Streets.mn Podcast: Recent Episodes
Streets.mn Podcast Committee
Streets.mn is dedicated to expanding the conversation about transportation, urban design, and public space issues in the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
Join Ian R Buck and Tim Marino for a discussion of the Purple Line: the history of the project, recent developments, and the Purple People Coalition fighting to make sure it will serve the most people it can the best it can.
Links * Purple People page on Move Minnesota Website * Get Outta The Gully
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website.
This episode was edited by Jeremy Winter, was hosted and transcribed by Ian R Buck, and features guest Tim Marino. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
Last spring Streets.mn hosted a Contributors' Workshop in Rochester with several presentations to help people get started on their journey as contributors. We are excited to share those recordings with you on the podcast!
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Links * Rethinking I-94 West * Minnesota Is Not California * City Walks: Navigating Pedestrian Infrastructure from New York City to Minneapolis * Speak Up About the Capital City’s Bike Plan * Great Big Bollards: A Manifesto
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website.
The presenters in this episode are Erik Ruthruff, Micah Davison, Jeremy Winter, Max Singer, and is hosted by Ian R Buck.
We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
Minnesota DNR has acquired powered wheel chairs with tank treads to increase accessibility of hiking trails at several state parks. Join us on a field trip to check them out!
Links * All-Terrain Track Chairs
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website.
This episode was produced by Stina Neel, with field recordings by Sherry Johnson, and was hosted, edited, and transcribed by Ian R Buck. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
Every seasoned cyclist has been asked for bike advice by friends and family, but what if you could make a business out of that? Mary Blitzer has founded Bike Anywhere, where she offers bike commute coach services. Let's find out what that looks like!
Links * Bike Anywhere * U of M Parking & Transportation Services * Move Minneapolis * BikeMN Pedal Pals
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website.
This episode was hosted and edited by Ian R Buck, and transcribed by Sherry Johnson. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Many thanks to our guests Mary Blitzer, John Mark Lucas, and Patty O'Keefe.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
Elementary bike buses get a lot of attention on social media, but in the Hiawatha neighborhood they're doing something even cooler: a bike train that runs every day, rain or shine. Come hear from the neighbors who run it!
Show notes Jenny Graff and Dave Cowan join us [Jay and Kristen Carlson] in the basement to talk about getting kids to school on the bike train. We also go out on the street to interview some of the bikers.
See photos and more on our Facebook page
Stock media provided by Sunshine_Music/Pond5
Attributions This episode comes to us courtesy of the Hiawatha Neighbor Podcast, all rights reserved.
Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website.
This episode was suggested by Stina Neel, and transcribed by Ian R Buck. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
BikeMN hosts several large group rides throughout the state, with a couple of new ones on the list in 2024! Not only are they fundraising opportunities for an awesome organization, they also serve to strengthen local chapters of this statewide coalition.
Links * Minnesota's Hidden Intercity Bus Network Revisited * A Warm Welcome to Warmshowers * Horizons by Loud Mouth Brass * We Bike Rochester * Lake Alice 100 * Med City Meander * Tour of Saints * Rock-n-Roll the Lakes * Twin Cities Bike Tour * Rosewood Gramble
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website.
This episode was edited by Jeremy Winter, engineered and transcribed by Stina Neel, and hosted by Ian R Buck. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Many thanks to our guests Emily Doskey, Luke Doskey, Ali, Becca Combs-Cawley, Ted Duepner, and Michael Wojcik.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
During street redesigns, business owners are often portrayed as preferring car parking over safe streets. But their takes are more nuanced, so let's chat with some!
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website.
This episode was hosted by Ian R Buck, edited by Parker Seaman aka Strongthany, transcribed by Stina Neel, and produced by Sherry Johnson. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Many thanks to our guests Dan Marshall, Danny Schwartzman, and Jamie Schwesnedl.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
This was our second year with a DFL trifecta, let's check in with a few transportation and land use advocacy organizations to find out what we accomplished and what is on the horizon for next year!
Episode chapters 00:00 | Intro 00:53 | Sustain St Paul & Neighbors for More Neighbors 23:16 | Sierra Club Blog post 25:12 | Our Streets Blog post 29:55 | BikeMN 42:25 | Outro Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website.
This episode was hosted, edited, and transcribed by Ian R Buck. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
The Borealis is the first new Amtrak service Minnesota has had since the 80's. Let's chat with some of the people riding on opening day to find out what this train means to them!
Episode chapters
00:00 | Intro 07:38 | Jeffrey Mack & Felecia Thomas Mack 11:11 | Lillaia Christiansen 16:03 | Brandon Maurisak 24:12 | Kadence Kushnir 34:04 | Angel Morris Hernandez 45:21 | Operating differences from Empire Builder 46:58 | Angel Morris Hernandez 51:19 | Colin Jones 58:00 | Outro Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website.
The audio of the rain was recorded by Ian Gaida. Check out his video covering the Borealis opening day!
This episode was hosted, edited, and transcribed by Ian R Buck. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
There is far more wildlife living in our cities than many humans realize. Meet a couple University of Minnesota researchers studying urban foxes and coyotes!
Links * Twin Cities Coyote and Fox Project (TCCFP) * Urban Coyotes | Minnesota DNR * Mapping habitat use and disease of urban carnivores * Living With The Coyotes Among Us | Streets.mn
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website.
This episode was produced by Stina Neel, edited by Parker Seaman aka Strongthany, hosted by Ian R Buck, and transcribed by Tom Fendt. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Many thanks to our guests James Forester and Geoff Miller.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
Once a year, the residents of Uptown are delighted by preschoolers walking around the neighborhood, handing out poems they wrote. Let's meet the teachers behind the tradition!
Episode chapters 00:00 | Intro 03:00 | Teachers Julia & Claire 34:52 | The Parklet 41:08 | Poems 43:11 | Outro Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website.
This episode was produced by Stina Neel, hosted and edited by Ian R Buck, and transcribed by Tom Fendt. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Many thanks to our guests on this episode Julia Klatt Singer and Claire Thometz; and to our poetry readers Tom Fendt, Sherry Johnson, Ian R Buck, Jeremy Winter, Melody Hoffmann, and Max Singer.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
Early in the pandemic, Bemidji offered to pay teleworkers to move there. Let's take a trip up north to find out how it went!
