The Rail~Volution Podcast

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Welcome to the Rail~Volution Podcast. Rail~Volution is a network and an annual conference focused on ways that communities leverage major transit investments (including rail, bus rapid transit, bus, as well as bicycling walking, sharing and emerging options) to connect people with employers and neighborhoods. With the Rail~Volution Podcast, we're delving deeper into aspects of building livable communities, with special focus on equity and community participation.

Rail~Volution


    • Jan 16, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 45m AVG DURATION
    • 88 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Rail~Volution Podcast

    Episode 87: The Cognitive Experience of a Transit User

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2025 50:50


    This month on the Mpact podcast we're joined by Ren Yee of UN Studio at the Mpact Transit + Community conference in Philadelphia.  We chat about the cognitive workload of pedestrians and creating safe opportunities for mind wandering and absorbing information.   This episode of the Mpact Podcast features a conversation with architect and urban designer Renn Yee, from UN Studio in Amsterdam.  We sat down with him at last fall's Mpact Transit + Community conference in Philadelphia, where he was part of a session on Using Human Behavior to Inform Transit Decisions.  On the podcast, he talks about using cognitive mapping tools to understand how people experience transit spaces in order to make them better.  We start with a little background about Ren Yee, then get into human-centered design of transit spaces. Along the way you'll hear about mind wandering, the horn effect, and using virtual reality to pre-design transit spaces.  And, heads up: If you'd like to be a speaker at this year's Mpact Transit + Community conference in Portland, the Call for Speakers opens February 19.  For more information on Mpact or the annual conference, visit http://mpactmobility.org

    Episode 86: Preserving Missing Middle Neighborhoods

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2024 55:26


    This month on the Mpact podcast we're going back to the Mpact Transit + Community conference in Philadelphia to hear about proven approaches to saving naturally occurring affordable housing. From tangled title to home repair, ULI Philadelphia's Kevin Moran leads a local panel. Moderator: Kevin Moran, Executive Director, Urban Land Institute (ULI), Philadelphia, PA Nikil Saval, State Senator, District 1, Pennsylvania State Senate, Philadelphia, PA Jamie Gauthier, Councilmember, District 3, Philadelphia City Council, Philadelphia, PA James Leonard, Commissioner, Department of Records, City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA Find out more at http://mpactmobility.org  

    Episode 85: TOD and Affordable Commercial

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2024 53:40


    This month on the Mpact Podcast we're joined by Ryan Kelley, Community development Manager for Hennepin County in Minnesota. Ryan chats with us about the county's transit-oriented communities program and how they support commercial aid and affordability. For more information, visit http://mpactmobility.org  

    Episode 84: Wins and Co-benefits from Climate Work

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2024 45:16


    This month on the Mpact podcast we're listening in on a 1 to 1 conversation between HNTB's Julie Eaton Ernst and Cris Liban, Sustainability Officer for LA Metro.  They chat about the co-benefits of transportation, the evolution of the definition of transportation, and making change in small steps. To find out more about Mpact's work or the annual conference, visit http://mpactmobility.org  

    Episode 83: Advancing Active Transportation in the Delaware Valley

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2024 55:42


    This month on the Mpact podcast we're joined by Cassidy Boulan and Thom Stead of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. We chat about their work in Philadelphia, Trenton, and greater New Jersey related to complete streets and creating safe infrastructure for biking. To find out more about Mpact, visit http://mpactmobility.org  

    Episode 82: Cities and E-Scooters: The Portland Approach

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 11, 2024 64:02


    This month on the Mpact podcast we're joined by Dylan Rivera and Jacob Sherman of the Portland Bureau of Transportation to discuss micromobility. We chat about the importance of cities regulating access to transportation markets, importance of bike infrastructure, and alternatives to a parking pass. Link to Portland's E-Scooter Program - PBOT Portland Scooter Data - PBOT For more information, visit http://mpactmobility.org  

    Episode 81: Transit to the Great Outdoors

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2024 49:30


    This month on the Mpact Podcast we have a conversation moderated by Corrie Parrish of Kittleson Associates with Andrea Breault of Cascades East Transit and Amy Schlappi of Hood River County Transportation District discussing Transit service to the Great Outdoors. For more information, visit http://mpactmobility.org  

