Beyond Streets

In this episode, we head to Buffalo, New York—a post-industrial city with deep roots and a bold future. We sit down with Justin Booth, Executive Director of GOBike Buffalo, to explore how biking, community-led planning, and quick-build infrastructure are reshaping the city’s streets and values.From “Recycle-a-Bicycle” to regional trail planning, Justin shares the journey of GOBike’s 25-year evolution and the coalition-building needed to reconnect communities fractured by expressways. We discuss what it really takes to make change: listening to neighborhoods, rethinking parking culture, and focusing on the basics—like sidewalk snow removal and safer crosswalks.Buffalo’s past holds lessons for every city rethinking its future. This one’s for planners, parents, advocates, and anyone who believes cities should work for people and a variety of transportation modes, beyond cars. 🛠️ Topics covered:Community-led quick-build projectsRepurposing the Kensington and Scajaquada expresswaysBike equity, youth empowerment, and transportation demand managementThe intersection of advocacy, politics, and public healthHelp us grow: please rate, review, and subscribe! Reach out with questions, ideas, and feedback: team@beyondstreets.org Keep up with us on LinkedIn: Greg Rogers Greg Rodriguez Samantha Roxas www.beyondstreets.org

Infrastructure Week is back — and no, it’s not just for D.C. insiders and engineers.This week on Beyond Streets, we’re joined by Ross van Dongen, who wears a lot of hats at United for Infrastructure and Accelerator for America. We get into what’s actually happening on the ground with all the federal dollars flowing into cities. We talk about:What a “C” grade on our national infrastructure report card really means Why those annoying orange cones might be the most hopeful thing you’ll see all weekHow cities like Phoenix and Waterloo are making real change — from better transit to cheaper internetThe real barriers to getting money from D.C. to Main Street, and what needs to changeIf you’ve ever wondered why infrastructure takes so long — or what you can actually do about it — there's never a better time to start learning than now. 🎧 Tune in and get ready for Infrastructure Week with a helpful perspective on what it means to build a stronger, more connected future.Help us grow: please rate, review, and subscribe! Reach out with questions, ideas, and feedback: team@beyondstreets.org Keep up with us on LinkedIn: Greg Rogers Greg Rodriguez Samantha Roxas www.beyondstreets.org

In this episode of Beyond Streets, we’re joined by Julia Thayne — economist, urbanist, and co-founder of Two Degrees and Rising. Julia’s career has spanned public, private, and nonprofit sectors, all driven by one clear mission: turning bold ideas into real-world impact.We dive into her journey from Ernst & Young to Siemens to LA Mayor Garcetti's office, the founding of Urban Movement Labs, and now her latest venture building global clean tech partnerships. We unpack what it really takes to accelerate systems change — from policy sandboxes to third-space innovation — and why community engagement must evolve beyond checkboxes and into real collaboration and co-ownership.Tune in for an honest, optimistic conversation about reinventing how we build cities, scale climate solutions, and actually get things done.🔗 Learn more at Two Degrees and RisingHelp us grow: please rate, review, and subscribe! Reach out with questions, ideas, and feedback: team@beyondstreets.org Keep up with us on LinkedIn: Greg Rogers Greg Rodriguez Samantha Roxas www.beyondstreets.org

In this host-only episode, we dive into one of the most elusive forces in transportation and public life today: certainty—or the lack thereof.With some decent dad jokes, candor/wit, and the occasional turmeric-ginger tonic, we unpack what it means to move forward on transportation policy, planning, and research when funding is unpredictable, infrastructure is politicized, and communities are just trying to make it work. From the shifting fate of Safe Streets for All to LA's budget realities and Oakland’s “pothole vigilantes,” this conversation threads together the personal, political, and policy-driven forces shaping how cities build—and maintain—livable streets.Expect some takes on: How cities adapt when federal support waversWhat it means to weigh benefits vs. burdensThe politics of potholes, parklets, and Purple LinesWhether or not pilot projects are back And why defining value starts with community voiceHelp us grow: please rate, review, and subscribe! Reach out with questions, ideas, and feedback: team@beyondstreets.org Keep up with us on LinkedIn: Greg Rogers Greg Rodriguez Samantha Roxas www.beyondstreets.org

What do scooters, taco stands, Uber drop-offs, and bike lanes have in common? They all meet at the curb.In this episode, we talk with Jonah Bliss, founder of Curbivore, about how his background in mobility startups and marketing led to a full-blown movement rethinking the curb—not just as infrastructure, but as opportunity. From his early days helping launch Turo and Velo to building Curbivore during the pandemic, Jonah shares how a scrappy idea became a vibrant festival-meets-conference in the heart of LA.We get into:The origin story of Curbivore (hint: it started with a pandemic, a parking lot, and a lot of curiosity)Why the curb matters more than you thinkHow street vendors, startups, and city officials can all coexist (and even collaborate)The future of mobility, delivery, and street life—and what cities still get wrongHelp us grow: please rate, review, and subscribe! Reach out with questions, ideas, and feedback: team@beyondstreets.org Keep up with us on LinkedIn: Greg Rogers Greg Rodriguez Samantha Roxas www.beyondstreets.org