Links * 218 Relocate * Similar program in Tulsa * Paul Bunyan Communications
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website.
This episode was hosted and edited by Ian R Buck, and transcribed by Sherry Johnson. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Many thanks to our guests on this episode: Dave Hengel, Rita Albrecht, Jordan Lutz, and especially the relocators Aaron Coburn, Val Kinnane & trailing spouse Scott.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
We took the opportunity at BikeMN's summit on capitol hill to chat with activists from across the state about cycling in their communities.
Episode Chapters 00:00 | Intro 00:46 | Alice Tibbetts, Duluth 15:46 | Ben Scheidel, Mankato 33:04 | The Parklet 34:23 | Glen Kajewski and Andy Miller, Thief River Falls 52:21 | Outro Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website.
This episode was hosted and edited by Ian R Buck, and transcribed by Parker Seaman aka Strongthany. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Find the transcript on our website.
Kathy Lantry and Amy Brendmoen collectively spent three decades on Saint Paul City Council, each serving as Council President for part of that time. We get their insider perspective about the process of how policy gets made and budgets set, how things changed as more women joined the council, and what they wish they had more time to accomplish.
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was produced by Sherry Johnson, edited by Parker Seaman aka Strongthany, and hosted and transcribed by Ian R Buck. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
Spencer Miller-Johnson, Senior City Planner for the City of St. Paul, joins Sherry for a lively conversation about zoning and land use. Spencer helps us unpack a city report on its East Grand Avenue Overlay Study. He also shares about the city’s planning philosophies, why he’s passionate about form-based codes, and what keeps him up at night. Hear about how you can help guide potential zoning changes during the study’s public comment period through March 29.
Links * EGAOD Study Report * The Study’s Webpage, with Contact Information for Public Input * Grand Avenue Special District Sign Plan * 2021 Video Interview with Merritt Clapp-Smith about District 16’s 2005 Plan & the history of the EGAOD * Further listening: nerding out with street engineers about potholes * Further listening: other rezoning efforts in Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was produced and transcribed by Sherry Johnson, and was edited and hosted by Ian R Buck. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Find the episode transcript on our website.
You may have noticed bus stops in the Twin Cities with signs naming someone who adopted them. That's right, Metro Transit now has an Adopt-a-stop program! They recently hosted an appreciation brunch, so we went and chatted with other adopters about how they're liking the program.
Links * Find out if your local stop or shelter is getting upgrades * Become a stop adopter * Report issues with stops and facilities * Safety and Security Action Plan * We referenced the December 2022 fact sheet extensively * Parklet: Crosswalk button cheat code
Attributions Special thanks to Jeremiah Cox, the All Star behind Adopt-A-Stop at Metro Transit, General Manager Lesley Kandaras, every adopter that we chatted with for this episode and every future adopter that is listening right now.
Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was produced by Stina Neel, edited and transcribed by Parker Seaman aka Strongthany, and hosted by Ian R Buck. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
Building on the momentum from last year's historic Minnesota State legislative session, several organizations are bringing ambitious transportation and land use proposals to the table this year.
Links * 2023 Legislative Wrap-up * Neighbors for More Neighbors * Streets.mn episode on Land Value Tax * Rumble Strip episode about road maintenance * Bike Walk Summit on Capitol Hill: March 14
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was hosted, edited, and transcribed by Ian R Buck. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
What to do with an urban highway that destroyed a community 60 years ago? ReConnect Rondo wants to put a land bridge over it.
Episode chapters, links 00:00 | Intro Streets.mn Podcast episode on urban highway removal 00:55 | Interview part 1 Rondo land bridge feasibility study 25:56 | The Parklet * Streets.mn bonfire event * Donate to Streets.mn
27:14 | Interview part 2 * Rondo land bridge health impact assessment * Rondo land bridge prosperity study
48:59 | Find ReConnect Rondo online * Website * LinkedIn * Facebook * Twitter * YouTube * Instagram
51:33 | Outro Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was produced by Sherry Johnson, edited by Parker Seamon aka Strongthany, and transcribed by Ian R Buck. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
How do you choose a neighborhood to move to? Ian and Tim took very different approaches, did they both end up in places they like? Listen in on their discussion, moderated by Sherry Johnson!
Episode chapters & links 00:00 | Intro 01:37 | Tell us about your move 06:22 | What drew you to that neighborhood? 09:42 | How do you move car-free? Ian moving a couch by bike trailer 14:10 | Spending time with friends and family 18:57 | What are you most enjoying in your new place? The Warm Showers episode that Ian's Mailwaukee Ave neighbor was on 21:41 | Parklet Roman Mars TED Talk about flag design CGP Grey grades state flags Minnesota sticker with the new flag oriented vertically Lazer loon lives on 30:12 | Any regrets? 35:21 | How has this move changed your life? 39:47 | What advice would you give? Ian's spreadsheet 50:59 | Pitch for your neighborhood 52:15 | Outro Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was produced and transcribed by Sherry Johnson, and was edited by Jeremy Winter. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
This podcast episode comes to you in two parts: Side A: A photographer from Grand Marais previews an upcoming DNR touring route. Side B: The Streets.mn Podcast team looks back on our favorite episodes of 2023!
Episode chapters 00:00 | Intro 01:00 | The Border to Border Touring Route * WTIP's episode * Video: Bryan's gear * Bryan's website
25:12 | Our favorite episodes of 2023 * Editor Jeremy Winter + Rezoning for Complete Neighborhoods + Essential Bike Accessories With Ian + Moving to the Twin Cities With Car Free Midwest
- Producer Christina Neel: The 2023 BikeMN Legislative Agenda
- Editor Parker Seaman: Lessons Learned From the Nice Ride Era
- Producer Sherry Johnson
- Celebrating Dorian Grilley's 15 Years With BikeMN
- Legislative Session Wrap-up 2023
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Rezoning for Complete Neighborhoods
-
Host Ian R Buck: Legislative Session Wrap-up 2023
- Crowd favorites
- The Future of Transit
- Moving to the Twin Cities With Car Free Midwest
42:34 | Outro Connect with us * Discuss this episode on social media with the hashtag #StreetsMNPodcast * Help make the show possible by making a donation or sponsoring the show!
Attributions The piece about the Border-to-Border touring route was reported by Kalli Hawkins, and comes to us via WTIP; all rights reserved.
Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
Show notes The Border-to-Border Touring Route spans 750 miles, traversing northern Minnesota by utilizing pre-existing roadways, extending from the North Dakota border to the shores of Lake Superior.
The border-to-border project was initiated in 2015 and represents a collaborative undertaking involving the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Minnesota 4-Wheel Drive Association. In 2015, the legislature directed the Minnesota DNR to collaborate with the Minnesota 4-Wheel Drive Association to address off-road vehicle touring routes.
As the planning process and public listening sessions across northern Minnesota began, the DNR received mixed support and opposition about the proposed touring route from the public, county officials, and various environmental groups.
When first proposed, the Border-to-Border Touring Route was initially planned to end in Cook County. However, Cook County was dropped from the route after county officials and the public shared their reservations with the project planners about potential increased motorized traffic and environmental degradation, such as damage to trout streams, aquatic invasive species, and wetland concerns. The route now ends near Silver Bay in Lake County.
Despite the delays and Cook County’s involvement, the nearly eight-year-long project is now entering the final stages of the route management plan.
As it nears completion, a Cook County resident and well-known photographer, Bryan Hansel, decided to pack his bags and venture out for a long-distance bikepacking trip in mid-October along the border-to-border route to experience it firsthand.
“So I knew I wanted to do a long bike trip this year,” Hansel said. “There was a lot of controversy with it in Cook County. So I figured it just seemed like a good idea to go ride it and see what it was about.”
Hansel planned his route using a biking program called Ride With GPS based on the preliminary border-to-border map on the DNR website. “And that loads into my bike computer, and then the bike computer gives me turn-by-turn navigation,” he said.
He began his journey in the northwest corner of Minnesota and strategically mapped out 60-mile days based on available camping locations. As he pedaled along the gravel roads, he said his apprehension about the route faded. “What I found is that the DNR did a really good job of picking roads,” he said. “I found that a really fun and exciting route.”
“I always imagined it was more of this off-road vehicle type of route. And there’s all but maybe four of five miles that I would have taken my Subaru Outback on with no problem,” Hansel said. “It was like solid good, graded county roads like you’d expect to see in Cook County.”
Along the way, Hansel tweaked his route to avoid paved roads and enjoy small detours to nearby parks, small towns, and other interesting northern Minnesota sights. One of his favorites was Big Bog State Recreation Area in Beltrami County. “I’ve always wanted to go and hike the trails there because it’s one of the biggest bogs in the state,” he said. “And that was beautiful.” Another highlight of the trip, Hansel said, was the stretch between Blackduck and Silver Bay. “That was amazing. I would ride that all again in a second.”
During his ten-day bikepacking adventure, Hansel completed 650 miles for a total riding time of 57 hours.
Although the route has yet to be officially finalized, Joe Unger, the off-highway program consultant at the Minnesota DNR, expressed enthusiasm over the news that several individuals, including Hansel, have already embarked on exploring the touring route. While several individuals have traversed the route on street-legal enduro bikes and in vehicles, to Unger’s knowledge, Hansel is the first person to bikepack the route.
As the DNR prepares to wrap up the route management plan, it will enter a final 30-day public comment period later this winter. Unger said the route management plan addresses things such as “environmental considerations like stream crossings, wetlands, wildlife, and fisheries.”
Then, come spring, the DNR intends to sign agreements with various road authorities, finalize maps, and put physical trail signs along the route.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
Hear what it’s like to lead and run a bikeshare program with our guests, Melissa Summers and Alasdair McKernan. Formerly of our beloved Nice Ride, they now help run our car sharing program. Listen in as they share their wisdom about the logistics of bikeshare, the complications of the entities who run them, and advice for anyone who’d want to rebirth a Cities-wide option.
Links * Dan Marshall's article * Nice Ride Minnesota - Wikipedia * Bicycle Share - City of Minneapolis (minneapolismn.gov) * Shared Bikes | Saint Paul Minnesota (stpaul.gov) * Despite Popularity, Bike Share Programs Often Need Subsidies - Stateline * The fate of China's bike share boom (bbc.com) * HOURCAR – Nonprofit Carsharing for Minnesota * Discuss this episode on social media with the hashtag #StreetsMNPodcast * Help make the show possible by making a donation or sponsoring the show!
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was produced by Sherry Johnson with assistance from Christina Neel and Jeremy Winter. It was edited and transcribed by Ian R Buck. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
Everything you want to know about potholes, but were too afraid to ask! How do they form? What can we do about them? We sit down with engineers Doug Fischer and Bev Farraher to chat about all that and more!
Connect with us * Anatomy of a pothole video * Doug's website: The Highway Doctor * Spreadsheet comparing vehicle weights and damage to the street * Neighborhood electric vehicle * Article about vehicle weight damage
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was edited by Jeremy Winter, and was transcribed and hosted by Ian R Buck. Guest acquisition was handled by Sherry Johnson, with production assistance from Christina Neel. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
Passenger train advocacy organization All Aboard Minnesota is celebrating their 10th anniversary. Let's learn the history of the organization!
Connect with us * All Aboard Minnesota 10 year celebration * AAMN video: Why Passenger Rail is good for Minnesota * Discuss this episode on social media with the hashtag #StreetsMNPodcast * Help make the show possible by making a donation or sponsoring the show!
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was edited by Tim Marino, transcribed by Sherry Johnson, and hosted by Ian R Buck. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Read the full transcript on our website.
We sit down with Sherry Johnson to chat about her popular article series of motorists' questions for bicyclists!
Connect with us * The Top 10 Questions for Bicyclists article series * Email Sherry at facilitator.sher@gmail.com * Discuss this episode on social media with the hashtag #StreetsMNPodcast * Help make the show possible by making a donation or sponsoring the show!
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was hosted, edited, and transcribed by Ian R Buck. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
There are people who travel long distances by bike, and there are people who are willing to open their homes to those traveling by bike. Together, they make up the Warmshowers community!
Episode summary 00:00 | Intro 01:08 | History of Warmshowers 04:55 | Stina and Ian's experiences 09:29 | Getting started on Warmshowers 13:44 | Tips for hosting 19:06 | Tips for guesting 25:24 | Twin Cities WS community 31:21 | The Parklet 32:36 | Convo with WS host Jim Young 54:34 | Outro Connect with us * Check out the Bike Life podcast by Warmshowers * Discuss this episode on social media with the hashtag #StreetsMNPodcast * Help make the show possible by making a donation or sponsoring the show!
