The Brake: Henry Grabar on How Parking Explains the World
Today, we sit down (in person!) with Slate's Henry Grabar to talk about his new book on parking — which we believe will be a powerful tool for activists and politicians who want to make the world a better place.
May 23, 2023
Podcast: Is the Electric Car a ‘Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing’?
On today's episode of The Brake, we sit down with the co-author of a new paper, "Exposing the Structural Violence of Private Electric Automobility," to talk about why the EV debate is so polarizing.
May 9, 2023
Streetsblog Chicago Editor John Greenfield Seriously Injured in Bike Crash
Streetsblog Chicago editor, founder, and our colleague John Greenfield was seriously injured this weekend after a piece of construction material that had not been properly tied down fell off a pick-up truck and struck him while biking on a road with no protected cycling infrastructure.
April 25, 2023
How Can Sustainable Transportation Advocates Help End Poverty? An Interview with Matthew Desmond
One in nine Americans live in poverty, and millions more live in a precarious place somewhere between precarity and true security. A new book argues that we can all play a role in challenging the systems and individual choices that "keep poor people poor" for benefit for everyone else.
April 25, 2023
How Does Toxic Masculinity Play Out On Our Roads — And How Do We Stop It?
On this episode of the Brake, host Kea Wilson sits down with researcher and urban planning professor Tara Goddard to talk about how toxic masculinity plays out on our roads and what can we be done to stop it. Listen in.
April 11, 2023
How to Reframe the Narrative About Car Dependency
On today's episode of The Brake, host Kea Wilson brings you an extended interview with Grant Ennis, author of Dark PR: How Corporate Disinformation Harms Our Health and the Environment. Listen now.
March 28, 2023
Interview: What Does It Take To Start Your Own Bikeshare?
Most bikeshare rides taken on U.S. soil happen in a handful of gigantic cities, on systems maintained by big corporations. But at YoGo Bikeshare in Youngstown, Ohio, Ronnell Elkins and his team are building a bespoke micromobility option specifically for his neighbors — and hoping to create a model for other small cities to combat car dependency.
March 14, 2023
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Roadside Noise Cameras
Across America, a shocking number of drivers are illegally hacking their cars to be as loud as possible — and evidence is mounting that the phenomenon has a huge impact on public health. But what can cities do about it?
February 28, 2023
Can Athletes Help Solve Urbanism’s PR Problem? Soccer Star Tesho Akindele Thinks So
If the typical professional athlete talks about transportation at all, it's usually in the context of a mulit-million SUV commercial. Soccer star Tesho Akindele, though, isn't the typical athlete — and as he transitions out of his career on the field, he wants to make a full-time job out of building walkable, bikeable, equitable cities.
February 14, 2023
How Mayors Can Lead The Way to a Sustainable Transportation Future (Hint: Listen to John Bauters)
On today's episode of The Brake, though, we spoke with Mayor John Bauters of Emeryville, Calif., who's making massive progress to make streets safer, greener and more equitable in his small town — and sharing lessons in leadership that can scale to even the biggest cities.
January 31, 2023