In this powerful episode of Beyond Streets, we sit down with Olatunji Oboi Reed, CEO and founder of Equiticity, to explore how cycling transformed his life—and how he's working to make active transportation a tool for racial and social justice in Black and Brown communities.Oboi shares his personal story of confronting depression and how a solo bike ride on Chicago’s lakefront sparked not only a healing journey, but a lifelong commitment to mobility equity. From founding Slow Roll Chicago to building Equiticity into a national racial equity movement, Oboi walks us through the uphill battle of centering equity in transportation planning—facing resistance from local neighboring organizations, skeptical city departments, and systemic disinvestment.We explore:Why transportation demand must be generated, not just followedThe difference between physical infrastructure and social infrastructureWhat “community mobility rituals” are—and how they create safe, social environments to try new forms of mobility The importance of community ownership in planningHow programs like bike stipends and youth-led workforce development can shift power at the neighborhood levelThis conversation is a lesson in how to center joy, community, and justice in mobility. Help us grow: please rate, review, and subscribe! Reach out with questions, ideas, and feedback: team@beyondstreets.org Keep up with us on LinkedIn: Greg Rogers Greg Rodriguez Samantha Roxas www.beyondstreets.org

In our first episode, co-hosts Greg Rogers, Greg Rodriguez, and Samantha Roxas kick off the Beyond Streets podcast with a candid, wide-ranging conversation about why we’re launching this show — and where we hope it goes.This isn’t just another policy podcast. Beyond Streets is a space for big questions, bold ideas, and grounded conversations about how transportation shapes communities — and how we can build systems that truly serve the people who rely on them.We reflect on the limitations of traditional transportation conversations, the need for a more community-centered and courageous approach, and why it’s time to rethink not just what we build, but how and why we build it. From access to essential services to the hidden costs of infrastructure, this podcast will explore how mobility intersects with housing, health, climate, affordability, and opportunity.This first episode sets the stage — and we need your help to shape what comes next. We want your ideas, your questions, your stories. Because if we’re going to move beyond streets, we need everyone at the table.Send us your suggestions, feedback, or voice memos at team@beyondstreets.org or visit beyondstreets.org.Let’s start this conversation and see where it takes us.Help us grow: please rate, review, and subscribe! Reach out with questions, ideas, and feedback: team@beyondstreets.org Keep up with us on LinkedIn: Greg Rogers Greg Rodriguez Samantha Roxas www.beyondstreets.org

At TRB 2024 we sat down with Renee Autumn Ray, Senior Director at Hayden AI, to unpack one of the most discussed (but perhaps the least meaningfully understood) topics in transportation: artificial intelligence. Renee gives us the highlights of her recent Eno Center of Transportation report, Understanding AI & Transportation, and goes deeper into some practical applications of AI in the industry. She also shares what she’s been up to at Hayden AI, how they’re using next-generation technology to help transit agencies in the U.S. (and now Europe!) deploy more effective enforcement operations, and what other use cases they’ve got in the works. Help us grow: please rate, review, and subscribe! Reach out with questions, ideas, and feedback: team@beyondstreets.org Keep up with us on LinkedIn: Greg Rogers Greg Rodriguez Samantha Roxas www.beyondstreets.org

In this episode, we ushered in the new year by getting together at TRB's 2024 meeting (a.k.a. the greatest transportation show on earth) and introducing our newest host, Sam Roxas. Sam dove right in by sharing her transportation story, starting with her grandmother, who instilled the importance of walkable cities and their ability to create community and resilience for historically underserved communities. We're excited to bring Sam's experience in local government, insights on next-generation technology, and West Coast energy to the pod, so please join us in giving her a warm welcome! Looking at the year ahead, we each shared what policies, programs, people, and places we’ll be watching in 2024. We had plenty of thoughts on IIJA implementation, the mysticism and curiosity swirling around AI, and our collective responsibility to take a more holistic, interdisciplinary approach to this big-bang moment in transportation.  What will you be focused on this year? Help us grow: please rate, review, and subscribe! Reach out with questions, ideas, and feedback: team@beyondstreets.org Keep up with us on LinkedIn: Greg Rogers Greg Rodriguez Samantha Roxas www.beyondstreets.org

No person in Congress has done more to promote active transportation and livability than Representative Earl Blumenauer. With his brightly-colored bike lapel pens, he has long been one of the most recognizable people on Capitol Hill. Since his election to the US House of Representatives in 1996, Congressman Blumenauer has been a tireless advocate for livable communities that are safe, healthy, and economically secure. Ahead of his retirement at the end of this year, The Mobility Podcast was thrilled to welcome Rep. Blumenauer to the stage at Replica's TRB After Hours Reception. Pete Gould and Samantha Roxas asked the Congressman to reflect on his tenure in Congress and the progress we have made (and still need to make!) in order to make American cities more livable and vibrant. From the bottom of our hearts, a huge thank you to Congressman Blumenauer for his tremendous leadership over the past 28 years - and for inspiring all of us to ask more of our federal leaders, from prioritizing active transportation and making American cities more livable. Your advocacy has made America a better place, and you have inspired all of us throughout our careers. And thank you as well to the Transportation Research Board for welcoming us back to #TRBAM this year!You can also keep up with us on LinkedIn: The Mobility PodcastGreg RogersGreg Rodriguez Pete GouldSamantha RoxasOr find us on Twitter: The Mobility Podcast @MobilityPodcastGreg Rogers @MoveGregPete Gould @Pete_GouldGreg Rodriguez @SmarterTranspoHelp us grow: please rate, review, and subscribe! Reach out with questions, ideas, and feedback: team@beyondstreets.org Keep up with us on LinkedIn: Greg Rogers Greg Rodriguez Samantha Roxas www.beyondstreets.org