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was hosted by Christina Neel, edited by Parker Seamon AKA Strongnathy, and transcribed by Ian R Buck. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Find the full episode transcript on our website.
New Saint Paul resident Sarah Johnson interviews city councilwoman Mitra Jalali about her thoughtful and people-centered approach to transportation infrastructure.
Show Notes Sarah has a conversation with Councilor Mitra Jalali of Ward 4 in Saint Paul, MN.
Car Free Midwest is a podcast exploring the stories, barriers and joys of getting around the midwest without a car.
Building community around more transportation equity and less car dependency.
Hosted by: @sj_obc
Produced by: @joshualabure
Theme song: The New Deal by Big Quiet https://open.spotify.com/track/4rPvzZzNhhnWDnNFhoFPJ4
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/carfreemidwest/message
Attributions * This episode comes to us courtesy of Car Free Midwest. * Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, used by permission of its creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website. * This episode was transcribed by Ian R Buck.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
Join Elissa Shufman and Ian R Buck for a discussion of the novel The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd. A mystery that has us pondering what is a map, and how does it give us power?
Episode summary 00:00 | Intro 01:31 | Spoiler-free 19:56 | The Parklet 27:51 | Spoilers 42:54 | Outro Links, connect with us * The Cartographers * Next book: How to Do Nothing * Participate in Car-free MSP this September! * Purple Line Community and Business Advisory Committee application * Discuss this episode on social media with the hashtag #StreetsMNPodcast * Help make the show possible by making a donation!
Transcript Find the transcript on our website.
There are several current pilot projects in Minnesota that point towards exciting possibilities for public transportation. Let's take a look!
Episode summary 00:00 | Intro 01:21 | Micro Transit 23:00 | Southwest Transit Lyft Integration 32:57 | The parklet with Kyle 36:24 | Electrifying buses 42:51 | Self-driven buses, goMARTI 59:01 | Outro Images Connect with us * Move Minneapolis Micro Transit Webinar * Metro Transit Micro * goMARTI * Kyle's favorite article: Sneckdown * Discuss this episode on social media with the hashtag #StreetsMNPodcast * Help make the show possible by making a donation!
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was hosted, edited, and transcribed by Ian R Buck. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
Though Hopkins is one of the smaller Minneapolis suburbs, it packs a big punch on climate action. We dig into two really innovative programs they’re doing on reducing the urban heat island effect and speeding deployment of clean energy and energy efficiency solutions with a cost share program. We speak with Hopkins Mayor Patrick Hanlon and Special Projects and Initiatives Manager, PeggySue Imihy Bean, to understand how this small community is taking on big challenges.
Resources * Hopkins Heat Vulnerability + Story map – DEFINITELY look at this! + Webpage and background information on study
- Star Tribune 5/11/23 article on Hopkins urban heat island program
- Cost Share programs mentioned (Hopkins program is not live yet)
- Green Cost Share program (Minneapolis)
- Climate Champions (St Louis Park)
Show Contributors * Patrick Hanlon * PeggySue Imihy Bean * Abby Finis * Larry Kraft
Connect with us * Streets.mn summer picnic * Discuss this episode on social media with #StreetsMNPodcast * Help make the show possible by making a donation!
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
BikeMN was founded 15 years ago as a statewide bike advocacy organization. Its founding executive director, Dorian Grilley, is stepping down this summer. Let's look back at his career!
Connect with us * Suggested listening: Legislative session wrap-up * Streets.mn summer picnic * BikeMN at Indeed Brewing * Donor Party at Erik's * Take our survey - we want to know more about our listeners! * Discuss this episode on social media with #StreetsMNPodcast * Help make the show possible by making a donation!
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was hosted, edited, and transcribed by Ian R Buck. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
Sarah Johnson, Omaha-based transportation advocate and podcaster, decided to move to the Twin Cities. Let's follow along with her moving journey! We'll check in at a couple of key points to get a more full picture of what it's like to move to a brand new metro area.
Episode summary 00:00 | Intro 01:02 | December 2022 - picking a neighborhood 27:33 | The Parklet 29:13 | June 2023 - Buying, renovating, exploring the new city 55:25 | Outro Connect with us! * Sarah Johnson on Twitter * Take our survey - we want to know more about our listeners! * Discuss this episode on social media with #StreetsMNPodcast * Help make the show possible by making a donation!
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was hosted and transcribed by Ian R Buck, and edited by Ian and Tim Marino. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
Minnesota just finished a historic legislative session! Let's hear from leading transportation advocates what we accomplished.
Episode summary 00:00 | Intro 00:48 | How we got here 17:06 | Funding for transit 29:01 | New passenger rail 41:33 | Biking safety laws, routes, and funding 58:21 | Looking forward to next year's session 59:17 | Outro Further resources * 2022 All Aboard Minnesota passenger rail goals * 2023 BikeMN legislative goals * 100 percent bill: zero-carbon electricity by 2040 * Connect with Sierra Club * Connect with Move Minnesota * Connect with All Aboard Minnesota * Connect with BikeMN * State Policy Summer Camp with Neighbors for More Neighbors: fortnightly on Wednesdays
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was hosted, edited, and transcribed by Ian R Buck, with a news segment by Tim Marino. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.
Let's talk bike accessories! Over his years of bike commuting, Ian has found a few items that he keeps with him at all times. Here are his recommendations!
00:00 | Intro 00:26 | Current news 02:07 | Ortlieb panniers 17:05 | Pizza Rack Carrying yard waste on the Pizza Rack DIY splash guard 28:11 | Abus Bordo folding lock 34:08 | PDW Ninja Pump Ian's full bike toolkit 39:46 | Rokform phone mount 51:56 | Lights Outro Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was hosted, edited, and transcribed by Ian R Buck, with a news segment by Tim Marino. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Find the transcript on our website.
According to Minnesota Public Radio, it's hot girl sinkhole spring. In other words, we have a ridiculous number of potholes right now in the Twin Cities, and since we can't do anything other than wait for the hardworking folks of road repair to fix them, we made a game about the whole situation. Andy and Beth Korth join for this special Nice Games Jam!
Attributions This episode comes to us courtesy of Nice Games Club, a Minneapolis-based podcast about game development. Find more of their episodes on their website.
Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, used by permission of its creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
Game notes Prompt Ellen gave us a prompt: "Create a game about patching potholes that Gabe would have fun playing"
Game type Tabletop game
Materials Marbles Play-Doh or alternative squishyness A very complicated custom game board Road tiles of various sizes and configurations
Setup * Set up the custom game board * Distribute marbles to all players * Distribute Play-Doh to all players * Distribute road / terrain tiles to all players * Determine who will be the first player per the rules below
Rules In a nutshell, the game challenges players to roll marbles down a hill. The hill is made of road tiles, but some of the tiles are pitted with potholes. Players can use Playdoh to patch potholes in the road so the marbles will make it to the finish.
The board is a grid laid over a raised pyramid where players put down terrain. Everything starts in the center (city hall); that’s where you put the marbles so they roll down the hill. Each quadrant is a side of the pyramid, there’s some method of tiling for the player to put pieces down to determine how the marbles will travel in that area.
Turn order * Play starts with the player who most recently hit a pothole with their car or their bike. In case of a tie (as might happen if multiple players were in a car together), the younger player goes first. * Play then proceeds clockwise.
Players can take 3 actions on their turn. You can do the same action more than once. The actions are:
- Rotate the board
- Place or swap a tile
- Patch a pothole
- Drop a marble
Tiles * Each tile is worth 1, 2 or 3 victory points when marbles pass through. The rougher the tile, the more victory points it's worth. * Players also get a bit of Play-Doh to fill up potholes in the terrain. * Players have 5 tiles in their hand at any given time; as an action, they can play one, then draw back up to 5 tiles.
Rotating the board * Rotating the board happens towards the left (counterclockwise), the opposite of play order, which goes to the right (clockwise). Each rotation turns the board 90 degrees.
Scoring & dropping marbles * If a marble reaches the bottom of the hill in front of you, you get the victory points that it acquired from each tile it moved through on its journey from the top of the hill to the bottom. * You ONLY get the victory points if the marble reaches the bottom of the hill. If you drop a marble as an action, and the marble gets stuck on the way, you don't get any points from the tiles it passed through.
Winning the game * Play proceeds in 12 rounds. Each player gets one turn per round. * Play ends when the turn counter reaches zero (game starts at the start of winter, ends at the start of the next winter) * Whoever has acquired the most victory points by the end of the "year" is the winner of Pothole Run
Fun stuff to think about for the future * We have to create an extractor to get the playdoh out. * Cooperative play mode? Roles for each player? Someone who’s better at filling potholes, someone who can put more marbles down, etc. Maybe two teams?
Links * GLOM preorder through Miniature Market * GLOM preorder through GameNerdz * ✨ hot girl sinkhole spring ✨ - Minnesota Public Radio * Uptown washout leaves 8-foot-deep sinkhole in Minneapolis intersection - Tim Nelson and Kerem Yücel, Minnesota Public Radio * The Korths are back! They were first on episode #002 Steam Greenlight * Episode #102 with Beth & Andy Code Comment: "Verdant Skies" * Episode #204 with Beth & Andy Families in Games * Episode #132 with Beth Narrative Design
Transcript Read the episode transcript on our website.
Both Minneapolis and Saint Paul are conducting rezoning studies. One is focusing on missing middle housing, the other allowing business uses in more places. Let's learn more from advocates in each city!
Episode summary 00:00:00 | Intro 00:00:58 | Luke Hanson, Sustain Saint Paul 00:26:39 | Zach Wajda, Neighbors for More Neighbors 01:05:06 | Outro Resources * Sustain Saint Paul * Neighbors for More Neighbors * Minneapolis Land Use Rezoning Study * Minneapolis allowed uses chart
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was hosted by Ian R Buck, and edited by Ian and Tim Marino. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript See the transcript on our website.
At the Streets.mn Contributors' Workshop in February, managing editor Amy Gage hosted a panel titled Show and Tell, featuring several contributors ranging from newcomers to veterans. That discussion was recorded, and we are pleased to present it now on the Streets.mn Podcast feed!
Connect with us * Amy Gage * Pat Thompson * Dan Gehlten * Lisa Nelson * Ed Steinhauer * Ian R Buck
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was hosted by Amy Gage, edited and transcribed by Ian R Buck. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript See the transcript on the Streets.mn website.
What if I told you that there is a long-distance bicycling sport that encourages participants to stay together and socialize during rides? It's true!
Episode summary 00:00 | Intro 04:55 | What is randonneuring? 26:20 | Kate Ankofski 42:13 | Justin Tam 57:28 | Outro Pictures Connect with us * Minnesota Randonneurs Website * Register for April 8 Spring Conference * RUSA Permanents Finder * Email Minnesota Randonneurs
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was hosted by Ian R Buck, and edited by Ian and Tim Marino. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript See the transcript on our website.
A newly signed state law sets Minnesota on course to use 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2040. In this episode, Minnesota House Majority Leader Jamie Long describes the decisive legislating that took an ambitious climate bill from introduction to the governor’s desk in the space of one month.
Attributions This episode comes from the Volts Podcast with permission of David Roberts. Check out his show for more national coverage on moving our energy systems away from fossil fuels!
Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was transcribed by Ian R Buck. We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Transcript Read a transcript of the episode on our website.
Bicycles can be a wonderful tool for bringing people together, but that doesn't happen without somebody putting in the effort! Today we chat with Patrick Stephenson about how 30 Days of Biking and the Joyful Riders Club got started, with tips for people looking to start their own group rides.
Episode summary 00:00 | Intro 01:40 | How Patrick got into bikes 06:08 | 30DOB origins 11:44 | Fostering inclusivity 14:56 | Shifting ride themes 22:06 | Tips for starting a group ride 28:31 | Logistics of a successful group ride 35:30 | Wintertime challenges Tips for Utilitarian Cycling, Part 2 39:14 | "Final" thoughts 40:47 | How to find group rides 44:53 | Outro Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was hosted, and edited by Ian R Buck, with transcript by Tim Marino. If you're interested in helping to create the show, we're looking for people to take on transcriptions and editing for occasional episodes.
Copyright The Streets.mn Podcast is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license. Feel free to republish the episode as long as you don't alter it and you aren't profiting from it.
Join Elissa Schufman and Ruby Levine for a discussion of the novel The City & the City by China Miéville. It starts off as a murder mystery police procedural, but the themes go much deeper than that.
