Rephonic
Artwork for Active Towns

Active Towns

John Simmerman
Urban Planning
Community Engagement
Active Transportation
Public Health
Cycling
Public Transit
Biking
Active Mobility
Walkability
Climate Change
Urbanism
Cycling Infrastructure
E-Bikes
Active Towns
Urban Mobility
Urban Design
Infrastructure
Los Angeles
Youth Transit Usage
Renewable Mobility Vision Plan

Conversations about Creating a Culture of Activity: Profiling the people, places, programs, and policies that help to promote a culture of activity within our communities.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes357Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureEducation

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Artwork for Active Towns

Latest Episodes

In this episode, I reconnect with Allison Burson, the National Greenway Director for the East Coast Greenway Alliance, for an update on the buildout of this all-ages-and-abilities active mobility multi-use pathway that stretches the entire length of ... more

In this episode, Bruce Appleyard returns with an update on the release of his innovative rewrite and expansion of his father, Don Appleyard's book, Livable Streets, as Livable Streets 2.0. We also talk about the legacy of his father's work and how tw... more

YouTube

In this episode, I connect with Edinburgh-based musician and everyday bike rider Daniel Abrahams for a conversation about his safer streets advocacy music videos, including his latest, Amsterdam, which asks a simple question: Why Can't We Just Do It ... more

Greensboro's downtown was dying, then they did this. In this episode, I am honored to connect with Dabney Sanders, the outgoing Project Manager responsible for helping pull together this fantastic four-mile Downtown Greenway in Greensboro, North Caro... more

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Recent Guests

Bruce Appleyard
Professor of City Planning and Urban Design at San Diego State University, Director of the National Center for Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety
San Diego State University
Episode: Livable Streets 2.0.2 with Prof Bruce Appleyard
Daniel Abrahams
Musician and cycling campaigner living in Edinburgh, Scotland
Independent artist; Edinburgh cycling campaigns
Episode: WHY CAN’T WE JUST DO IT LIKE AMSTERDAM?
Dabney Sanders
Project Manager for Greensboro Downtown Greenway
Downtown Greensboro/Action Greensboro
Episode: Downtown Greenway Transformation w/ Dabney Sanders
Avi Stopper
Founder of Bike Streets Project
Bike Streets
Episode: A Network First Approach with Avi Stopper, Founder of The Bike Streets Project
Fionnuala Quinn
Civil engineer, founder of Traffic Gardens Designs
Traffic Gardens Designs
Episode: Traffic Gardens with Fionnuala "Finn" Quinn
Eileen McGinnis
Founder and Executive Director of Parents' Climate Community
Parents' Climate Community
Episode: The Parents' Climate Community with Founder & Executive Director Eileen McGinnis
Jim Sayer
Former Executive Director of the Adventure Cycling Association
Adventure Cycling Association (former)
Episode: Life's An Adventure with Jim Sayer
Victor Dover
Town planner and neighborhood designer, co-founder of Dover Kohl and Partners
Dover Kohl and Partners
Episode: Street Design is the Secret to Great Cities & Towns w/ Victor Dover
Beth Osborne
President & CEO of Smart Growth America
Smart Growth America
Episode: Dangerous by Design w/ Beth Osborne, President & CEO of Smart Growth America

Host

John Simmerman
Host focused on active towns, urbanism, and storytelling around livable streets.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 106 ratings
  • Speakerphone audio bites

    I really want to listen to the show, but I can’t stand the low quality audio. Please have your guests pick up the phone and talk on it, not on the speakerphone. Better still, have them use an actual microphone instead of a cell phone. Isn’t your content worth a little effort?

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    SuperGlideFX-E
    United Statesa year ago
  • Original, in depth, diverse discussions on Urbanism

    This podcast adds a lot to the urban issues space. These are conversations with a lot of figures which don’t necessary always receive the internet spotlight and it’s great to hear from them.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    joshlemer
    Canada3 years ago
  • Good motives, but some dangerous misconceptions.

