The Overhead Wire

Talking Headways: A Streetsblog Podcast

A weekly podcast about the intersection between sustainable transportation, urban planning, and economic development. Hosted by Jeff Wood of The Overhead Wire.

Author

The Overhead Wire

Category

Government

Podcast website

streetsblog.libsyn.com

Latest episode

Jul 9, 2026

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Episodes

Episode 506: Transit Wins and Co-Benefits from Climate Work 31.10.2024

This week on Talking Headways we're listening in on a 1 to 1 conversation between Julie Eaton Ernst, Climate Resilience Practice Leader at HNTB, and Dr. Cris Liban, Chief Sustainability Officer at LA Metro.   They chat about the co-benefits of transportation, the evolution of the definition of transportation, and making change in small steps. This podcast was produced in partnership with Mpact. ht...

Monday's Flashback: More Than Just a Box 29.10.2024

We're going back in time to Episode 144 to chat with Matthew Heins about his book The Globalization of American Infrastructure: The Shipping Container and Freight Transportation . We've done a lot of fun shows and I had forgotten about this one until I was looking back trying to think of a good oldie to share with you all.   Matthew talks about how the American highway and rail systems created a g...

Episode 505: Urgency and Vision Zero 24.10.2024

This week we're joined by Leah Shahum, Executive Director of the Vision Zero Network . We chat about why it's so hard to make change, the implicit biases around designing for automobiles and the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims coming up on November 17 th . +++ Follow us on twitter @theoverheadwire Follow us on Mastadon theoverheadwire@sfba.social Follow us on Threads or Instagram...

Episode 504: Simpler Payment Systems for Agencies and Riders 17.10.2024

This week we're joined by Gillian Gillett of CalITP and Dan Baker, of the Connecticut Department of Transportation to discuss how agencies can create simpler payment and travel experiences for transit riders.   We chat about the Connecticut Integrated Mobility Project, building payment system capacity and merchant services for smaller transit agencies, and the need for digital customer first think...

Episode 160: Mondays at The Overhead Wire - The Long and Winding Road 15.10.2024

This week on Mondays Wes Marshall is back! We chat about his trip to Bogota Columbia, the connections between biological structure and the built environment, and of course we discuss the news from last week including climate migration, high speed rail, roundabouts, and healthy urbanism. Check out below for the show notes including links to the items we chatted about and a full AI generated unedite...

Episode 503: The Architecture of Urbanity 10.10.2024

This week on Talking Headways, we're joined by architect Vishaan Chakrabarti to talk about his book The Architecture of Urbanity: Designing for Nature, Culture, and Joy . We discuss the goldilocks density, defining urbanity, and the ennui of young architects. How to Make Room for 1M New Yorkers - NYT +++ Follow us on twitter @theoverheadwire Follow us on Mastadon theoverheadwire@sfba.social Follow...

Mondays Flashback: Access as a Metric 08.10.2024

We're flashing back to Talking Headways episode 246 from five years ago and chat with Andrew Owen of the Accessibility Observatory about access as a metric! Wes Marshall will be back next week but in the meantime we've got you covered with some great information. +++ Follow us on twitter @theoverheadwire Follow us on Mastadon theoverheadwire@sfba.social Follow us on Threads or Instagram @theoverhe...

Episode 502: Transit Themed Rock Music 03.10.2024

This week we're joined by Cameron Mays, lead singer of the Transit Themed band The Frans .   We chat about transit in Cleveland, the song writing process for transit music, and the parking lot in Erie Pennsylvania that inspired him. +++ Follow us on twitter @theoverheadwire Follow us on Mastadon theoverheadwire@sfba.social Follow us on Threads or Instagram @theoverheadwire Support the show on Patr...

Episode 501: How MPOs Can Help Design Safe Streets 26.09.2024

This week we're joined by Cassidy Boulan and Thom Stead of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC). We chat about their work in Philadelphia, Trenton, and greater New Jersey related to complete streets and creating safe infrastructure for biking and bus drivers. This podcast was produced in partnership with Mpact. Learn more at http://mpactmobility.org +++ Follow us on twitter @th...

Episode 159: Mondays at The Overhead Wire - It's All Connected with Wes Marshall 24.09.2024

This week on Mondays we're joined by Professor Wes Marshall of the University of Colorado Denver to go through this week's news. We talk 15 Minute Cities, increasing car loans, social housing, and whether a new train to Boulder makes sense. We're also sharing this one on YouTube in a few days so check in there too. Main Items The 15 Minute City - Guardian Cities (Research Paper linked inside artic...

Episode 500: LA and Beyond with Ken Napzok and Joseph Scrimshaw 19.09.2024

This week on the Talking Headways podcast we're hitting 500 episodes! And to celebrate we have a bit of a look back in time with Tanya Snyder of the origins of the show and then we chat with Ken Napzok and Joseph Scrimshaw of my favorite podcast Force Center.  But we don't talk about Star Wars, we talk about Los Angeles and thier feelings towards the place they call home. Find Joseph and Ken at th...

Episode 499: Expanding Amtrak Across America 12.09.2024

This week we're joined by Mike Christensen, Executive Director of the Utah Rail Passengers Association and a tireless advocate for intercity passenger rail.   Mike chats with us about Amtrak's expansion plans, the impact of the infrastructure bill and why things take so long to implement. +++ Follow us on twitter @theoverheadwire Follow us on Mastadon theoverheadwire@sfba.social Follow us on Threa...

