TODERIAN UrbanWORKS Inc. (TUW)

“What defines Vancouver is a strong ethic of sustainability, inclusivity, and hopefully social and environmental responsibility. So we didn’t set out to wow the world with starchitects and world-class architecture that we may or may not be able to use in the future.” — @brenttoderian.bsky.social

The economic benefit is there for the taking. Cities struggling with deficits (like San Diego) can offset road maintenance and health burdens with this one simple trick, make it safe enough for people to choose to bike.

One of the things I love about visiting family in NL is that, while there is not one square meter of that country that has not been engineered by humans, and my dutch family complain "it's so crowded", it's still livable, textured and beautiful.

If you want to help make cities better, listen to this interview with Brent Toderian (@brenttoderian.bsky.social).

Not only is he a veteran city planner, he’s got his head on straight about communication, advocacy, and making critical change happen effectively.

I also recommend this for anybody who has an interest in safety or security. The basic ideas talked about are relevant in any field where you want to build a system that is resilient to human error. I'm in cyber security and found it very relevant to my mindset.

This is the way. I took a media literacy course my freshman year of college as a lark and it turned out to be the best and most important class I ever took.

I began living car-free as a month-to-month experiment over eighteen years ago. Feel free to ask me questions about it.

It is almost like cutting down/calming car trafic is more efficient solution then self-driving cars

As Tokyo-based urbanist I recommend it．Think of it as coffee-table companion to Jacobs’ Death＆Life．Only wish they'd made the connection more explicit—after all，Jane reminded us that「cities have the capability of providing something for everybody，only because，＆only when，they're created by everybody.」

Cover of “Killed By A Traffic Engineer.”

This book is potentially one of the most important to come out for better cities in a long time, so of course its in the #UrbanismBookClub — “Killed By A Traffic Engineer: Shattering The Delusion That Science Underlies Our Transportation System,” by @wesmars.bsky.social @islandpress.bsky.social. 9/

Stalking your #UrbanismBookClub hashtag for gift ideas for my budding urban designer about to go to college age kid, @brenttoderian.bsky.social — thank you!

So far I have Shade, Messy Cities, and the 15-Minute City. Now looking for something great about transit since he’s so into that too.

Greenland veterans of the Danish Armed Forces who fought with US troops in Afghanistan hold a silent vigil outside the US Consulate in Nuuk to protest the disrespectful treatment of Danish veterans by Trump and his ambassador to Denmark.

They tried intimidation. Minnesota answered with people.

Some great insights in this podcast. I love the 5 (or is it 6) steps to making a better city. But, the steps more generally applicable to any change management question.

Attention #UrbanismBookClub lovers! My friend @jaypitter.bsky.social’s really important new book “Black Public Joy” is out there for purchasing! Congratulations Jay! I encourage everyone seeing this to check the book out and help spread the word. It frankly couldn’t be more timely. #BlackPublicJoy

This is why we can start building “car light” homes and n’hoods.

Paris said au revoir to cars. Air pollution maps reveal a dramatic change. Air pollution fell substantially as the city restricted car traffic and made way for parks and bike lanes.

“Air pollution fell substantially as Paris restricted car traffic and made way for parks, people-streets and bike-lanes.”

Better for the climate, better for health, better for livability and quality of life.

Common sense.

Such a no-brainer, it’s remarkable that more cities HAVEN’T done the same.

Amazing! Great to have this endorsement.

Just finished "Life After Cars" this weekend--lots of great, practical advice along with rigorously documented theory and history! A very worthwhile read.

One mile on a bike is a $.42 economic gain to society, one mile driving is a $.20 loss Copenhagen, the bicycle-friendliest place on the planet, publishes a biannual Bicycle Account, and buried in its pages is a rather astonishing fact.

“One mile on a bike is a $.42 economic gain to society, one mile driving is a $.20 loss.”

“Which means that Copenhagen, a city of 1.2 million people, saves $357 million a year on health costs because something like 80% of its population commutes by bike.” #CityMakingMath

Some costs aren’t costs.

This is crazy. These are just regular people out here, wearing snow goggles and gas masks, holding cardboard signs telling ICE to GTFO of MN as federal agents spray tear gas and set off flash bangs or whatever the hell those booms are.

More people rolling out trash cans, and now couches.

People are definitely setting up a barricade of trash cans and this couch, in the middle of the street where ICE is.

"That's my couch," said a woman standing nearby. "It's been on my porch for four years because it won't fit up the stairs. My neighbor will be pleased it's gone now."

This is a quite remarkable speech - few recent world leaders have spoken with such frankness & clarity.
Such a sharp contrast to the fawning mumble & mush that dominates the forelock-tugging ‘narrative’ to broken 🇺🇸 in Aust.
Carney says wake up world - nostalgia no way forward!

Pic of the book cover, published by @islandpress.Bsky.social

I’m VERY happy that @carterlavin.bsky.social has written “If You Want To Win, You Have To Fight: A Guide To Effective Transportation Advocacy,” because books on how to actually change things are TOO RARE. I admit though that I haven’t had a chance to read it yet — have others? #UrbanismBookClub 7/

What the world can learn from Copenhagen’s cycling revolution Close to two-thirds of the city’s residents commute by bike to school or work every day.

“When mayors in other cities ask me how #Copenhagen afforded to invest in its cycling networks, I ask them how on earth they have been able to afford highway projects. We invested in bike lanes because that was the cheapest option.”

What the world can learn from Copenhagen’s cycling revolution.

Minnesota is the best of us.

💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙
Minneapolis wow. 💪🏼

Street side electric vehicles being charged

Multi-modal street along Toronto’s harbourfront.

All these things are true:

Electric vehicles ARE better than ICE vehicles, despite their issues.

When vehicles get “better,” too often people buy BIGGER vehicles & drive even more.

EV’s still pollute, take too much space, lead to too many deaths etc

Fewer cars, less driving is the REAL solution.

Thank you, Brent!

Emergent Tokyo is an excellent book. It was the subject of a recent Econ Talk podcast, too.