

Talking Headways: A Streetsblog Podcast
The Overhead Wire
A weekly podcast about the intersection between sustainable transportation, urban planning, and economic development. Hosted by Jeff Wood of The Overhead Wire.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 25, 2025 • 1h 2min
Replay: Sustainable Infrastructure for Cities and Societies
We're joined by Professor Michael Neuman to talk about his book Sustainable Infrastructure for Cities and Societies. We chat about why trees are important models for infrastructure development, the important lessons of Barcelona for the world, and why infrastructure is lately seen as a monetary asset instead of a public good. This week we're going back in time to Episode 392 from July of 2022. I really loved this book and hope that more people would read it. It's an academic title but Professor Neuman really shared a lot of new ideas and thoughts in here. And I love the discussion about trees as beings way wiser than us humans…. Also I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We might have something for you next week but I'm not going to guarantee it. We do have some AMAZING things coming next year so stay tuned! +++ Get the show ad free on Patreon! Follow us on Bluesky, Threads, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, Substack ... @theoverheadwire Follow us on Mastadon theoverheadwire@sfba.social Support the show on Patreon http://patreon.com/theoverheadwire Buy books on our Bookshop.org Affiliate site! And get our Cars are Cholesterol shirt at Tee-Public! And everything else at http://theoverheadwire.com

Dec 18, 2025 • 58min
Episode 560: If You Want to Win, You've Got to Fight
This week we're joined by Carter Lavin to discuss his new book If You Want to Win You've Got to Fight: A Guide to Effective Transportation Advocacy. We discuss the mess and practice of politics, how we have more power than we think as advocates, and how we can get the policy results we deserve. +++ Get the show ad free on Patreon! Follow us on Bluesky, Threads, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, Substack ... @theoverheadwire Follow us on Mastadon theoverheadwire@sfba.social Support the show on Patreon http://patreon.com/theoverheadwire Buy books on our Bookshop.org Affiliate site! And get our Cars are Cholesterol shirt at Tee-Public! And everything else at http://theoverheadwire.com

Dec 11, 2025 • 45min
Episode 559: The Unfinished Metropolis
This week on the Talking Headways podcast, we're joined by Benjamin Schneider to talk about his book The Unfinished Metropolis: Igniting the City-Building Revolution. Ben chats about the unfinishedness of cities, the larger origins of NIMBYism, and how much our economy and built environment cater to cars. +++ Get the show ad free on Patreon! Follow us on Bluesky, Threads, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, Substack ... @theoverheadwire Follow us on Mastadon theoverheadwire@sfba.social Support the show on Patreon http://patreon.com/theoverheadwire Buy books on our Bookshop.org Affiliate site! And get our Cars are Cholesterol shirt at Tee-Public! And everything else at http://theoverheadwire.com

Dec 9, 2025 • 37min
Episode 182: Mondays at The Overhead Wire - Housing on Top
This week we're Han Solo but we're sharing news about fire departments and their impacts on cities, how Boston and Denver are considering putting housing together with other public services like libraries and police stations, and a bill that would allow transit agencies to get projects environmentally certified in state. And much much more!!! Below the fold are the article links we chatted about on the show: News Items Fire Department vs traffic safety - The Discourse Lounge Do we really love driving? Psychology Today Libraries and affordable housing - Christian Science Monitor Bipartisan transit bill for environmental regs - Deseret News Toronto narrowing the lanes - CityNews Bonus Items Raccoons domesticating? The Guardian Midwest vs sunbelt news - Neiman Lab German light budgets - Brussels Signal Road user charge for UK EVs - Traffic Technology Today Zipcar to leave UK - BBC News Street parking for free buses - New York Times Zillow ditches climate maps - Moving Day +++ Get the show ad free on Patreon! Follow us on Bluesky, Threads, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, Substack ... @theoverheadwire Follow us on Mastadon theoverheadwire@sfba.social Support the show on Patreon http://patreon.com/theoverheadwire Buy books on our Bookshop.org Affiliate site! And get our Cars are Cholesterol shirt at Tee-Public! And everything else at http://theoverheadwire.com

Dec 4, 2025 • 53min
Episode 558: Parking Reform with Tony Jordan
This week we're joined by Tony Jordan, President of the Parking Reform Network at the Mpact Transit + mobility conference in Portland. We talk about getting rid of our cars, the arbitrary requirements for parking around the country, and Donald Shoup's legacy. +++ Get the show ad free on Patreon! Follow us on Bluesky, Threads, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, Substack ... @theoverheadwire Follow us on Mastadon theoverheadwire@sfba.social Support the show on Patreon http://patreon.com/theoverheadwire Buy books on our Bookshop.org Affiliate site! And get our Cars are Cholesterol shirt at Tee-Public! And everything else at http://theoverheadwire.com