Connect with us * The interview mentioned in the episode * Streets.mn articles by Elissa * Ruby's profile on StoryGraph * May's book club: The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was hosted by Elissa Schufman, and was edited and transcribed by Tim Marino, who just joined the podcast team. Everybody say hi to Tim in the comments! We’re always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn.
Copyright The Streets.mn Podcast is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license. Feel free to republish the episode as long as you don't alter it and you aren't profiting from it.
The Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota works on state-wide efforts to make biking better. They have a list of priorities for this year's legislative session, and you can help them bring them about!
Episode summary 00:00 | Intro 02:50 | Bike Walk Summit 10:44 | Bill Dooley Bicycle Safety Act BikeMN legislative agenda 29:09 | Funding 34:13 | eBike subsidy 39:04 | Speed cameras 42:02 | Misc 49:36 | Outro Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was hosted, edited, and transcribed by Ian R Buck. If you're interested in helping to create the show, we're looking for people to take on transcriptions and editing for occasional episodes.
Copyright The Streets.mn Podcast is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license. Feel free to republish the episode as long as you don't alter it and you aren't profiting from it.
Today we're presenting an episode from the Active Towns podcast! They discuss the transformation of a 5,000-acre stripped-out area of iron ore mines into a gold mine of opportunity and a community-wide activity asset that supports both a culture of activity and economic vibrancy for the small towns in the area.
Episode summary 00:00 | Intro 01:00 | Cold Open 02:49 | Start of the episode 05:34 | Overview of the property 11:50 | Intro of the initial Cuyuna team 17:34 | Size of the property 19:23 | Timeline of buildout 20:42 | Economic Impact on the communities 23:37 | Cuyuna website 28:46 | Family-friendly orientation 31:00 | All abilities facilities 34:01 | Women and girl riders rock in Cuyuna 40:43 | Paddlesports and other activities 44:58 | Active culture transformation 49:21 | Final thoughts 51:57 | Outro Images Show notes Watch the video version of this episode to get the full effect.
Helpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me support the channel): – Cuyuna website – Ride The Range
Four Easy Steps to Support My Efforts: 1. Become an Active Towns Ambassador by “Buying Me a Coffee” or by pledging as little as $1 per month on Patreon 2. If you enjoyed this episode, please give it a “thumbs up,” leave a review on Apple Podcasts, and share it with a friend. 3. Subscribe to the podcast on your preferred listening platform and the Active Towns YouTube Channel 4. Pick up some Active Towns #StreetsAreForPeople Merch at my store
Credits: All video and audio production by John Simmerman
Music: Epidemic Sound
Resources used during the production of this episode: – My awesome recording platform is Ecamm – Adobe Creative Cloud Suite
For more information about my Active Towns effort or to follow along, please visit my links below: – Website – Twitter – Newsletter – Podcast landing pages – Facebook – Instagram
Background: Hi Everyone, my name is John Simmerman.
I’m a health promotion professional with over 30 years of experience and my area of concentration has evolved into a specialization of how the built environment influences human behavior related to active living and especially active mobility.
In 2012 I launched the non-profit Advocates for Healthy Communities as an effort to help promote and create healthy, active places.
Since that time, I’ve been exploring, documenting, and profiling established, emerging, and aspiring Active Towns wherever they might be, in order to produce high-quality multimedia content to help inspire the creation of more safe and inviting, environments that promote a “Culture of Activity” for “All Ages & Abilities.”
My Active Towns suite of channels feature my original video and audio content and reflections, including a selection of podcast episodes and short films profiling the positive and inspiring efforts happening around the world as I am able to experience and document them.
Thanks for tuning in; I hope you have found this content helpful.
Creative Commons License: Attributions, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives, 2022
Advocates for Healthy Communities, Inc. is a nonprofit 501c3 organization (EIN 45-3802508) dedicated to helping communities create a Culture of Activity. To donate, click here.
Cities, try this one weird trick to encourage efficient land use! We sit down with Michael Krantz from Metro Transit to dig into a study his office did on what the effects of allowing LVT in Minnesota could be.
Episode summary 00:00 | Intro 01:26 | Overview of LVT 03:58 | Encouraging better land use 09:44 | Background on the bill and study 12:44 | Outcomes of the study 16:05 | Levers of control 22:08 | Affordable housing 28:48 | How budgets and taxes are set 35:46 | LVT throughout the world 38:23 | Climate benefits 41:22 | Final thoughts 43:37 | Outro Further resources The current bill that would make Land Value Taxation possible in Minnesota.
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was hosted and edited by Ian R Buck, with transcript by Mike Allen, first of his name. Christy Marsden is our awesome guest booker, and technical assistance is provided by the super professional Brian Mitchell. If you’re able to help make sure this team gets paid for the hard work they do, please consider donating. We really appreciate it!
Copyright The Streets.mn Podcast is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license. Feel free to republish the episode as long as you don't alter it and you aren't profiting from it.
School districts are organizations that have a large potential for reducing the carbon emissions of our local communities. Let's explore some of the work that is being done in this sector and see where we can push farther!
Episode index 00:00:00 | Intro 00:02:26 | SPPS students riding public transit 00:05:34 | Erica Wacker, SPPS Director of Communications 00:26:05 | Staff Transportation Demand Management 00:29:28 | Bike bus! 00:33:34 | Jody Volk, Health Teacher at Seward Montessori 00:38:26 | Student drop-off and parking 00:41:10 | Land use 00:43:30 | Divestment: Uriah Ward, SPPS board member 00:58:01 | Solar on schools 00:59:03 | Waste reduction 01:01:25 | Outro Further resources * Solving the bus driver shortage: Streets.mn Podcast * Electrifying Minnesota school bus fleet will pay big dividends * How to start a bike bus * Seward Bike Sharks * SPPS divests from fossil fuels and private prisons + Text of fossil fuel resolution + Text of private prison resolution * Ian on Twitter
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was hosted and edited by Ian R Buck, with transcript by Mike Allen, first of his name. Christy Marsden is our awesome guest booker, and technical assistance is provided by the super professional Brian Mitchell. If you’re able to help make sure this team gets paid for the hard work they do, please consider donating. We really appreciate it!
Copyright The Streets.mn Podcast is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license. Feel free to republish the episode as long as you don't alter it and you aren't profiting from it.
