Gil Penalosa’s keynote speech from the Carfree Conference

“We have learned how to survive, now we really need to learn how to live.” –Gil Penalosa at the Carfree Conference last Tuesday I have finally gotten a chance to upload my audio recording of Gil Penalosa’s keynote address to the Towards Carfree Cities Conference at Portland State University last Tuesday. Penalosa’s speech and presentation … Read more


“Denying” use of cars is “evil”: How to respond to a carfree naysayer

“I seriously disagree with… taking an entire neighborhood and denying them the use of their cars, which I think is an evil thing to do to people, even if just for one Sunday.”–talk show host Lars Larson On the opening day of the Towards Carfree Cities Conference, right-wing talk radio personality Lars Larson invited Meghan … Read more


Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

A look inside New York City’s burgeoning ‘livable streets movement’

The “Street Fight” presentation at the Carfree Conference taking place at Portland State University through Friday.(Photos © J. Maus) With 840,000 motor vehicles entering into New York City’s central business district each day, New York City has its share of challenges in creating livable, safe and people-friendly streets. But thanks to a burgeoning collaborative effort … Read more


Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Penalosa inspires, gives Portland a reality check

Gil Penalosa at the Carfree Cities Conference.(Photos © J. Maus) During his inspiring keynote speech at the Carfree Conference yesterday, Gil Penalosa gave Portlanders a lot to think about. Penalosa is the former Commissioner of Parks, Sport, and Recreation for the city of Bogota, Colombia. During his tenure, he transformed that city (population 7 million) … Read more


Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Bike League will launch Bicycle Friendly Business Program

In his speech addressing an international crowd at the Carfree Cities Conference, League of American Bicyclists executive director Andy Clarke announced that his organization will launch a Bicycle Friendly Business program. In his address, Clarke also said the League plans to release the initial rankings of their recently launched Bicycle Friendly States program in September. … Read more


Families, freeways, among topics as Carfree Conference kicks off

Hard at work in a street redesign workshop.Photo Gallery(Photos © J. Maus) After depaving a former parking lot in North Portland yesterday, the Towards Carfree Cities Conference marched on this morning at Portland State University. The first half of the program dealt with two topics of major interest to urban planners (and anyone interested in … Read more


Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

De-paving event kicks off Carfree Conference

Former parking lot soon to be garden.(Photos © J. Maus) With car use in decline across the country, millions of urban acreage currently devoted to parking them will soon go fallow. What to do with all those parking lots? Depave them! The International Towards Carfree Cities conference kicked off this morning with a depaving event … Read more


Andy Clarke to speak at free Public Day of Carfree Conference

League of American Bicyclists Executive Director Andy Clarke.(Photo © J. Maus) The eighth annual Towards Carfree Cities Conference is coming to Portland in less than a month (June 16-20) and organizers have lined up an impressive list of speakers, events, and workshops. The latest addition to the program is a keynote presentation by head honcho … Read more


Carfree conference plans take shape

“Rethinking Mobility, Rediscovering Proximity” This summer, Portland will host the eighth annual, international Towards Carfree Cities Conference. For the past several months, conference organizer Elly Blue and a dedicated volunteer crew have been working to solidify the program schedule, find sponsorships, and take care of the myriad tasks and tedium involved with hosting an event … Read more