Active Towns

In this episode, I connect with Cyprine Odada Mitchell, the former Director of the Nairobi Critical Mass and a passionate advocate for more livable communities that promote active mobility and independence for All Ages & Abilities. 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 listening platform. Also, don't forget to check out the Active Towns Channel for video content.Helpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me support the channel):👉 Nairobi Critical Mass website👉 Cyprine on LinkedIn👉 Women Mobilize Women websiteIf you are a fan of the Active Towns Podcast, please consider supporting the effort as an Active Towns Ambassador in the following ways:1. Become an Active Towns Member on YouTube for exclusive member-only content and Livestreams2. Join the Active Towns Patreon community. Contributions start at just $3 per month3. If you enjoyed this episode, you can also "leave a tip" through "Buy Me a Coffee"4. Make a donation to my non-profit, Advocates for Healthy Communities, Inc., to help support my pro bono work with citiesCredits:- Video and audio production by John Simmerman- Music via Epidemic SoundResources used during the production of this video:- My recording platform is Ecamm Live- Editing software Adobe Creative Cloud Suite- Equipment: Contact me for a complete listFor more information about the Active Towns effort or to follow along, please visit our links below:- Active Towns Website- Active Towns on Bluesky- Weekly Update e-NewsletterBackground:Hi Everyone! My name is John Simmerman, and I’m a health promotion and public health professional with over 30 years of experience. Over the years, my area of concentration has evolved into a specialization in how the built environment influences human behavior related to active living and especially active mobility.Since 2010,  I've been exploring, documenting, and profiling established, emerging, and aspiring Active Towns wherever they might be while striving to produce high-quality multimedia content to help inspire the creation of more safe and inviting, environments that promote a "Culture of Activity" for "All Ages & Abilities."The Active Towns Channel features my original video content and reflections, including a selection of podcast episodes and short films profiling the positive and inspiring efforts happening around the world as I am able to experience and document them.Thanks once again for tuning in! I hope you find this content helpful and insightful.Creative Commons License: Attributions, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives, 2025 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode, I connect with Chelsea Ritter-Soronen, owner and principal artist at Chalk Riot, a mural company specializing in vibrant pavement art increasingly used to make streets safer for all users.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 listening platform. Also, don't forget to check out the Active Towns Channel for video content.Helpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me support the channel):👉 Chalk Riot website👉 Chelsea on LinkedIn👉 Asphalt Art website👉 Mike Lydon - Street Plans Collaborative👉 Pipkin Creative👉 Toole Design👉 Caron Whitaker from the Bike League👉 Colinton Tunnel Video 👉 Fort Collins VideoIf you are a fan of the Active Towns Podcast, please consider supporting the effort as an Active Towns Ambassador in the following ways:1. Become an Active Towns Member on YouTube for exclusive member-only content and Livestreams2. Join the Active Towns Patreon community. Contributions start at just $3 per month3. If you enjoyed this episode, you can also "leave a tip" through "Buy Me a Coffee"4. Make a donation to my non-profit, Advocates for Healthy Communities, Inc., to help support my pro bono work with citiesCredits:- Video and audio production by John Simmerman- Music via Epidemic SoundResources used during the production of this video:- My recording platform is Ecamm Live- Editing software Adobe Creative Cloud Suite- Equipment: Contact me for a complete listFor more information about the Active Towns effort or to follow along, please visit our links below:- Active Towns Website- Active Towns on Bluesky- Weekly Update e-NewsletterBackground:Hi Everyone! My name is John Simmerman, and I’m a health promotion and public health professional with over 30 years of experience. Over the years, my area of concentration has evolved into a specialization in how the built environment influences human behavior related to active living and especially active mobility.Since 2010,  I've been exploring, documenting, and profiling established, emerging, and aspiring Active Towns wherever they might be while striving to produce high-quality multimedia content to help inspire the creation of more safe and inviting, environments that promote a "Culture of Activity" for "All Ages & Abilities."The Active Towns Channel features my original video content and reflections, including a selection of podcast episodes and short films profiling the positive and inspiring efforts happening around the world as I am able to experience and document them.Thanks once again for tuning in! I hope you find this content helpful and insightful.Creative Commons License: Attributions, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives, 2025 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode, I speak with Scott Snodgrass and Clayton Garrett, founders of Meristem Communities, the developers of Indigo, a people-first community that will provide a car-lite lifestyle plus the added bonus of integrated agriculture and open space.