Going all-in on urbanism doesn't mean you have to give up on spending time in the outdoors; in fact, many urbanists love going camping! We'll talk to a city planner about creating car-free camping opportunities, and then follow a group on a hare-brained winter bike trip to ski and camp at Afton.
Episode summary 00:00:00 | Intro 00:00:59 | Park amenities encourage different types of camping 00:09:51 | Comprehensive plans 00:18:13 | Ian's ideal urbanism 00:23:15 | TransitLink 00:27:36 | Winter ski and campout at Afton 00:33:29 | What drew you to this trip? 00:36:32 | Brief summary of the trip 00:41:11 | What was your favorite part? 00:44:20 | What was the biggest challenge? 00:50:12 | What changes to the system could have helped? 00:57:54 | Would you do it again? 01:01:06 | Outro Photos from the Afton Trip Further reading * How to ride TransitLink to Afton State Park * Ian's original bike-to-ski trip
Connect with us! * Christina on Twitter * Brian on Twitter * James on Twitter * Melissa on Twitter * Ian on Twitter
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
Unless otherwise noted, photos are by Ian R Buck.
This episode was hosted and edited by Ian R Buck, with transcript by Mike Allen, first of his name. Christy Marsden is our awesome guest booker, and technical assistance is provided by the super professional Brian Mitchell. If you’re able to help make sure this team gets paid for the hard work they do, please consider donating. We really appreciate it!
Copyright The Streets.mn Podcast is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license. Feel free to republish the episode as long as you don't alter it and you aren't profiting from it.
In our very first book club episode, Elissa Schufman and Carolyn Szczpanski discuss How to Walk by Thich Nhat Hanh. It's a short, approachable book about the practice of mindful walking.
Connect with us! * Other articles by Elissa * January's Book Club: The City & the City by China Miéville
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was hosted by Elissa Schufman and edited by Ian R Buck, with transcript by Mike Allen, first of his name. Christy Marsden is our awesome guest booker, and technical assistance is provided by the super professional Brian Mitchell. If you’re able to help make sure this team gets paid for the hard work they do, please consider donating. We really appreciate it!
Copyright The Streets.mn Podcast is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license. Feel free to republish the episode as long as you don't alter it and you aren't profiting from it.
Evie is the first municipally-owned electric car share program in the country! To find out what it's like to use the service and how it might fit into your life, we're riding along with Madi Johnson on her first Evie trip. We're also joined in the studio by James Vierling from HOURCAR to give more background about Evie.
Episode summary 00:00 | Intro 01:01 | Ian's car share story 04:16 | Madi's transportation story 10:07 | Differences between Evie and HOURCAR 14:37 | Starting our journey 17:59 | "There's nothing super futuristic about it" 18:59 | Driving to Fleet Farm 22:07 | The municipal ownership model 27:16 | The home area 33:20 | Making fewer, consolidated trips 36:52 | Strategically placing charging stations 38:15 | The car's handling 43:43 | Long distance trips 47:55 | Unloading 50:08 | Plugging in 52:26 | The invoice 54:47 | Outro Photos from the journey Connect with us! * Madi on Twitter * Ian on Twitter * Evie's website
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was hosted and edited by Ian R Buck, with transcript by the indominable Mike Allen. Christy Marsden is our awesome guest booker, and technical assistance is provided by the super professional Brian Mitchell. If you’re able to help make sure this team gets paid for the hard work they do, please consider donating. We really appreciate it!
Copyright The Streets.mn Podcast is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license. Feel free to republish the episode as long as you don't alter it and you aren't profiting from it.
Metro Transit is having trouble hiring and retaining enough bus drivers for their fleet, which has led to service cuts. In this episode, we hear what Metro Transit and the bus drivers union think needs to be done to address the shortage. We're joined in the studio by transit justice advocate Adri Jereb to discuss their takes.
Episode summary 00:00:00 | Intro 00:01:37 | Why drivers are leaving 00:05:38 | Driver safety concerns 00:14:01 | Transit ambassadors 00:21:26 | Shift schedules 00:31:12 | Employment requirements 00:41:41 | New hire conditions 00:47:03 | Wages 00:52:45 | Metro Transit’s most powerful recruitment tool 00:57:24 | A more robust system is more resilient 01:01:17 | Outro Further reading * Metro Transit ridership up this year, but continues to lag behind pre-pandemic numbers * Four Factors Driving the Bus Operator Shortage (And What to Do About Them) * America’s Bus Driver Shortage Has Left Transit Systems in Crisis
Connect with us! * Adri on Twitter * Ian on Twitter * Car-free MSP
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was hosted and edited by Ian R Buck, with transcript by the indominable Mike Allen. Christy Marsden is our awesome guest booker, and technical assistance is provided by the super professional Brian Mitchell. If you’re able to help make sure this team gets paid for the hard work they do, please consider donating. We really appreciate it!
Copyright The Streets.mn Podcast is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license. Feel free to republish the episode as long as you don't alter it and you aren't profiting from it.
This week we are joined by Crystal Sursely of Lowertown Bike Shop to talk about the essential things that everyone should know about bike maintenance.
Episode summary 00:00 | Intro 01:04 | Weekly: pump tires, lube chain 05:34 | Change a flat 11:24 | Reseat a chain 13:01 | Fenders 14:32 | Barrel adjustor 17:39 | Toolkit Video: what's in Ian's toolkit 19:49 | Winter maintenance 26:21 | Seat height 28:20 | Brakes 32:09 | When to bring a bike in 39:51 | Worn down tires 43:55 | Services a shop provides Every good bike shop should have a good dog! 55:55 | Outro Connect with us! * Lowertown Bike Shop * Crystal Sursely on Twitter * Ian R Buck on Twitter * Car-Free MSP
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode originally appeared on The Extra Dimension, a show Ian actively produced from 2015 to 2020 about the social and ethical implications of technology.
This episode was hosted and edited by Ian R Buck, with transcript by the indominable Mike Allen. Christy Marsden is our awesome guest booker, and technical assistance is provided by the super professional Brian Mitchell. If you’re able to help make sure this team gets paid for the hard work they do, please consider donating. We really appreciate it!
Copyright The Streets.mn Podcast is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license. Feel free to republish the episode as long as you don't alter it and you aren't profiting from it.
