Talking Headways
Streetsblog California
Talking Headways Podcast: Why a City Is Not a Computer
This week we’re joined by Shannon Mattern, professor of anthropology at the New School for Social Research, who talks with us about her new book, "A City is Not a Computer: Other Urban Intelligences." We discuss the ideas of smartness versus wisdom, maintenance as a way of absorbing information, and the city as a processing machine.
January 14, 2022
Talking Headways Podcast: Building a Better Transit Board
This week on the podcast, we’re back at last fall’s virtual Railvolution conference. Former BART GM Grace Crunican discusses the role of board members in transit agencies with former MBTA board member Monica Tibbits-Nutt and former Houston Metro board member Christof Spieler.
January 6, 2022
Talking Headways Podcast: Not Just Wires, Pipes, and Roads
This week, we’re talking about the importance a systems approach in interconnected topics like transportation, education, and health care (yes, they're interconnected!).
December 16, 2021
Talking Headways Podcast: The Traffic War Is Never Won
This week we’re joined by University of Virginia Associate Professor Peter Norton, to talk about his new book "Autonorama: The Illusory Promise of High-Tech Driving." Norton discusses the false promises of automakers and technologists and the mobility solutions that are already in front of us.
December 10, 2021
Talking Headways Podcast: Optimism on Infrastructure
This week we’re joined by Linda Samuels, associate professor of urban design at Washington University in St. Louis, to talk about her book "Infrastructural Optimism." We chat about how growth for growth’s sake is not the answer, learn from postmodernist urbanism, and why systems should be more connected.
December 2, 2021
Talking Headways Podcast: Transit Expansion and Service in the Pandemic
This week we’re at the 2021 Virtual Railvolution conference. Adelee Le Grand, CEO of Tampa's transit system, moderates a panel featuring Debra Johnson of RTD in Denver, and Peter Rogoff of Sound Transit in Seattle. Johnson and Rogoff discuss progress in their regions and the effects of the pandemic.
November 18, 2021
Talking Headways Podcast: Streets Are Not Just Pipes
This week we’re joined by Miami of Ohio Geography Professor David Prytherch. Prytherch chats with us about his recent journal article in Urban Geography: "Reimagining the physical/social infrastructure of the American street." We talk about businesses' newfound interest in the street, equity and ethical discussions about rights to the street, and the new pandemic paradigm of "open streets."
November 12, 2021
Talking Headways Podcast: A National Perspective on Building Transit
This week we’re joined by Jannet Walker-Ford, National Transit and Rail Lead at WSP. We chat about high-speed rail around the country, the benefits of trade and research groups, escalating transit-project costs, and the transport-policy environment.
November 4, 2021
Talking Headways Podcast: Culture Is Designed Every Century
This week we’re joined by Dutch architect Ton Venhoeven. We chat about Utrecht’s new tram station TOD, the difference between the 15 minute and Micro City, planning policy and its history in the Netherlands, and the future of cities.
October 28, 2021
Talking Headways Podcast: How Partisanship Influences Transportation Reform
This week we're joined by Kelcie Ralph, Nick Klein, and Calvin Thigpen, who talk about their recent paper "Political Partisanship and Transportation Reform." We chat about why they wrote the paper, what they found out about partisanship and transportation policy, and why actors across the political spectrum have little understanding of induced demand.
October 22, 2021