    Episode 80: Post-Peaky Transit

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2024 51:31


    This month on the Mpact podcast we're chatting with Tracy Hadden Loh of Brookings about impacts of the pandemic on downtowns, activity centers, and transit usage. We chat about creating activity center cluster maps and a recent report entitled Building Better on Philadelphia. Building Better - Brookings Mapping Activity Centers - Brookings For more information, visit http://mpactmobility.org  

    Episode 79: A New Model for Public Housing at Sun Valley

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2024 57:21


    This month on the Mpact Podcast we're joined by Erin Clark, Chief Real Estate Investment Officer of the Denver Housing Authority. We chat about the redevelopment of Sun Valley, a public housing project built in the 1950s that is being reinvigorated by new investments in public housing, parks, and community.   To find out more about Mpact, visit http://mpactmobility.org For more on Sun Valley: http://denverhousing.org http://thrivedenverliving.com http://greenhausdenverliving.com  

    Episode 78: Culture Change in Cleveland

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2024 52:59


    This month on the Mpact podcast we're featuring a one to one conversation featuring Billy Terry, Executive Director of the National Transit Institute at Rutgers University, and India Birdsong Terry, General Manager and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority. For more information, visit http://mpactmobility.org  

    Episode 77: Public Sentiment and Public Transit

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2024 44:52


    This month on the Mpact podcast, Adelee Le Grand of Intellectual Concepts is joined by Scott Wilkinson of AlphaVu for a 1 on 1 conversation. They chat about how transit agencies can get a better handle on how riders and non-riders alike feel about their service.   For more information on the annual conference or resources, visit http://mpactmobility.org  

    Episode 76: Displacement is More than Housing

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2024 55:16


    This month on the Mpact podcast we're joined by Dr. Kathryn Howell, Director of the National Center for Smart Growth at the University of Maryland. We talk about her daily e-bike commute, organizing around the Purple Line, the importance of eviction data, and commercial displacement. For more information visit http://Mpactmobility.org

    Episode 75: Health in All Places

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2023 35:42


    This month on the Mpact Podcast we're at the 2023 Mpact Conference in Phoenix Arizona.  Jon Ford of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco leads a panel discussing the connections between transportation, housing, and public health. Moderator: Jon Ford, Senior Regional Field Manager, Community Development, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA | Jason Foster, President and Chief Operating Officer, Destination Crenshaw, Los Angeles, CA | Debarati “Mimi” Majumdar Narayan, Ph.D., Officer, Health Programs, Pew Charitable Trusts, Washington, DC | John Vu, Vice President of Strategy for Community Health, Kaiser Permanente, Berkeley, CA

    Episode 74: Downtown or Not Downtown

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2023 59:41


    This month on the Mpact podcast, we're at the closing plenary of the Mpact Transit & Mobility conference in Phoenix. Christopher Coes, Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy at USDOT moderates a panel of experts discussing the evolution of downtowns.  Learn more about Mpact and the annual conference at http://mpactmobility.org Moderator: Christopher Coes, Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy, Office of the Secretary, USDOT, Washington, DC Karen Chapple, Ph.D., Director, School of Cities, University of  Toronto / Professor, Department of Geography & Planning, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Nichol Bordeaux, Chief Planning and Engagement Officer, Utah Transit Authority, Salt Lake City, UT Dee Brewer, Executive Director, Downtown Alliance, Salt Lake City, UT Emeke Moneme, President, Capitol Riverfront, Washington, DC Ryan Johnson, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Culdesac, Tempe, AZ

    Episode 73: Older Adults and Climate Emergencies

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2023 44:35


    This month on the MPact podcast we're joined by Danielle Arigoni, Managing Director for Policy and Solutions at The National Housing Trust.  We chat about Danielle's new book Climate Resilience for an Aging Nation and housing policy that benefits everyone. For more information about Mpact or the annual conference, visit http://mpactmobility.org  

    Episode 72: Leveraging TOD at BART

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2023 38:49


    This month on the Mpact podcast we're joined by Abby Thorne-Lyman, Director of Real Estate and Property Development at BART.  We talk about BART's development projects and priorities, and the importance of real estate to BART's future. For more information on the Mpact Transit and Livability conference, visit http://mpactmobility.org  

    Episode 71: Developing with Creativity

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2023 44:35


    This month on the Mpact Podcast we're joined by Phoenix community builder Tim Sprague. We chat about supporting local culture through development projects and the importance of sustainable development. For more information, visit http://mpactmobility.org  

