Talking Headways: A Streetsblog Podcast

This week we’re joined by Robert Cervero, Erick Guerra, and Stefan Al to talk about their new book called Beyond Mobility. They talk about the idea of recalibrating cities and how we can put people first when we think about transportation and the built environment. We also talk about silly regulations such as one parking space per toilet seat and some of the examples of good transportation and planning we can borrow from around the world.   Interested in checking out the book? Use the code “4Beyond” at IslandPress.org and get 20% off. 

This week on the Talking Headways podcast we’re joined by George Karayannis, Vice President of CityNow, a smart city arm of Panasonic Corporation. George talks about smart cities and how to think beyond shiny technology and what it means to think about the future. George also discusses what CityNow is setting up at Pena Station Next, a new smart city concept on Denver RTD's A Line commuter rail that incorporates ideas such as district energy, smarter streetlights, and intelligent power management in buildings. He talks about how and why the station location was chosen for this innovative project.

This week we’re joined by Christof Hellmis, Vice President of Strategic Program at Here Technologies in Berlin Germany.  I was invited to CES in Las Vegas by HERE to check out the next generation in data and maps and got to sit down with Christof to talk about data and transportation.  We chatted about how mapping and location will be important for new transportation technologies and old and I ask questions about equity and data and potential privacy concerns.  At one point Christof goes on to say this isn’t just mapping for humans, it’s maps for everything. 

This week on the podcast we’re joined by Kyle Shelton of the Kinder Institute to talk about his new book Power Moves: Transportation, Politics, and Development in Houston.  I ask Kyle why he wrote the book and his feelings about looking back at history knowing about potentially better transportation outcomes.  We also talk about the idea of “infrastructure citizenship” and how local advocacy groups wielded power in past fights between road builders and transit advocates.

This week we’re joined by Yonah Freemark of the Transport Politic for our annual prediction extravaganza!  Find out how last year’s predictions held up and whether you agree with this year’s thoughts on Montreal transit and Bus Rapid Transit in Boston. We also discuss the leaked infrastructure plan from the new administration and talk about our favorite writers focused on urban issues. 

This week’s episode features Fehr and Peers Ron Milam and me discussing the differences between the Transportation Research Board conference in Washington DC and the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, both of which took place on the second week in January. We discuss all the interesting topics that emerged from both conferences including delivery drones, curb management, massive data collection from autonomous vehicles, and the potential uses and rights issues that might arise in the built environment from the use of augmented reality.

This week we're back at NACTO 2017 in Chicago with a series of speakers that did quick presentations on how the work we do as advocates to change minds.  Skye Duncan hosts and starts off with a discussion of the NACTO Global Designing Cities Initiative. Chris Bruntlett talks about the work he and his family do at Modacity "marketing the lifestyle of cycling". Ed Solis of The City of San Jose describes Viva Calle, San Jose's Cyclovia. Kris Carter of the City of Boston talks about the safety competition app "Boston's Safest Driver". Ankita Chachra discusses the language of design and tools to make change in small ways that empower citizens to demand change. And finally Ronnie Matthew Harris talks about showing people in his neighborhood alternative ways to plan journeys without the car.

This week we’re back at the NACTO Designing Cities conference for the closing plenary.  Paris’ Deputy Mayor for Transportation and Public Space Christophe Najdovski discusses all the improvements that are being made to the city’s transportation network.  He chats about expanding the subway and tram networks, improving cycling infrastructure, creating more space for people in public squares and pedestrianizing the left bank of the River Seine.

This week we’re chatting again with Jonn Ellege of CityMetric.  This time it’s my turn to interview and we cover a lot of ground.  We talk about housing in London and out including the basics of council housing.  We chat about major transportation projects including Crossrail and high speed rail while also discuss what’s happening to the buses on Oxford street and how Transport for London is regulating Uber. 

This week we're joined by Breen Masciotra, TOD Manager for the Port Authorty of Allegheny County and Karina Ricks, Director of the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure at The City of Pittsburgh.  We discuss transportation in Pittsburgh and the challenges they face including topography, new technologies, and hostile streets. We also talk about awesome improvements to the system including new bus rapid transit, transit oriented development, eco innovation districts, and connecting multiple mobility types.