Talking Headways: A Streetsblog Podcast

This week we're joined by Professor Scot Danforth of Chapman University to discuss his book An Independent Man: Ed Roberts and the Fight for Disability Rights. We chat about Ed's life, the origins of the disability movement, and creating access for all. +++ Get the show ad free on Patreon! Find out about our newsletter and archive on YouTube! 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

This week on the Talking Headways podcast I'm joined by Danny Pearlstein of the Riders Alliance to Talk About the One Year Anniversary of Congestion Pricing in New York City. We chat about the history of the idea, the mobilization of activists to turn the cameras on, and sour grapes from New Jersey and USDOT. +++ Get the show ad free on Patreon! Find out about our newsletter and archive on YouTube! 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

This week on Mondays at The Overhead Wire we're joined by Kate Gasparro, host of the Building Better Cities podcast! We talk about the first transit system invented by mathematician Blaise Pascal, whether design is making the housing shortage worse, LA Metro's new Care Based Services Division, and whether Chicago should have taken back it's parking meters from private equity.  Below are the items we discussed in greater detail: The first transit system - France Today LA Metro's new Care Based Services Division - Los Angeles Sentinel Ugly buildings and the design shortage - Vox Mayor Johnson won't try to buy back parking meters - Chicago Tribune Denmark's red lights - Daily Galaxy | Frank Markowitz and Leni Schwendinger's Lighting Episode 379 Puppies and Butterflies  Star Wars Maul Trailer The Pitt is an example of "Competancy Porn" - Washington Post Many thanks to Bob Nanna for our music. +++ Get the show ad free on Patreon! Find out about our newsletter and archive on YouTube! 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

This week Talking Headways is being hosted by our friend Anna Zivarts who guides a panel of elected officials and advocates to talk about the impacts of the Week Without Driving. They look back at 2025's activities and look forward to this year's version. Featured guests include: Arizona State Senator Analise Ortiz (Referenced Videos on TikTok and Instagram) Rochester MN City Council Member Nick Miller Alice Hilton and Quinn Mulholland Living Streets Lexington Kai Hall of Greater Greater Washington Ruth Rosas of Nondrivers Alliance   Listen to Anna speak previously on Episodes 366 & 488 +++ Get the show ad free on Patreon! Find out about our newsletter and archive on YouTube! 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

This week on the Talking Headways podcast we're joined by Jake Berman to talk about his book, The Lost Subways of North America: A Cartographic Guide to the Past, Present, and What Might Have Been. We discuss transit histories through the lens of racial dynamics, monopolies, ballot measures, and overlooked cities. +++ Get the show ad free on Patreon! Find out about our newsletter and archive on YouTube! 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

We're back for a new year of Mondays at The Overhead Wire!  This week we're chatting about faster transit, cable cars in the Paris region, congestion pricing and more! Below you'll find links to the items we discuss during the show... Closing labor force gap - Los Angeles Times Congestion pricing air pollution - Phys.org Congestion pricing benefits - NYT Leaving DART is hard - D Magazine Paris cable car - Metro Speed matters - Italian (urban) letters Quiet sells - Wall Street Journal Road salt remains - WHYY California speeding penalties - Los Angeles Times Pusing green can backfire - Grist Misinformation - Volts Bonus Items Carmakers and operators liable in China - Cleantechnica Euro cities clamp down on big cars - AS Eileen Higgins wins Miami Mayorship - Talking Headways episode LA Streamlining - Los Angeles Times Oldes social housing - Deutsche Welle Dutch answer to water - Inside Climate News Atlanta's housing progress - Rough Draft Atlanta Where the prarie remains - Noema Kotek calls for new transport bill - Bike Portland Houston residents spend on transport - Houston Public Media Santa Fe links minimum wage to cost of housing - KRWG +++ 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    

This week we're back at the Mpact Transit + Community Conference in Portland Oregon at the Mpact Innovators Poster Sessions.  We talk with young professionals about the transportation implementation and policy work they've been doing in the field including designing new transportation hubs, rethinking parking, and improving bus service. This week we're at the 2025 Mpact Transit + Community Conference in Portland Oregon and we're chatting with young professionals about their work that they presented at the Mpact Innovators poster session. The Innovators is an all-volunteer national networking group that organizes events and networking at the conference each year. Each of the interviews is about five minutes and we have a link to the posters in the show notes in case you want to follow along with the visuals.  I will note that the poster sessions occurred during one of the evening gatherings so you may hear a bit of background noise.  But there are some pretty cool ideas in here so hopefully you all stick around to check all 8 of them out. Cameron Thompson - Sisters East Portal Transportation Hub Veronica Mandasari - Reimagining Mill Avenue: What Tempe can Learn from Portland's Walkable Street Design Emily D'Antonio - TriMet Better Bus: Improving Reliability at Greeley and Going Eric Gasper - Bridgeless to Better Burnside Daniel Lambert - Pathways Transit Assistance Team (PTAT):  A Trauma-Informed Alternative to Object-Oriented Security on Transit Systems Ryan Martyn - Wasted Space: Using Parking Lots to Improve Neighborhood Completeness Jules Plotts - Employer-Centered Accessibility Model to Non-Dayshift Work Maddy Belden - Development & Datasets +++ 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

Hey everybody!  I want to wish everyone a happy new year!  We're doing our second replay episode at the end of the year featuring one of my favorite discussions over the last few years with David Schleicher about his book In a Bad State. This is one of the foundational ideas for me of late because of how we fund transportation infrastructure with bonds but also how those bonds are backed up!  I think about the Tri-lemma often and how many of the fiscal issues with climate change and transportation can be traced back to the topics in this discussion. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy hopping back to 2023 and Episode 439.  This week we're joined by Yale Law professor David Schleicher to talk about his new book, In a Bad State: Responding to State and Local Budget Crises. We chat about how historic fiscal crisis shape similar responses today and how infrastructure funding plays out in the United States. +++ 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

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

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    

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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    

This week on Mondays at The Overhead Wire we chat about signal timing tinkering in Houston, the impact of commute times on sleep disorders, Phoenix's lack of water for sprawl, and how many times Raleigh had to bid for contractors to build bus rapid transit. Below are the show notes: Houston signal timing off - Rice Thresher Whitmire thinks he knows - New York Times Sleep impacted by commutes - SciTechDaily Lifting the smog in Santiago - Guardian Raleigh BRT contracting - News and Observer Phoenix has no water for sprawl - High Country News Crypto noise - The Texas Tribune Caltrain puts energy in the grid - Metro Magazine China's lower tier cities and retail - Campaign  The retail hits different - The Overhead Wire Everything SB79 - Arbitrary Lines Urban hoofprints - University of Michigan Highway repair better than expansion - SSTI US dangerous car standards - Transport and Environment Land trust affortability - Realtor.com Waymo and accepting death - Futurism New census data - Niskanen Center Secret to Norway's EV success - Energy.digital China EVs off five year plan - Reuters Bonus Items New vehicles top $50K - CNBC How Vancouver's Translink escaped death spiral - Bloomberg CityLab Bike sharing boon - Cities Today Smart phone data and trips - TechExplore Milwaukee tows reckless drivers - Urban Milwaukee St. Louis green infrastructure - Reasons to be Cheerful Stone buildings reduce emissions - BBC +++ 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  

This week we're back live for another show from Manny's in the Mission featuring Streetsblog SF editor Roger Rudick interviewing California High Speed Rail Authority CEO Ian Choudri. They chat about reducing costs, systems in other countries, and take questions from the audience. +++ 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