    Episode 70: Do It for the Neighborhood Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2023 41:15


    This month on the Mpact podcast we're listening in on part 2 of a one to one conversation between David Longoria of LISC in Phoenix, and Ryan Winkle from RAIL CDC.  The two of them discuss the community work they are doing in Mesa and the impact their work has on local businesses. For more information about Mpact, visit http://mpactmobility.org  

    Episode 69: Do It for the Neighborhood Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2023 47:38


    This month on the Mpact podcast we're listening in on a one to one conversation between David Longoria of LISC in Phoenix, and Ryan Winkle from RAIL CDC.  The two of them discuss the community work they are doing in Mesa, what it takes to earn trust, and getting positive results. To find out more, visit http://Mpactmobility.org  

    Episode 68: Micromobility and Access

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2023 52:40


    This month on the Mpact podcast, we're joined by Hussain Mahfouz of Transport for Cairo and Adham Kalila of Streetlight Data to talk about their new report created for NUMO All Possible Commutes: How Micromobility and Realistic Car Travel Times Impact Accessibility Analysis. We learn about measuring car travel more accurately, how micromobility can improve accessibility, and a bit about transportation in the Cairo metro region. For more information about programs or the annual conference, visit Mpact

    Episode 67: Building Statewide Wins for Housing and Climate

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2023 44:14


    Today on the Mpact podcast we're chatting with Alex Brennan, Executive Director of Futurewise in Washington State. We chat about this most recent legislative session and bills on missing middle housing, climate change, and TOD. We chat about the important topics affecting Washington State, building coalitions to pass legislation, and the type of effort need to sustain a campaign. For more information, visit http://mpactmobility.org  

    Episode 66: Women Who Ride Transit

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2023 52:01


    This month on the Mpact podcast we're chatting with Meghna Khanna of LA Metro and Scarlett DeLeon of the Alliance for Community Transit LA about women who ride transit.  We talk about LA Metro's first of its kind Gender Action Plan and ACT LA's Metro as Sanctuary report.   For more information, visit Mpact's website.

    Episode 65: Caretakers of the Public Realm

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2023 50:08


    This month on the MPACT podcast we're joined by Andrew Jones, Program director for the Uptown and Downtown Oakland Community Benefits District. We chat about urban place management, how urban spaces are taken care of, and what it takes to keep them vibrant and engaging.  Also the call for speakers is now open! Put in your proposal for Phoenix today!    

    Episode 64: A County Voice for Transit

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2023 36:02


    This month on the MPact podcast we are back at the Rail~Volution conference in Miami last fall.  We chat with Commissioner Eileen Higgins about the South Dade Busway, the importance of FTA ratings in getting projects built, and why she thinks it's important as an elected official to ride transit.   For more information visit http://mpactmobility.org  

    Episode 63: Homelessness and Public Transportation

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2023 54:18


    This month on the MPact podcast, we're going back to Railvolution Miami for the Tuesday plenary. Daniel Gibson moderates a panel featuring LA Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins, SEPTA CEO Leslie Richards, and Diana Stanley, CEO of homeless services provider The Lord's Place to talk about homelessness and public transportation. For more information, visit MPactmobility.org  

    Episode 62: Community Centered Transit with Tamika Butler

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2022 34:33


    This month on the MPact podcast we're going back to Miami for the closing conference plenary featuring the amazing Tamika Butler. Tamika discusses community centered transit, equity, and thinking about who we're actually planning for. Find out more about MPact at http://mpactmobility.org  

    Episode 61: Building Resilience

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2022 43:26


    This month on the Rail~Volution podcast we're going to the Monday morning plenary at this year's conference in Miami.  We have a panel on Building Resilience in Miami and Across the Country hosted by NRDC Chief Climate Strategist Shelley Poticha will feature Miami Chief Heat Officer Jane Gilbert, Former Director, Environment & Sustainability Department, City of Miami Beach Elizabeth Wheaton, and the North American Regional Director of the Resilient Cities Network Laurian Farrell.    For more information, visit http://railvolution.org

    Episode 60: Bike to Bus in Detroit

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2022 43:55


    This month on the Railvolution podcast we're joined by Jacob Graham, a Program Manager for MoGo Bike Share in Detroit. Jacob chats with us about how the system works in Detroit, how bike share riders and bus riders coincide, the benefits of E-Bikes, and coordination with other organizations. For more information about Rail~Volution visit the conference page!