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 listening platform. Also, don't forget to check out the Active Towns Channel for video content.Helpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me support the channel):👉 Indigo community website👉 Meristem corporate website 👉 Agmenity website👉 My four-part series of Culdesac videos👉 My Mueller Community videosIf you are a fan of the Active Towns Podcast, please consider supporting the effort as an Active Towns Ambassador in the following ways:1. Become an Active Towns Member on YouTube for exclusive member-only content and Livestreams2. Join the Active Towns Patreon community. Contributions start at just $3 per month3. If you enjoyed this episode, you can also "leave a tip" through "Buy Me a Coffee"4. Make a donation to my non-profit, Advocates for Healthy Communities, Inc., to help support my pro bono work with citiesCredits:- Video and audio production by John Simmerman- Music via Epidemic SoundResources used during the production of this video:- My recording platform is Ecamm Live- Editing software Adobe Creative Cloud Suite- Equipment: Contact me for a complete listFor more information about the Active Towns effort or to follow along, please visit our links below:- Active Towns Website- Active Towns on Bluesky- Weekly Update e-NewsletterBackground:Hi Everyone! My name is John Simmerman, and I’m a health promotion and public health professional with over 30 years of experience. Over the years, my area of concentration has evolved into a specialization in how the built environment influences human behavior related to active living and especially active mobility.Since 2010,  I've been exploring, documenting, and profiling established, emerging, and aspiring Active Towns wherever they might be while striving to produce high-quality multimedia content to help inspire the creation of more safe and inviting, environments that promote a "Culture of Activity" for "All Ages & Abilities."The Active Towns Channel features my original video content and reflections, including a selection of podcast episodes and short films profiling the positive and inspiring efforts happening around the world as I am able to experience and document them.Thanks once again for tuning in! I hope you find this content helpful and insightful.Creative Commons License: Attributions, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives, 2025 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode, I connect with Isabelle Clement, Director of Wheels for Wellbeing, a UK-based charity with a mission to enhance disabled people’s lives by ensuring that anyone can access the physical, emotional, practical, and social benefits of cycling.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 listening platform. Also, don't forget to check out the Active Towns Channel for video content.Helpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me support the channel):👉 Wheels for Wellbeing website👉 Active Travel England👉 Paths For Everyone👉 Laura Laker’s episode👉 Beyond the Bicycle Coalition 👉 Here's my LTN video with Ben Addy with Sustrans👉 Tour of Hackney's Historic Low Traffic Neighborhoods (LTNs) with Garmon ap Garth Hackney Cycling CampaignIf you are a fan of the Active Towns Podcast, please consider supporting the effort as an Active Towns Ambassador in the following ways:1. Become an Active Towns Member on YouTube for exclusive member-only content and Livestreams 2. Join the Active Towns Patreon community. Contributions start at just $3 per month3. If you enjoyed this episode, you can also "leave a tip" through "Buy Me a Coffee"4. Make a donation to my non-profit, Advocates for Healthy Communities, Inc., to help support my pro bono work with citiesCredits:- Video and audio production by John Simmerman- Music via Epidemic SoundResources used during the production of this video:- My recording platform is Ecamm Live- Editing software Adobe Creative Cloud Suite- Equipment: Contact me for a complete listFor more information about the Active Towns effort or to follow along, please visit our links below:- Active Towns Website- Active Towns on Bluesky- Weekly Update e-NewsletterBackground:Hi Everyone! My name is John Simmerman, and I’m a health promotion and public health professional with over 30 years of experience. Over the years, my area of concentration has evolved into a specialization in how the built environment influences human behavior related to active living and especially active mobility.Since 2010,  I've been exploring, documenting, and profiling established, emerging, and aspiring Active Towns wherever they might be while striving to produce high-quality multimedia content to help inspire the creation of more safe and inviting, environments that promote a "Culture of Activity" for "All Ages & Abilities."The Active Towns Channel features my original video content and reflections, including a selection of podcast episodes and short films profiling the positive and inspiring efforts happening around the world as I am able to experience and document them.Thanks once again for tuning in! I hope you find this content helpful and insightful.Creative Commons License: Attributions, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives, 2025 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode, we reconnect with Kyle Wagenschutz and Zoe Kirkos with City Thread for an update on the new cohort of cities engaged in their Accelerated Mobility Playbook (AMP) Technical Assistance Grant Process. The AMP Technical Assistance Grant recipients for 2025 are Burlingame, CA; Columbus, OH; and Hood River, OR. These three forward-thinking cities join the likes of Austin, TX; Bainbridge Island, WA; Bentonville, AR; Cleveland, OH; Denver, CO; Gulfport, MS; Indianapolis, IN; Milwaukee, WI; New Orleans, LA; Petaluma, CA; Pittsburgh, PA; Providence, RI; Salt Lake City, UT; Santa Rosa, CA; Spokane, WA; Syracuse, NY; Tampa, FL and Tucson, AZ; for a total of 22 cities that have benefited from partnering with City Thread.