Dec 1, 2025 • 51min
Flashback: Episode 459: Crossings
This week we're going back to Episode 459 exactly two years ago to chat with author Ben Goldfarb to talk about his book, Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet. We discuss how roads cut off ecosystems, wildlife crossings, and animal mobility at different scales. +++ Get the show ad free on Patreon! Follow us on Bluesky, Threads, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, Substack ... @theoverheadwire Follow us on Mastadon theoverheadwire@sfba.social Support the show on Patreon http://patreon.com/theoverheadwire Buy books on our Bookshop.org Affiliate site! And get our Cars are Cholesterol shirt at Tee-Public! And everything else at http://theoverheadwire.com

Nov 25, 2025 • 41min
Episode 181: Mondays at The Overhead Wire - Fran Sans
This week on Mondays at The Overhead Wire we're Han Solo, but we've got some interesting news from the world of transportation and urban planning to share. We talk briefly about tram trains, the NAVI electric vehicle program, Chicago's big win, and much much more! Below the fold are the show notes with all the items we cover in our digest show. Main items Single stairway - Pew Stateline Tram trains - Works in Progress Mall as climate shelter - NextCity Chicago transit funded - Streetsblog Chicago TXDOT says state needs transit - KERA Developing world needs roads - Works in Progress Brussels Pedestrian Zone shuts out bikes - Bloomberg CityLab Scott Weiner's next steps - Mother Jones Teens make housing portal - New York Times IIJA's NEVI sets table for EV future - Politico Magazine Will cities ditch DART? Dallas Observer Bonus Items California's shamful DUI record - CalMatters Pollution and memory diseases - New York Times Park City bus drivers may lose jobs - KPCW LA to double recycled water - Governing Valencia flood risk and auto dependence - Climate Change News St. Louis agency 3D printing parts - Progressive Railroading Metros get more people out of cars - TechXplore Hong Kong train+property model - Flying Moose Rising housing costs means lower fertility rates - Realtor.com Trump wants to cut transit funding - Streetsblog USA - T4 Utah cities overestimating water - Salt Lake City Tribune Puppies and Butterflies: Fran Sans - Emily Sneddon +++ Get the show ad free on Patreon! Follow us on Bluesky, Threads, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, Substack ... @theoverheadwire Follow us on Mastadon theoverheadwire@sfba.social Support the show on Patreon http://patreon.com/theoverheadwire Buy books on our Bookshop.org Affiliate site! And get our Cars are Cholesterol shirt at Tee-Public! And everything else at http://theoverheadwire.com

Nov 20, 2025 • 54min
Episode 557: Emotional Consumption in Chinese Cities
This week on the Talking Headways podcast we're joined by Olivia Plotnick, Founder of Wai Social in Shanghai China. We discuss her summer trip to over 30 different Chinese cities to experience different retail, the impacts of high speed rail, and the social e-commerce ecosystem. We also discuss how competition has made Chinese retail sharper, electric vehicle saturation, and emotional consumption. +++ Get the show ad free on Patreon! Follow us on Bluesky, Threads, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, Substack ... @theoverheadwire Follow us on Mastadon theoverheadwire@sfba.social Support the show on Patreon http://patreon.com/theoverheadwire Buy books on our Bookshop.org Affiliate site! And get our Cars are Cholesterol shirt at Tee-Public! And everything else at http://theoverheadwire.com

Nov 13, 2025 • 43min
Episode 556: From Bahrain to Connecticut
This week we're joined by Cortni Desir, Executive Program Manager for Public Transportation at the Connecticut Department of Transportation at the Mpact transit + community conference in Portland. We discuss her international influences, upgrading bus stops, customer experience, homelessness and transit, and being curious. +++ Get the show ad free on Patreon! Follow us on Bluesky, Threads, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, Substack ... @theoverheadwire Follow us on Mastadon theoverheadwire@sfba.social Support the show on Patreon http://patreon.com/theoverheadwire Buy books on our Bookshop.org Affiliate site! And get our Cars are Cholesterol shirt at Tee-Public! And everything else at http://theoverheadwire.com

Nov 6, 2025 • 45min
Episode 555: Three Principles for Federal Transportation Policy
This week we're joined by Corrigan Salerno of Transportation For America. We discuss three transportation principles for a better federal transportation bill, how to create better reporting data for MPOs, and better bus manufacturing. +++ Get the show ad free on Patreon! Follow us on Bluesky, Threads, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, Substack ... @theoverheadwire Follow us on Mastadon theoverheadwire@sfba.social Support the show on Patreon http://patreon.com/theoverheadwire Buy books on our Bookshop.org Affiliate site! And get our Cars are Cholesterol shirt at Tee-Public! And everything else at http://theoverheadwire.com


