Best Overhead Wire Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 180: Mondays at The Overhead Wire - Signal Timing 40:00

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16d ago40:00

40:00

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…

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Episode 557: Emotional Consumption in Chinese Cities 54:25

6h ago54:25

54:25

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, elect…

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Episode 556: From Bahrain to Connecticut 43:17

40m ago43:17

43:17

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 …

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Episode 555: Three Principles for Federal Transportation Policy 44:31

9h ago44:31

44:31

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 ... @theov…

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Episode 554: Getting California High Speed Rail Done 57:23

7d ago57:23

57:23

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, I…

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Episode 553: Life After Cars 54:35

16d ago54:35

54:35

This week Sarah Goodyear and Doug Gordon of the War on Cars podcast join the show to talk about their new book: Life After Cars – Freeing Ourselves from the Tyranny of the Automobile. We discuss opposing views, Turtle Jesus, and potential offramps towards car free cities. +++ Get the show ad free on Patreon! Follow us on Bluesky, Threads, Instagram…

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Replay: Episode 78 - Measuring Carbon Emissions at Street Level 41:10

1M ago41:10

41:10

This week on Talking Headways we're flashing back to exactly ten years ago to Episode 78 with Dr. Kevin Gurney, now at Northern Arizona University. We chat about measuring emissions at the street, block, and neighborhood level and the data that enables it. I wanted to flash back to this one this week because I recently saw Kevin pop up in a New Yor…

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Episode 552: Under a Highway in Birmingham Alabama 39:01

1M ago39:01

39:01

This week on the Talking Headways podcast we're joined by Ben Donsky of Agora Partners to discuss City Walk BHAM in Birmingham Alabama, a public space project that connects two sides of the city separated by a highway. We chat about positive public space and what it takes to make projects like this happen. +++ Get the show ad free on Patreon! Follo…

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Episode 179: Mondays at The Overhead Wire - Another Trip to China 31:33

2M ago31:33

31:33

We're Han Solo again but this time I'm sharing some thoughts from my trip to China in addition to the news. We've got stories about traffic lights in Japan, the creation of a new electric company, and housing costs. And of course there's much much more. Below are the show notes: Middle class housing - National Housing Conference China builds quickl…

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Episode 551: Architectural Epidemiology 46:39

2M ago46:39

46:39

This week we're joined by Adele Houghton of the Harvard School of Public Health and Carlos Castillo-Salgado of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to discuss their new book Architectural Epidemiology: Architecture as a Mechanism for Designing a Healthier, More Sustainable, and Resilient World. We chat about how to connect the social…

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Replay: Walking with Pedestrian Dignity 52:46

2M ago52:46

52:46

This week we're on vacation, but we're flashing back to Episode 391 and chatting with Jonathon Stalls about his wonderful book Walk: Slow Down, Wake Up, and Connect at 1-3 Miles Per Hour. He also talks about Pedestrian Dignity and his 2010 walk across the US. Hope everyone is doing well. I'm in China this month and will be back with new episodes ne…

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Episode 550: Crash First, Fix Later Mentality 45:10

2M ago45:10

45:10

This week we're joined by former FHWA Deputy Administrator Andrew Rogers to discuss how congress can help reduce traffic deaths and collisions with the use of technology. We discuss the best time to influence congress on transportation and the crash first, fix later mentality. Find out more at https://www.marscoalition.org/ +++ Get the show ad free…

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Episode 549: Reminiscing About the Future 44:23

2M ago44:23

44:23

This week we're joined once again by Sam Sargent of VTA for part 2 of a conversation about transit agencies and special projects and programs. Sam chats with us about Austin's light rail plans, Caltrain electrification and moving diesels to Peru, and gives some thoughts on visionary transit leadership such as Randy Clarke at WMATA. YouTube video of…

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Episode 548: Wonders of the South Bay 30:25

3M ago30:25

30:25

This week on Talking Headways we're joined by Sam Sargent of VTA, formerly Caltrain and Capital Metro, for part 1 of a conversation about transit agencies and special projects and programs. This week Sam chats with us about VTA's history, current projects and future prospects in the South Bay. +++ Get the show ad free on Patreon! Follow us on Blues…

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Episode 178: Mondays at The Overhead Wire - A Subway for Cats 42:23

3M ago42:23

42:23

This week we're Han Solo but have a lot of great news to share. We talk about the smartest city in the world, Toronto's TOD ambitions, electric car range and much much more! Below are items we shared on the show: Main Items Toronto's TOD - Brandon Donnelly The smartest city - Reasons to be Cheerful Less range - InsideEVs Future of cooling is past -…

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Episode 547: The Menace of Prosperity 53:44

3M ago53:44

53:44

This week on the Talking Headways podcast we're joined by professor Daniel Wortel-London to discuss his new book The Menace of Prosperity: New York City and the Struggle for Economic Development, 1875–1981. We talk about urban growth and missed opportunities by reformers to allow cities to capture more of their value. We discuss Henry George and th…

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Episode 546: Designing and Delivering Bike Networks 37:34

3M ago37:34

37:34

This week we're joined by Ryan Russo, Executive Director of the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO). Ryan shares with us more wisdom from the revised Urban Bikeway Design Guide and discusses the transformation of street systems and managing space for people and deliveries. NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide Online | Physical…