    I like the show for advocating for better bike transportation infrastructure, but dislike some undercurrents that keep popping up. One is that you shouldn’t wear a helmet, because that makes people think cycling is dangerous and that you need protection from cars. Well, the helmet is to protect your head from hitting the road which can result from any number of incidents other than being struck by a car. Helmets are not terribly expensive or uncomfortable either. Maybe some day the fantasy ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    M@ttM
    United States3 years ago
  • Get inspired about ACTIVE transportation

    John Simmerman hosts some of the most engaging and inspiring people in the active transportation advocacy and leadership spaces. This sort of deep and substantive conversation is a bit unusual for the broader podcast world, but is such a resource for people new to biking, walking and livable communities(they are possible ! they exist !) I have no doubt that John is inspiring more transportation and mobility nerds, and I am here for it.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BikingInSeattle
    United States3 years ago
  • It got me on my bike!

    Awesome interviews with active transportation movers and shakers. You’ll learn something new, be inspired to dig deeper, and have a good time! It’s inspired me and my family to get out and ride around our city!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    cometpants
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise in-depth, diverse discussions with senior figures in urbanism.
Audience appreciates the focus on child-friendly streets and real-world case studies.
Shows practical, transferable ideas for city streets and sidewalks.
Fans note high-quality, inspiring conversations that broaden perspectives on active transportation.

Top Society & Culture Podcasts

The Ezra Klein Show
The Ezra Klein ShowNew York Times Opinion
Stuff You Should Know
Stuff You Should KnowiHeartPodcasts
This American Life
This American LifeThis American Life
Freakonomics Radio
Freakonomics RadioFreakonomics Radio + Stitcher
Behind the Bastards
Behind the BastardsCool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

WHY CAN’T WE JUST DO IT LIKE AMSTERDAM?
Q: How did the idea for the Amsterdam video originate and what was the inspiration?
The concept grew from an idea to visualize a utopian streetscape through Jan Kamensky's animations, paired with a performance angle on a bridge, to both critique and celebrate progress toward more livable streets.
Downtown Greenway Transformation w/ Dabney Sanders
Q: What role did community engagement play in shaping the project?
Community engagement was central from early planning, with broad involvement of elected officials, business leaders, residents, and neighborhood groups; the project opened sections progressively to demonstrate the full breadth of possibilities and to maintain momentum.
Downtown Greenway Transformation w/ Dabney Sanders
Q: What were the key funding milestones that made the Greenway possible?
Funding came from seed money by Action Greensboro foundations, a 2008 transportation bond, a 2011-2012 major gifts campaign, a 2016 Parks and Recreation Bond, state and federal funds, and a private maintenance-endowment that now totals about 1.8 million dollars.
Downtown Greenway Transformation w/ Dabney Sanders
Q: Who is Dabney Sanders and why is the Downtown Greenway special to her?
Dabney Sanders is the inaugural project manager for Greensboro's Downtown Greenway, with a long commitment since 2007, bringing a mix of natural resources education and hands-on community work to the project.
A Network First Approach with Avi Stopper, Founder of The Bike Streets Project
Q: What is the decision process for determining what is a chill route?
The chill routes are identified through crowdsourced knowledge, open data, and local input. Nominations are evaluated with community feedback, upvotes, and practical on-the-ground observations to keep the map evolving as conditions change.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Active Towns

What is Active Towns about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Explores how cities can become more active, walkable, and people-centric through policy, design, and culture. Episodes frequently cover urban mobility, sidewalk governance, child-friendly streets, and the politics of street space, with guests ranging from planners and researchers to filmmakers and advocates. Notable strengths include a strong emphasis on practical, transferable ideas—such as funding approaches for sidewalks, low-car urbanism, and cross-border lessons in cycling infrastructure—and a willingness to challenge car-centric planning while elevating community voices. The show tends to feature globally informed perspectives, hands-on case studies, and advocacy-focused storytelling that translates complex urban concepts into actiona... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Active Towns?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Active Towns:

1. The War on Cars
2. The Strong Towns Podcast
3. Tech Won't Save Us
4. Jacobin Radio
5. The 404 Media Podcast

How many episodes of Active Towns are there?

Active Towns launched 6 years ago and published 357 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Active Towns?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Active Towns?

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What guests have appeared on Active Towns?

Recent guests on Active Towns include:

1. Bruce Appleyard
2. Daniel Abrahams
3. Dabney Sanders
4. Avi Stopper
5. Fionnuala Quinn
6. Eileen McGinnis
7. Jim Sayer
8. Victor Dover

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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