The Strong Towns Podcast

Dr. Shima Hamidi, a researcher at Johns Hopkins, challenges traditional traffic design by suggesting that narrow and curvy roads are safer. The podcast explores how street design affects driver behavior, the benefits of narrowing lanes for lively and safer streets, and the consequences of transportation planning on public health.

Chuck Marohn discusses his unique experience participating in a bill presentation at the Minnesota state capital, endorsing a bill that eliminates parking mandates. He reflects on the decision-making process, explores the top-down nature of both political parties, and discusses the negative impact of parking mandates on cities and small businesses.

Chuck Marohn discusses with Joe Minicozzi whether there are any instances where sprawl is actually good. They explore the concept of sprawl in Boston, analyze the impact of development practices, and delve into the case for sprawl. They also discuss delayed gratification, the tragedy of the commons, and the importance of long-term thinking.

In this episode, the host visits Buc-ee's, a massive gas station in Texas, highlighting the issue of overbuilt infrastructure. The chapter also discusses similarities between Texas and California. The host then reads member comments expressing support and gratitude for Strong Towns' work. The speaker reflects on their experiences and the benefits of becoming a Strong Towns member, expressing gratitude to listeners contributing to the movement.

The podcast discusses the importance of in-person meetings in creating meaningful impact in local communities and introduces a new program launching in 2022. It also explores innovative initiatives happening in a community, such as a tax on homes selling over a million dollars to fund affordable housing. The speaker encourages listeners to contribute to the strong towns movement and highlights the impact of membership support on various initiatives.

Explore the speaker's unique sensitivity to the stress cities face, the influence of urban design on personal comfort, recognizing decay in cities, interconnectedness of California and Texas, experiences in Hawaii and Alaska, the illusion of wealth and long-term liabilities, negative effects of growth on cities, and challenges of maintaining city parks with bottom-up solutions.

Seth Kaplan, an expert on fragile states, joins the Strong Towns Podcast to discuss how to repair American society one zip code at a time. They explore the importance of relationships, the disconnect between prosperity and well-being, the significance of churches in Italian neighborhoods, and building strong communities through place-based relationships. Kaplan's book 'Fragile Neighborhoods' offers practical lessons for revitalizing local institutions and creating positive change.

Chuck Marohn chats with Conor Semler, an associate planner with Kittelson and Associates, about a new decision-making framework for street design. They discuss the biased mindset in engineering, the need for a comprehensive decision-making framework, the importance of safety and physical separation, and a tool for bringing about positive change in street design.

Charles Marohn, Founder and President of Strong Towns, discusses the influence of Jane Jacobs' book on urban planning. They explore the challenges in applying her concepts to modern cities and compare American, European, and Asian cities. The chapter also examines the impact of COVID-19 on urban areas and highlights influential books in urban planning and insights into systems.

The podcast discusses the arguments for and against speed cameras, their impact on safety, revenue stream, resistance, consequences, and the need for iterative design changes. It also explores how road design affects driver behavior and advocates for a compassionate approach to road safety.