Getting started with biking on a daily basis can be an intimidating experience! This week Ian and fellow bike commuter Melody Hoffmann talk about the solutions they have developed for the challenges of utilitarian cycling. Check out part 1 for even more tips!
Episode summary 00:00 | Intro 01:20 | Looking presentable 09:37 | The weather 10:22 | Heat 12:00 | Cold 15:13 | Snow and ice 16:37 | Rain 20:33 | Far-flung destinations 25:51 | Bike touring Routes & Maps- Bicycling - MnDOTWisconsin Department of Transportation County bicycle maps 41:01 | Unsolved challenges 46:39 | Outro Connect with us! * Melody's website * Melody Hoffmann on Twitter * Ian R Buck on Twitter
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode originally appeared on The Extra Dimension, a show Ian actively produced from 2015 to 2020 about the social and ethical implications of technology.
This episode was hosted and edited by Ian R Buck, with transcript by the indominable Mike Allen. Christy Marsden is our awesome guest booker, and technical assistance is provided by the super professional Brian Mitchell. If you’re able to help make sure this team gets paid for the hard work they do, please consider donating. We really appreciate it!
Copyright The Streets.mn Podcast is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license. Feel free to republish the episode as long as you don't alter it and you aren't profiting from it.
Getting started with biking on a daily basis can be an intimidating experience! This week Ian and fellow bike commuter Melody Hoffmann talk about the solutions they have developed for the challenges of utilitarian cycling. Stay tuned for part 2 with even more tips!
Episode Summary 00:00 | Intro 04:21 | Feeling safe on your bike 18:09 | Biking within budget 27:24 | Mechanical trouble 33:20 | Security 36:14 | Hauling cargo 42:25 | Outro Connect with us! * Melody's website * Melody Hoffmann on Twitter * Ian R Buck on Twitter
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode originally appeared on The Extra Dimension, a show Ian actively produced from 2015 to 2020 about the social and ethical implications of technology.
This episode was hosted and edited by Ian R Buck, with transcript by the indominable Mike Allen. Christy Marsden is our awesome guest booker, and technical assistance is provided by the super professional Brian Mitchell. If you’re able to help make sure this team gets paid for the hard work they do, please consider donating. We really appreciate it!
Copyright The Streets.mn Podcast is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license. Feel free to republish the episode as long as you don't alter it and you aren't profiting from it.
Today we're joined by Adrianna Jereb, Transit Justice organizer at MN350, to talk about their campaign to influence the Metropolitan Council's budget to reflect the needs of transit users.
Episode summary 00:00 | Intro 04:21 | The three needs 25:51 | Levers of power 34:11 | Connections to other transportation campaigns Urban highway removal 38:44 | Organizer role 46:19 | Outro Connect with us! * Bus Rider's Budget Website * MN350 Transit Justice Team * Adrianna Jereb on Twitter * Ian R Buck on Twitter
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was hosted and edited by Ian R Buck, with transcript by the indominable Mike Allen. Christy Marsden is our awesome guest booker, and technical assistance is provided by the super professional Brian Mitchell. If you’re able to help make sure this team gets paid for the hard work they do, please consider donating. We really appreciate it!
Copyright The Streets.mn Podcast is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license. Feel free to republish the episode as long as you don't alter it and you aren't profiting from it.
This week we're joined by Brian Nelson, President of All Aboard Minnesota, to chat about the current status of passenger rail projects in Minnesota.
Episode Summary 00:00 | Intro 00:53 | Legislative update 33:25 | Rail termini in the Twin Cities 50:10 | Outro Connect with us! * All Aboard Minnesota website * Video: Why Passenger Rail is Good for Minnesota * Ian R Buck on Twitter
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was hosted and edited by Ian R Buck, with transcript by Mike Allen. Christy Marsden is our awesome guest booker, and technical assistance is provided by Brian Mitchell. If you’re able to help make sure this team gets paid for the hard work they do, please consider donating. We really appreciate it!
Copyright The Streets.mn Podcast is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license. Feel free to republish the episode as long as you don't alter it and you aren't profiting from it.
The movement to remove highways from our cities is having a bit of a moment right now! Let's learn about why we would want to remove highways, and dive into a few such projects happening in Minnesota.
Episode Summary 00:00 | Intro 01:04 | Background on urban highway removal Toole Design 17:09 | I-94 & MN-55 in the Twin Cities * Twin Cities Boulevard * Bring Back 6th
40:30 | I-35 in Duluth Duluth Waterfront Collective 59:48 | Outro Connect with us! * Ian Lockwood on Twitter * Alex Burns on Twitter * Jose Antonio's website * Jordan on Twitter * Ian R Buck on Twitter
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was hosted and edited by Ian R Buck, with transcript by Mike Allen. Christy Marsden is our awesome guest booker, and technical assistance is provided by Brian Mitchell. If you’re able to help make sure this team gets paid for the hard work they do, please consider donating. We really appreciate it!
Copyright The Streets.mn Podcast is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license. Feel free to republish the episode as long as you don't alter it and you aren't profiting from it.
Janne wrote an article that got a lot of attention, so Ian sat down with her to chat about the data that led to the article, the policies that got us here, and what the responses to the article have been. Episode Summary 00:00 | Intro Janne's original article 00:44 | The Data 29:07 | City Policies Janne's Twitter thread about city policies Article on Reason about the overemphasis of eliminating single-family zoning 40:43 | House Flipping 50:24 | Outro Connect with us! * Janne on Twitter * Ian on Twitter
Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band The Urban Hillbilly Quartet on their website.
This episode was hosted and edited by Ian R Buck, with transcript by Mike Allen. Christy Marsden is our awesome guest booker, and technical assistance is provided by Brian Mitchell. If you’re able to help make sure this team gets paid for the hard work they do, please consider donating. We really appreciate it!
Copyright The Streets.mn Podcast is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license. Feel free to republish the episode as long as you don't alter it and you aren't profiting from it.
We're relaunching the Streets.mn podcast! We've got all kinds of good audio content about transportation and land use in Minnesota planned for you, including: interviews with folks working on cool projects, behind-the-article looks at Streets.mn posts, field trips, and interactive segments. If you'd like to help make the show, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn
Look for us in your favorite podcast player, on Streets.mn, or via RSS feed.
Trailer music: Happy Alley by Kevin MacLeod.