How Sustainable Transportation Can Help End the Affordability Crisis — And Help Climate Champions Win

How Sustainable Transportation Can Help End the Affordability Crisis — And Help Climate Champions Win

Author: StreetsblogUSA May 19, 2026 Duration: 27:43

Affordability is the buzzword in American politics — and when it comes to transportation affordability, the policies that would give the most families the most immediate relief would also do the most to address the climate crisis.

So why aren't things like fast, free buses, better connected sidewalks, and quick-build bike lanes sitting front and center of every politician's platform? And if they were, could it help climate champions across the country finally take power? 

Today on The Brake, we speak to Emmett Hopkins, transportation policy manager for the Climate and Community Institute, and one of the authors of a new report called Stop Greed, Build Green. Hopkins breaks down an agenda that could help save the planet and end the income inequality crisis — and why "Green Economic Populism" is so different than the predatory breed of populism that's claimed Washington right now, or the flawed "Bidenomic" approach that proceeded it. 


You hear a lot about electric cars and futuristic transit, but what about the fundamental shift required to build cities where driving isn't a daily necessity? That's the terrain explored on The Brake: A Streetsblog Podcast. Hosted by the team at StreetsblogUSA, this series moves beyond the headlines to engage with the activists, planners, writers, and community members who are actively reimagining American streets. Each conversation digs into the real-world work of dismantling car dependency, examining the policy choices, cultural norms, and historical decisions that got us here. The discussions are grounded in the intersecting categories of society, commentary, culture, and news, offering a nuanced lens on everything from bike lane debates and public transit equity to the subtle ways our built environment shapes daily life. This isn't just a technical talk about infrastructure; it's about the human stories and the political movement fighting for safer, more connected, and less congested communities. Tune in for a podcast that acts as a vital pit stop for understanding the complex, often frustrating, but ultimately hopeful push to take our foot off the gas and build a different future.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Brake: A Streetsblog Podcast
Podcast Episodes
How Media and Culture Contribute to Traffic Violence (Myron Levin) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:15
How does our popular media normalize dangerous behavior on our roads — and does it even help create it? Today on The Brake, we're talking about the role of culture in driving our road violence crisis, including car ads t…
Does 'Vision Zero' Need a Reset? (David Harkey) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:11
Cities across America have been trying — and mostly failing — to achieve Vision Zero for more than a decade. But is it really time to trade the goal of ending road deaths and serious injuries for the aim of reducing them…
What's Missing From the 'Safe Systems' Approach (Roger Millar) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:03
If you've been following Streetsblog for a while, you might have heard of famed planner/engineer/all-around transportation superstar Roger Millar, not least for his recent leadership as the head of the Washington state D…
When You Can't Drive in America's Hottest City (Mayor Kate Gallego) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:43
More than a decade ago, Kate Gallego had a seizure that temporarily cost her the ability to drive – and opened her eyes to the difficulty of getting around her city of Phoenix, Arizona without a car. Now, in her third te…
How to Build a Car-Light Neighborhood From Scratch — Even in Texas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:10
Across America, a new class of developers are building car-free neighborhoods from scratch — or at least, they're building places where residents don't need to drive quite as much as their suburban neighbors. But can the…