    Episode 59: A New World of Transportation Demand Management

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2022 55:29


    This month on The Rail~volution Podcast Tien-Tien Chan of Nelson Nygaard and Jessica Roberts of Alta Planning and Design join the show to talk about Transportation Demand Management or TDM. Tien-Tien and Jessica discuss how TDM acts as the soft side of transportation and the flipside of infrastructure and the different types of programs are employed. Find out more about the podcast and the conference at http://railvolution.org  

    Episode 58: The Evolution of Broward County

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2022 55:34


    This month on the Rail~Volution podcast, Broward MPO Executive Director Greg Stuart joins the show to talk about the history of Broward County, it's connections to the rest of South Florida, the historic MAPS transportation plan, and how they are dealing with potential sea level rise and impacts of the pandemic.

    Replay: Episode 29 - Resiliency in South Florida

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2022 44:04


    Today on the podcast we're going back in time to a discussion we had with Jim Murley, Chief Resilience Officer for Miami Dade County, about resiliency in south florida. Jim talks about climate change, sea level rise, and how South East Florida is responding with policy and planning. The podcast was first released in June 2020. The Rail~Volution conference, originally scheduled for fall 2020, was rescheduled for 2022 due to the pandemic. Rail~Volution Miami is finally happening this October of 2022, so we wanted to bring resiliency top of mind as that will also be a focus of one of the plenaries at the conference. For more about the conference in Miami and to sign up to attend, visit Railvolution.

    Episode 57: Transit Stop Transformation

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2022 52:28


    This month on the RailVolution podcast Kim Cella of Citizens for Modern Transit and Sheila Holm of AARP discuss how they are transforming transit stops in St. Louis. We chat about how they involve the community, engage transit operators, and bring life to grey spaces.   For more more information visit http://railvolution.org  

    Episode 56: Inside the Phoenix TOD Community Plan

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2022 61:04


    This month on the Railvolution podcast… we're listening in on a 1 to 1 conversation between City of Phoenix planner Elias Valencia, and community champion Victor Vidales. Elias and Victor talk about the process of creating the South Central TOD Community Plan and what it takes to create strategies that empower neighborhoods and reduce displacement. For more information, visit http://railvolution.org  

    Episode 55: Portrait of a Developer

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2022 55:37


    This month on the RailVolution podcast we're having a 1 to 1 conversation between Developer Johnny Opara of JO Companies and Lea Hargett, Principal of JOG Associates. They talk about LISC's Capacity Building programs that support developers of color, why Johnny got into development, and some of the barriers people of color face in the market which includes the many different types of capital.

    Episode 54: Mode Shift for Federal Funding

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2022 50:47


    This month on the Rail~Volution podcast we're joined by Harriet Tregoning, Director at NUMO, and Yonah Freemark, a senior research associate at the Urban Institute to talk about their report, Charting Out a Next-Generation, Place-Based Federal Transportation Policy. We talk what needs to change about federal policy and the entities that need to pursue it.

    Episode 53: A New Conversation about Transit in Durham

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2022 54:23


    This month on the railvolution podcast we're featuring a 1 to 1 conversation between Aidil Ortiz, Principal at Aidilisms and MaryKate Morookian, a transit planner at Kimley Horn. Aidil and MaryKate discuss the Durham Transit Plan and how they approached public engagement while centering the community in the process.

    Episode 52: Climate Friendly Neighborhoods

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2022 54:43


    This month on the Rail~volution podcast we're joined by Adie Tomer from Brookings to talk about how transit oriented development and active transportation play into climate strategies over the long term. We talk about mitigation versus adaptation strategies and what solutions work best for each.

    Episode 51: A Grassroots Bus Network Redesign

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2022 52:39


    This month on the Railvolution podcast, we are featuring a one to one conversation between Carlos Cruz-Casas, Assistant Director, Department of Transportation and Public Works for Miami Dade County, and Grace Perdomo, Executive Director of Transit Alliance. Grace and Carlos chat about the Better Bus Project, an advocacy-led community driven redesign of the Miami-Dade bus network.