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 listening platform. Also, don't forget to check out the Active Towns Channel for video content.Helpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me support the channel):👉 City Thread Introduction Episode 141 👉 My chat with Kyle and Sara in Season One👉 City Thread website👉 My episode with Greg SpottsIf you are a fan of the Active Towns Podcast, please consider supporting the effort as an Active Towns Ambassador in the following ways:1. Become an Active Towns Member on YouTube for exclusive member-only content and Livestreams  2. Join the Active Towns Patreon community. Contributions start at just $3 per month3. If you enjoyed this episode, you can also "leave a tip" through "Buy Me a Coffee"4. Make a donation to my non-profit, Advocates for Healthy Communities, Inc., to help support my pro bono work with citiesCredits:- Video and audio production by John Simmerman- Music via Epidemic SoundResources used during the production of this video:- My recording platform is Ecamm Live- Editing software Adobe Creative Cloud Suite- Equipment: Contact me for a complete listFor more information about the Active Towns effort or to follow along, please visit our links below:- Active Towns Website- Active Towns on Bluesky- Weekly Update e-NewsletterBackground:Hi Everyone! My name is John Simmerman, and I’m a health promotion and public health professional with over 30 years of experience. Over the years, my area of concentration has evolved into a specialization in how the built environment influences human behavior related to active living and especially active mobility.Since 2010,  I've been exploring, documenting, and profiling established, emerging, and aspiring Active Towns wherever they might be while striving to produce high-quality multimedia content to help inspire the creation of more safe and inviting, environments that promote a "Culture of Activity" for "All Ages & Abilities."The Active Towns Channel features my original video content and reflections, including a selection of podcast episodes and short films profiling the positive and inspiring efforts happening around the world as I am able to experience and document them.Thanks once again for tuning in! I hope you find this content helpful and insightful.Creative Commons License: Attributions, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives, 2025 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode, I welcome back Avi Stopper, Founder of Denver's BikeStreets.com, for an update on their new mobile app, routing tools, community adventure rides, and the exciting Destinations initiative.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 listening platform. Also, don't forget to check out the Active Towns Channel for more video content.Helpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me support the channel):👉 Bike Streets website👉 My first episode with Avi👉 Destinations Initiative👉 Daniele Quercia: Happy maps TED TalkIf you are a fan of the Active Towns Podcast, please consider supporting the effort as an Active Towns Ambassador in the following ways:1. Join our Patreon community. Contributions start at just $3 per month2. If you enjoyed this episode, you can also "leave a tip" through "Buy Me a Coffee"3. Make a donation to my non-profit, Advocates for Healthy Communities, Inc., to help support my pro bono work with citiesCredits:- Video and audio production by John Simmerman- Music via Epidemic SoundResources used during the production of this video:- My recording platform is Ecamm Live- Editing software Adobe Creative Cloud Suite- Equipment: Contact me for a complete listFor more information about the Active Towns effort or to follow along, please visit our links below:- Active Towns Website- Active Towns on Bluesky- Weekly Update e-NewsletterBackground:Hi Everyone! My name is John Simmerman, and I’m a health promotion and public health professional with over 30 years of experience. Over the years, my area of concentration has evolved into a specialization in how the built environment influences human behavior related to active living and especially active mobility.Since 2010,  I've been exploring, documenting, and profiling established, emerging, and aspiring Active Towns wherever they might be while striving to produce high-quality multimedia content to help inspire the creation of more safe and inviting, environments that promote a "Culture of Activity" for "All Ages & Abilities."The Active Towns Channel features my original video content and reflections, including a selection of podcast episodes and short films profiling the positive and inspiring efforts happening around the world as I am able to experience and document them.Thanks once again for tuning in! I hope you find this content helpful and insightful.Creative Commons License: Attributions, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives, 2025 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode, I connect with Cllr James McAsh for a conversation about a series of safer streets initiatives London's Borough of Southwark has implemented. We'll discuss how they've navigated through resistance to change, and we'll hear from some residents about their thoughts about car-free streets and the ability to walk to school.