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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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes360Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureEducation

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Artwork for Active Towns

Latest Episodes

In this episode, we touch base with Coach Sam Balto for a Bike Bus World Update.

Helpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me support the channel):

👉 Bike Bus World website

👉 Bike Bus Playlist

👉 Coach Sam Balto Playlist

👉... more

In this episode, I am joined once again by Vancouver, BC-based planner Brent Toderian. This time we dive deep into the discussion about what should happen with Granville Street in the aftermath of the city's hosting of the World Cup.

Helpful Links (... more

YouTube

In this episode, I finally connect with Becky Furuta, a former Pro Cyclist with the Novo Nordisk Cycling Team and the parent of a child with special needs who will never be able to drive a car, for a conversation about her first Velo-city Conference ... more

YouTube

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

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Becky Furuta
Parent advocates, former professional cyclist, public health professional
Team Novo Nordisk ambassador; Boulder County resident
Episode: What An All Ages & Abilities Cycle Network Means to a Parent of a Child with Special Needs
Allison Burson
National Greenway Director for East Coast Greenway Alliance
East Coast Greenway Alliance
Episode: Near-Universal Support for the East Coast Greenway?
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

Host

John Simmerman
Host of Active Towns Channel; leading voice on livable streets, active transportation, and community impact.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 107 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 States4 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.

Great mix of deep, evidence-based discussions on urbanism and transportation.
Consistently delivers thoughtful, engaging conversations with leaders in active mobility.
Diverse guests and practical takeaways that apply to real-world city projects.
Audience-friendly insights that readable to newcomers and veterans alike.
Quality guest expertise translates into inspiring stories about bike infrastructure and open streets.

Top Society & Culture Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Near-Universal Support for the East Coast Greenway?
Q: Can you share a story that illustrates the impact of the Greenway on a community or family?
There are many, including families riding together on long trips, adaptive cycles enabling a child to participate, and neighbors using separated trails to access work, parks, and schools—these stories demonstrate health, economic, and social benefits.
Near-Universal Support for the East Coast Greenway?
Q: What is the East Coast Greenway, and what is its scope from Maine to Florida?
It's a vision for a fully connected, separated, safe network for walking, biking, and rolling that stretches from the Canadian border in Calais, Maine down to Key West, Florida, with the trail currently around 40% complete and expanding through coordinated planning and implementation.
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.

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?

A deep dive into livable streets, active transportation, and urban design permeates multiple episodes. Conversations span practical network planning, policy reform, and community-driven projects that reshape streets for people—prioritizing safety, accessibility, and social life over car-dominated norms. Notable throughlines include network-first bike planning, open streets and curb management, safety metrics, and cross-cultural lessons from cities around the world. A distinctive strength is the synthesis of academic research, on-the-ground advocacy, and real-world case studies—from downtown greenways to school streets—making it useful for listeners who want actionable ideas for designing healthier, more equitable communities.

Where can I find podcast stats for Active Towns?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Active Towns. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Active Towns and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Active Towns get?

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What are the audience demographics for Active Towns?

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How many subscribers and views does Active Towns have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Active Towns has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

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. The Urbanist
4. Talking Headways: A Streetsblog Podcast
5. Hidden Brain

How many episodes of Active Towns are there?

Active Towns launched 7 years ago and published 360 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?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Active Towns from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Active Towns?

Recent guests on Active Towns include:

1. Becky Furuta
2. Allison Burson
3. Bruce Appleyard
4. Daniel Abrahams
5. Dabney Sanders
6. Avi Stopper
7. Fionnuala Quinn
8. Eileen McGinnis

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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