    Episode 50: Leading the Charge for Policy Change

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2021 59:09


    This month on the Rail~Volution podcast, we're back at this fall's virtual conference.  Former BART GM Grace Crunican moderates a panel discussing the role of board members in transit agencies with Boston's Monica Tibbits-Nutt and Houston's Christof Spieler.

    charge policy change christof spieler rail volution
    Episode 49: Growing Transit Systems for a New World

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2021 63:29


    This month on the Rail~Volution podcast, we're at the 2021 Virtual Railvolution conference.  Adelee Le Grand, CEO of the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit System in Tampa moderates a panel featuring Debra Johnson, GM and CEO of RTD in Denver and Peter Rogoff, CEO of Sound Transit in Seattle.

    Episode 48: Bringing Joy with Transit and TOD

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2021 43:43


    This month on the Rail~Volution podcast, we're joined by staff from MARTA in Atlanta for a 1 on 1 conversation. Collie Greenwood, Deputy General Manager, and Jacob Vallo, Senior Director of TOD, Real Estate, and Art in Transit … talk with each other about the agency's bus network redesign and their TOD program.

    Episode 47: The Community Knows What They Want

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2021 42:06


    This month on the Railvolution podcast we're joined by Duncan Hwong, Interim Co-Director of the Asian Pacific Network of Oregon and Gauri Rajbaidya, architect and senior associate at SERA. They chat with us about community driven development in Portland's Jade District and how it's connected to the rest of the region.

    Episode 46: New Solutions to New Challenges

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2021 37:59


    This week on the RailVolution Podcast we're joined by the new Rail~volution CEO Tamar Shapiro.  We chat about her previous work at in cities and transportation, how to better measure transportation success and the transportation parades at German soccer stadiums.

    Episode 45: No More Transit Hunger Games

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2021 53:09


    This month on The Railvolution Podcast we're featuring a 1 to 1 conversation between Dan Baer, Senior Vice President at WSP USA and Kevin Corbett, President and CEO of New Jersey Transit.  Dan and Kevin talk about New Jersey transit's response to the pandemic, transit oriented development,  bus electrification and much much more.

    Episode 44: Rethinking City Transportation

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2021 47:42


    On this month's episode of the Rail~Volution podcast, we're chatting with Chris Puchalsky and Andrew Simpson of the Philadelphia Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability.  We talk about the The Philadelphia Transit Plan, regional rail, and agency coordination.

    Episode 43: Coordinating Better Transit

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2021 39:40


    On this month's episode of the Railvolution podcast we're joined by Robert del Rosario, Director of Service Development for AC Transit in Oakland and the East Bay California.  Robert talks about agency coordination during the pandemic, what's needed to get riders coming back, and what sustainable revenue might look like going forward.

    Episode 42: A Framework for Inclusive Healthy Places

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2021 43:51


    This month on the Rail~Volution podcast we're joined by Sharon Roerty, Senior Program Officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Maki Kawaguchi, a Director at Gehl to talk about the Inclusive Healthy Places Framework.  Sharon and Maki talk about the importance of creating spaces that bring dignity to all users, the importance of evaluating existing spaces, and creating a data driven and people first approach to creating inclusive healthy places. Follow us on twitter @railvolution Find out more at http://railvolution.org  

    Episode 41: A New Conversation about Development Finance

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2021 51:03


    This month on the Railvolution Podcast I’m joined by Dan Nissenbaum, CEO of the Low Income Investment Fund.  We chat with Dan about Liif’s many different projects including early childhood education and housing,  and how to connect transportation to community development.

    Episode 40: Open Source Electric Bus

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2021 29:58


    On this episode of the Rail~Volution podcast, we’re talking again about bus electrification.  Erica Eggleton of the University of Washington joins us to chat about her work on Route Dynamics, an open source program that estimates the energy demand for electric bus routes run by King County Metro.

    Episode 39: Electric Bus Opportunities and Barriers

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2021 38:54


    This week, we’re joined by Camron Gorguinpour, Director of Mobility Solutions for ENGIE Impact . We talk about Shenzhen’s 16,000 electric buses and what world cities can learn positive and negative from their implementation. Gorguinpour also discusses infrastructure needs for electric bus operations at a fleet level, the impact of street maintenance, and procurement and implementation issues.

    Episode 38: Latina Leaders in Transit

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2021 43:14


    On this month’s episode of the Rail~Volution podcast, Angie Rivera Mal-pied-e, Board Chair of the Regional Transportation District in Denver talks with Cindy Chavez, Former Board Chair of the VTA and Current Santa Clara County Supervisor.  These two Latina leaders chat about leadership and getting communities involved in transportation. 

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