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 listening platform. Also, don't forget to check out the Active Towns Channel for more video content.Helpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me support the channel):👉 Streets For People program👉 Streets For People plan videoIf you are a fan of the Active Towns Podcast, please consider supporting the effort as an Active Towns Ambassador in the following ways:1. Join our Patreon community. Contributions start at just $3 per month2. If you enjoyed this episode, you can also "leave a tip" through "Buy Me a Coffee"3. Make a donation to my non-profit, Advocates for Healthy Communities, Inc., to help support my pro bono work with citiesCredits:- Video and audio production by John Simmerman- Music via Epidemic SoundResources used during the production of this video:- My recording platform is Ecamm Live- Editing software Adobe Creative Cloud Suite- Equipment: Contact me for a complete listFor more information about the Active Towns effort or to follow along, please visit our links below:- Active Towns Website- Active Towns on Bluesky- Weekly Update e-NewsletterBackground:Hi Everyone! My name is John Simmerman, and I’m a health promotion and public health professional with over 30 years of experience. Over the years, my area of concentration has evolved into a specialization in how the built environment influences human behavior related to active living and especially active mobility.Since 2010,  I've been exploring, documenting, and profiling established, emerging, and aspiring Active Towns wherever they might be while striving to produce high-quality multimedia content to help inspire the creation of more safe and inviting, environments that promote a "Culture of Activity" for "All Ages & Abilities."The Active Towns Channel features my original video content and reflections, including a selection of podcast episodes and short films profiling the positive and inspiring efforts happening around the world as I am able to experience and document them.Thanks once again for tuning in! I hope you find this content helpful and insightful.Creative Commons License: Attributions, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives, 2025 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode, I connect with Dr. Patricia Tice, Ph.D., for a conversation about the role of psychology (or lack thereof) in transportation engineering and in designing our streets to be welcoming for "All Ages & Abilities" across modes of mobility. 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 listening platform. Also, don't forget to check out the Active Towns Channel for more video content.Helpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me support the channel):👉 Sign up for Patricia's blog here👉 Connect with Patricia on LinkedIn👉 Patricia's YouTube Channel👉 Visual Narrowing Video👉 Independence Day Moving Around on My Own book 👉 Wes Marshall, Killed By A Traffic Engineer episode 👉 Chuck Marohn, Confessions of a Recovering Engineer episodeIf you are a fan of the Active Towns Podcast, please consider supporting the effort as an Active Towns Ambassador in the following ways:1. Join our Patreon community. Contributions start at just $3 per month2. If you enjoyed this episode, you can also "leave a tip" through "Buy Me a Coffee"3. Make a donation to my non-profit, Advocates for Healthy Communities, Inc., to help support my pro bono work with citiesCredits:- Video and audio production by John Simmerman- Music via Epidemic SoundResources used during the production of this video:- My recording platform is Ecamm Live- Editing software Adobe Creative Cloud Suite- Equipment: Contact me for a complete listFor more information about the Active Towns effort or to follow along, please visit our links below:- Active Towns Website- Active Towns on Bluesky- Weekly Update e-NewsletterBackground:Hi Everyone! My name is John Simmerman, and I’m a health promotion and public health professional with over 30 years of experience. Over the years, my area of concentration has evolved into a specialization in how the built environment influences human behavior related to active living and especially active mobility.Since 2010,  I've been exploring, documenting, and profiling established, emerging, and aspiring Active Towns wherever they might be while striving to produce high-quality multimedia content to help inspire the creation of more safe and inviting, environments that promote a "Culture of Activity" for "All Ages & Abilities."The Active Towns Channel features my original video content and reflections, including a selection of podcast episodes and short films profiling the positive and inspiring efforts happening around the world as I am able to experience and document them.Thanks once again for tuning in! I hope you find this content helpful and insightful.Creative Commons License: Attributions, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives, 2025 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This is a "can't miss" discussion featuring Professor Ian Walker from Swansea University in Wales and Professor Marco te Brömmelstroet from the University of Amsterdam about their recent paper on Motonormativity, also known as "car brain" or "windshield bias." Among other topics, we discuss Pluralistic Ignorance, which is a social psychology phenomenon where people mistakenly believe that their own private opinions differ from the majority's, leading them to conform to a perceived norm, even if they privately disagree. And this seems to be at the core of the challenge with Motonormativity, when it comes to people wanting a different outcome and way of life.