721: Jim Burke, part 1: The Most Beautiful Street in New York City?

After reading about 34th Avenue in Queens and watching the video linked below, I had to ride to see it. Over a mile of a once congested street was transformed into safer, quieter places people enjoyed, especially kids. There are three schools along the route. The kids can come out and play.

I met Jim there, felt inspired to do something similar near me, and invited him to the podcast. He talks about what made it possible, what's happened since it started, resistance, celebration, and more.

After we recorded, we walked around my neighborhood and he showed what streets would work best to start the program with. I'm already starting to act.

Before we overbuilt streets for cars, people did fine without cars. Once built, people adjusted their lives, forgot how things worked before, and claim they have no choice to drive. They act like this privilege and addiction helps the poor it impoverishes or people who can't walk everywhere whom it traps.

The answer is to change our environment so cars aren't so necessary. People can adjust back.

Please listen to my episode with Jason Slaughter of the video series Not Just Bikes for more advanced city changes. The U.S. is sorely lagging.

• Queens’ 34th Avenue Shows What Open Streets Can Do for People
• 34th Avenue Oral History on Jim Burke
• Designing Open Streets video

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