Episode 158: Mondays at The Overhead Wire - I Love Fall with Sam Sklar 10.09.2024

This week on Mondays at The Overhead Wire we're joined by Sam Sklar to talk about a lot of interseting topics from Charlotte and Riyadh transit expansions to climate policies that work and why kids aren't taking the bus to school as much.  We also share some recent research on windshield perspectives from Tara Goddard and look at what rising car insurance rates might mean for the future. Find Sam...

Episode 498: Transit Leadership for the Future 05.09.2024

This week on Talking Headways we're joined by podcaster and transit expert Paul Comfort and former California State Transportation Agency Secretary David Kim to talk about their ensemble book The New Future of Public Transportation . We talk about writing cookbooks, road user charges, and the importance of leadership. +++ Follow us on twitter @theoverheadwire Follow us on Mastadon theoverheadwire@...

Mondays Flashback: Asphalt - A History 03.09.2024

Since it's Labor Day we've got a flashback Talking Headways here at Mondays at The Overhead Wire!   Next week we'll be back with a Mondays show with a special guest that's not Han Solo so stay tuned! But this week we're chatting with Kenneth O'reilly about his book Asphalt: A History . We chatted about what asphalt is, how it was used for building, war, and economic expansion and how it affects th...

Episode 497: The Real Work of Safer Streets 29.08.2024

This week on Talking Headways we chat with transportation and planning expert Warren Logan, who is  running for Oakland City Council in District 3. Warren talks about the differences in how people perceive government works, the need for more flexible streets, and gives thoughts on housing policy. +++ Follow us on twitter @theoverheadwire Follow us on Mastadon theoverheadwire@sfba.social Follow us...

Episode 496: Portland's Micromobility Experience 22.08.2024

This week on the Talking Headways podcast we're joined by Dylan Rivera and Jacob Sherman of the Portland Bureau of Transportation to discuss micromobility. We chat about the importance of cities regulating access to transportation markets, importance of bike infrastructure, transportation wallets and alternatives to a parking pass. Link to Portland's E-Scooter Program - PBOT Portland Scooter Data...

Episode 157: Mondays at The Overhead Wire - First Nations Urbanism 20.08.2024

This week we're Han Solo, but we're chatting about how the First Nations in Vancouver are becoming to largest property developer in California, the idea of urban delivery hubs and switching cargo planning, how cities are heating up at night, and the idea that some folks are tired of losing. Below are the links from the items we talked about on the shows. First Nations development - Fast Company Ur...

Episode 495: Reducing Emissions on Highway Projects 15.08.2024

This week we're joined by Move Minnesota director Sam Rockwell to talk about climate bills Minnesota legislators have passed that could reduce highway and road building emissions in the state. We chat about setting transportation related climate targets, highway modeling, and taking the time to read federal rule comment letters. *** Follow us on twitter @theoverheadwire Follow us on Mastadon theov...

Episode 494: Bandaids on a Lack of Density 08.08.2024

This week on the Talking Headways podcast swe're joined by Nico Larco, Director of the Urbanism Next Center at the University of Oregon.   We chat about his new book with Kaarin Knudson, The Sustainable Urban Design Handbook as well as a realization about how most of what we do in the United States seems to be bandaids for a lack of urban density. *** Follow us on twitter @theoverheadwire Follow u...

Mondays Flashback: The Digital City with Germaine Halegoua 06.08.2024

This week we're jumping back in time to visit Talking Headways episode 285 featuring Professor Germaine Halegoua discussing her book The Digital City: Media and the Social Production of Place .   It's one of my favorite book discussions ever and I thought it would be a nice episode to revisit. In this episode, Germaine talks about how people use digital media to relate to cities whether that's ima...

Episode 493: Transit to the Great Outdoors 01.08.2024

This week on Talking Headways we have a conversation moderated by Corrie Parrish of Kittelson Associates with Andrea Breault of Cascades East Transit and Amy Schlappi of Columbia Area Transit discussing Transit service to the Great Outdoors. This podcast was produced in partnership with Mpact. Find out more at http://mpactmobility.org *** Follow us on twitter @theoverheadwire Follow us on Mastadon...

Episode 492: Have Cities Run Out of Land? 25.07.2024

This week we're joined by Chris Redfearn of USC and Anthony Orlando of Cal Poly Pomona to discuss their paper - Houston, you have a problem: How large cities accommodate more housing . We talk about why "pro-business" Texas housing markets are catching up to "pro-regulation" California and what it might mean for future city growth. *** Follow us on twitter @theoverheadwire Follow us on Mastadon th...

Episode 156: Mondays at The Overhead Wire - Universal Basic Livability 23.07.2024

This week on Mondays Chrissy Mancini-Nichols is back! We talk about universal basic mobility, cool corridors, Japan's idea for a massive underground freight conveyor belt and freight's first mile last mile problem, health problems caused by a Texas bitcoin mine, and USDOT's push for emissions reductions.  Chrissy also mentioned commenting on the PROWAG regulations Also the Fresno transit microgrid...

Episode 491: IrrePLACEable 18.07.2024

This week on the Talking Headways podcast we're joined by Kevin Kelley, founding partner and principal at Shook Kelley.   We talk about his book Irreplaceable: How to Create Extraordinary Places that Bring People Together.   We discuss eliciting emotions, the debate between themes and authenticity, changing the meaning of cities, and embracing density. You can purchase the book through our Booksho...

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