healthy, vibrant communities. In 2005, Donald Shoup published a nearly 800-page book called The High Cost of Free Parking which quickly became a "cult-classic" in urbanism, transportation, and planning circles. In 2018 he followed up by editing Parking and the City a series of case stud...
Sep 11, 2020•56 min•Season 1Ep. 43
In this episode, we have a wide-ranging discussion with Lennard Zinn, a Boulder, Colorado-based former elite-level bike racer, journalist, author, and custom bike builder. Lennard is probably best known for his frequent technical journalistic contributions on VeloNews and his incredibly popular books published by VeloPress on bike maintenance and repair, Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance and Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance . He's also a co-author, along with Chris Case and ...
Sep 04, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 42
In this episode, I connect with Brad Appel, the Founder and Executive Director of this amazing initiative about how the simple gift of a bicycle can have such a profound and positive influence on children. We discuss how the program leverages corporate engagement and organizational teamwork in delivering the bikes as well as the various adjustments necessitated by the current Covid19 pandemic. For the past 16 years the Wish For Wheels non-profit based in Denver, CO has been connecting second-gra...
Aug 29, 2020•49 min•Season 1Ep. 41
In this episode, I reconnect with Kaid Benfield, a veteran urbanism professional and published author who tirelessly advocates for the creation and celebration of places that people love. From Kaid's professional bio: Kaid Benfield is one of the country’s most steadfast voices for making cities, towns, and neighborhoods work better for both people and the environment. Based in Washington, DC, he serves as senior counsel at PlaceMakers LLC , a city and town planning consultancy working across the...
Aug 26, 2020•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 40
In this episode, I reconnect with Manu Calvo of Seville, Spain for a discussion about the extraordinary feat the city achieved in dropping down a nearly complete safe, and inviting cycle network in just 18 months. While it's true that they don't garner the attention of Copenhagen or Amsterdam, the historic city of Seville, Spain, was poised to react when the economic downturn of 2007 hit, so they mobilized and built a nearly complete "All Ages & Abilities" cycle network in just 18 months. In...
Aug 21, 2020•58 min•Season 1Ep. 39
In this episode, I connect with Rodney Ellis , Commissioner, Harris County, Precinct 1 , and the Precinct 1 Bike Program Director, Fernando Martinez for an in-depth conversation about how the city of Houston, TX is progressing towards a more bicycle-friendly environment in large part because of the leadership, dedication, and support of Harris County Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis and Bike Program Director Fernando Martinez. When thinking of Houston, TX, the phrase bicycle-friendly environ...
Aug 14, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 38
In this episode, I connect with the Bike League's Executive Director, Bill Nesper, to learn what's new in the quest to create a more bicycle-friendly nation. Since 1880 the League of American Bicyclists has been advocating for better, safer places to ride. THE LEAGUE represents bicyclists in the movement to create safer roads, stronger communities, and a Bicycle Friendly America. Through education, advocacy and promotion, we work to celebrate and preserve the freedom cycling brings to our member...
Aug 11, 2020•54 min•Season 1Ep. 37
In this episode, I reconnect with Charles Brown of Rutgers University for a dive deep into the inequities inherent in our transportation networks and how we can collectively make a difference in our communities. Systemic racism permeates through so many facets of our daily lives that we often are blinded to its very presence as well as its historical relevance in how our cities have been shaped. The transportation network is fraught with challenges of inequities at its very foundation. Our guest...
Aug 01, 2020•55 min•Season 1Ep. 36
In this episode, Mike Christensen of Salt Lake City, Utah tells us about his new venture the Utah Rail Passengers Association and describes how he's able to lead a car-light lifestyle in a car-centric western city. Once upon a time, traveling from one city to the next was primarily done by rail, if Mike Christensen, Founder and Executive Director of the Utah Rail Passengers Association , has his way, this might become an option in Utah yet again. Follow Mike on Twitter @MRC_SLC CNU28 A Virtual G...
Jul 29, 2020•48 min•Season 1Ep. 35
In this episode, I catch up with the Director, Kyle, and Sara, Deputy Director , of the Local Innovations initiative to see how the cities they are working with have been progressing in general, as well as how they've been responding to the Covid-19 pandemic and black lives matters movement. The PeopleForBikes Foundation strives to get more people on bikes more often and through the Local Innovations Program , the organization inspires, empowers, and supports cities as they attempt to make big j...
Jul 23, 2020•52 min•Season 1Ep. 34
