The War on Cars

Tony Kushner, Pulitzer-winning playwright behind Angels in America and film collaborator with Spielberg, reflects on The Pushcart War and its formative impact on him. He discusses adapting the book, its Large Object theory and modern parallels, tactics of small-scale resistance, the politics of public space, and visions of streets reclaimed for people rather than machines.

Hue-Tam Jamme, researcher exploring urban planning and car-free communities. Deborah Salon, urban planning researcher studying predictors of car-free interest. Nicole Corcoran, researcher analyzing urban and suburban attitudes toward car-free living. They discuss a survey showing strong and potential interest in car-free lifestyles. They consider who is open to car-free living, where it is feasible, and what policy and market changes could enable more car-free choices.

A lively tour recap from Miami to Phoenix that highlights surprising city contrasts. Snow's hush exposes how much street space is really used to store private cars. Listeners hear about parking chaos during storms, sidewalk clearing duties, and how snowed-in vehicles reveal real driving patterns. The conversation teases policy choices like limiting or pricing on-street parking.

Brent Toderian, veteran city planner who led Vancouver’s transformation, talks about making downtowns liveable for families. He describes Vancouver’s urban Costco, waterfront vibrancy, and the role of transit over freeways. He explains the ‘urban contract’ of housing plus amenities, why regulation helps developers, and launches the Urban Truth Collective to fight city disinformation.

Ian Chillag, creator of Everything Is Alive and co-host of How to Do Everything, joins to unpack Super Bowl ads and culture. They discuss the scarcity of car commercials, recurring themes like weight-loss and AI anxiety, the emotional lost-dog spots, and why automakers largely sat out the broadcast. Short takes on Bad Bunny’s halftime and how ads reflect the nation’s mood.

Chris Bruntlett, urban mobility expert and author on cycling and tactical urbanism, and Melissa Bruntlett, author focused on people-centered city design, discuss women reshaping cities. They cover pandemic-driven street experiments, Paris pop-up bike lanes, Montreal pedestrianized commercial streets, Barcelona Superblocks, Sydney’s rapid bike network, and gendered safety initiatives like Delhi’s crowdsourced reporting.

In this engaging discussion, Bruce Appleyard, a renowned Professor of Urban Design, shares insights from his book Livable Streets 2.0. He explores how street design can enhance or diminish social ties, particularly emphasizing the detrimental effects of car-centric infrastructure on children's mobility. Bruce reveals intriguing findings that lighter traffic fosters community while heavy traffic isolates. He also highlights the importance of creating nurturing environments through thoughtful street design and encourages listeners to advocate for livable changes in their neighborhoods.

In this engaging discussion, Amy Steli, an artist and urban planner from New Orleans, shares her insights on the devastating impacts of the Claiborne Expressway on the Treme neighborhood, highlighting lost businesses and increased crime. Richard Levy, a civil rights activist from Syracuse, recounts his role in opposing the construction of I-81 through the 15th Ward, emphasizing community solidarity and the challenges faced. Both guests reflect on the broader implications of highway development, underscoring its tragic legacy and ongoing fight for urban renewal.

***This is a preview of a Patreon-exclusive bonus episode. For complete access to this and all of our bonus content, plus ad-free versions of regular episodes, merch discounts, presale tickets to live shows, and more, become a Patreon supporter of The War on Cars.*** We were out in Portland, Oregon, for our book tour in November, and spent a lot of great time hanging out with Jonathan Maus, the legendary founder of Bike Portland. We sat down with Jonathan in his backyard shed/studio and talked about how a great bike city can get even better, the importance of transit, and how media is an important part of the movement for more human cities. Order our new book, Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves from the Tyranny of the Automobile. And catch us on tour in 2026: Tickets for live shows are on sale now! www.thewaroncars.org

Join the hosts as they share vivid travel tales from their book tour across cities like Austin and Houston. They discuss the surprising impacts of freeway expansions, while highlighting successful urban reclaiming efforts. Delight in their observations of vibrant local cultures, including Austin's community resilience and Denver's placemaking successes. They also touch on serious topics like homelessness and transit funding crises. Expect heartfelt moments as they celebrate the kindness of locals and the stories shared with them along the way!