How to Take a Freeway Fight to the Next Level (Alex Burns and José Antonio Zayas Cabán)

How to Take a Freeway Fight to the Next Level (Alex Burns and José Antonio Zayas Cabán)

Author: StreetsblogUSA August 15, 2023 Duration: 25:55

Federal transportation leaders are doling out billions of dollars to reconnect communities torn apart by highways. How exactly they should do it, though, is a matter of fierce debate — and some advocates say that even the most radical solutions aren't radical at all when seen through the lens of the radical harm that racialized and low-income communities are still enduring. 

On today's epsiode of "The Brake," we sit down with Alex Burns and José Antonio Zayas Cabán of the nonprofit Our Street Minneapolis to talk about why they're fighting to turn two highways in their region  into boulevards, and why they don't accept "band-aid" compromises like pedestrian bridges and cap-and-cover projects. And along the way, they share some wisdom on how other advocates can encourage their own communities to dream bigger. 



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: 89

The Brake: A Streetsblog Podcast
Podcast Episodes
How to Fight a Texas-Sized Freeway Battle (Megan Kimble) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:38
Across the country, grassroots advocates are fighting a David-and-Goliath-style battle against massive, powerful departments of transportation who are attempting to widen highways in their neighborhoods. And in her new b…
How Many People Does Car Culture Kill, Exactly? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:27
Sustainable transportation advocates know all the stats about how many people die in car crashes on global roads every year. But what about all the deaths and injuries that car culture causes — not to mention all the oth…
Why 'Bike-partisanship' Is Our Secret Weapon (Rep. Earl Blumenauer) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:30
As co-founder of the Congressional Bike Caucus Rep. Earl Blumaneuer (D - Ore.) has long been one of Washington's most staunch advocates for sustainable transportation — not least during the writing of the Bipartisan Infr…