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 listening platform. Also, don't forget to check out the Active Towns Channel for more video content.Helpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me support the channel):👉 Article: Why do cars get a free ride? The social-ecological roots of motonormativity👉 Professor Ian Walker's website👉 Ian on Bluesky👉 Ian on LinkedIn👉 Professor Marco Te Brömmelstroet👉 Marco on LinkedIn👉 Marco's book Movement: How to Take Back Our Streets and Transform Our Lives👉 Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do and What It Says About Us by Tom Vanderbilt and in the Active Towns Bookshop 👉 The War on Cars episode with Ian👉 Disney's Motor Mania👉 My episode on Autonorama w/ Prof. Peter Norton👉 My episode on Safer Streets History w/ Prof. Peter Norton👉 My episode with Laura Laker👉 My episode with the Late Great Prof. Donald Shoup👉 Bike is Best The Right Tool Campaign Video👉 My recent on-bike interview w/ Prof. Meredith GlaserIf you are a fan of the Active Towns Podcast, please consider supporting the effort as an Active Towns Ambassador in the following ways:1. Join our Patreon community. Contributions start at just $3 per month2. If you enjoyed this episode, you can also "leave a tip" through "Buy Me a Coffee"3. Make a donation to my non-profit, Advocates for Healthy Communities, Inc., to help support my pro bono work with citiesCredits:- Video and audio production by John Simmerman- Music via Epidemic SoundResources used during the production of this video:- My recording platform is Ecamm Live- Editing software Adobe Creative Cloud Suite- Equipment: Contact me for a complete listFor more information about the Active Towns effort or to follow along, please visit our links below:- Active Towns Website- Active Towns on Bluesky- Weekly Update e-NewsletterBackground:Hi Everyone! My name is John Simmerman, and I’m a health promotion and public health professional with over 30 years of experience. Over the years, my area of concentration has evolved into a specialization in how the built environment influences human behavior related to active living and especially active mobility.Since 2010,  I've been exploring, documenting, and profiling established, emerging, and aspiring Active Towns wherever they might be while striving to produce high-quality multimedia content to help inspire the creation of more safe and inviting, environments that promote a "Culture of Activity" for "All Ages & Abilities."The Active Towns Channel features my original video content and reflections, including a selection of podcast episodes and short films profiling the positive and inspiring efforts happening around the world as I am able to experience and document them.Thanks once again for tuning in! I hope you find this content helpful and insightful.Creative Commons License: Attributions, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives, 2025 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode, I connect with Greg Spotts for a conversation about his tenure serving the city of Seattle, WA and the active mobility projects his team completed during this period and a handful of the ones he is most proud of. We discuss the prioritization of hardening of protection in bike lanes previously "protected" by only flex posts and paint, a new protected intersection, and he prioritized connecting with the community members through walks in their neighborhoods to better understand what their pain points were.#streetsareforpeople #allagesandabilities #bicycleinfrastructure #pedestriansafety #activityassetsThank 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 listening platform. Also, don't forget to check out the Active Towns Channel for more video content.Helpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me support the channel):👉 Hockey Stick Graph from The Urbanist newsletter👉 Alki Point Healthy Street Project👉 Cascade Bicycle Club👉 My Non-Driver Interview w/ Anna ZivartsIf you are a fan of the Active Towns Podcast, please consider supporting the effort as an Active Towns Ambassador in the following ways:1. Join our Patreon community. Contributions start at just $3 per month2. If you enjoyed this episode, you can also "leave a tip" through "Buy Me a Coffee"3. Make a donation to my non-profit, Advocates for Healthy Communities, Inc., to help support my pro bono work with citiesCredits:- Video and audio production by John Simmerman- Music via Epidemic SoundResources used during the production of this video:- My recording platform is Ecamm Live- Editing software Adobe Creative Cloud Suite- Equipment: Contact me for a complete listFor more information about the Active Towns effort or to follow along, please visit our links below:- Active Towns Website- Active Towns on Bluesky- Weekly Update e-NewsletterBackground:Hi Everyone! My name is John Simmerman, and I’m a health promotion and public health professional with over 30 years of experience. Over the years, my area of concentration has evolved into a specialization in how the built environment influences human behavior related to active living and especially active mobility.Since 2010,  I've been exploring, documenting, and profiling established, emerging, and aspiring Active Towns wherever they might be while striving to produce high-quality multimedia content to help inspire the creation of more safe and inviting, environments that promote a "Culture of Activity" for "All Ages & Abilities."The Active Towns Channel features my original video content and reflections, including a selection of podcast episodes and short films profiling the positive and inspiring efforts happening around the world as I am able to experience and document them.Thanks once again for tuning in! I hope you find this content helpful and insightful.Creative Commons License: Attributions, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives, 2025 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★