Ep.85 The New Acela Express

Ep.85 The New Acela Express

From Radio Free Urbanism by Alex Williams | Ethan Meyers | Nic Laporte

August 8, 2025 · 1h 13m · Episode 85

About this episode

The episode discusses the rollout of Amtrak's new Acela Express trains and the role of public art in urban planning.

The long-awaited rollout of Amtrak's new Acela Express trains, highlighting their innovative features and the challenges faced during development. The conversation then shifts to the importance of public art in urban spaces, exploring the impact of NIMBYism on art installations and the necessity of integrating art into city planning for community engagement and identity. In this engaging conversation, the hosts explore various urban planning topics, including the humorous saga of a splash pad in Santa Barbara, the challenges of San Francisco's Vision Zero initiative aimed at reducing traffic fatalities, and insights into bicycle infrastructure and innovative urban planning examples. The discussion highlights the complexities and absurdities of city planning, community engagement, and the importance of effective infrastructure for public safety and accessibility. Send us a question: radiofreeurbanism@gmail.com Patreon: patreon.com/RadioFreeUrbanism Sully: https://www.youtube.com/@Sullyville Ethan: https://www.youtube.com/@climateandtransit Nic: https://www.youtube.com/@nicthedoor

People in this episode

Hosts: Alex Williams, Ethan Meyers, Nic Laporte

Topics covered

  • Amtrak Acela Express
  • public art
  • urban planning
  • NIMBYism
  • community engagement
  • bicycle infrastructure
  • traffic safety

Keywords

  • Acela Express
  • public art
  • urban planning
  • NIMBYism
  • Vision Zero
  • bicycle infrastructure
  • community identity

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Amtrak

Places: Santa Barbara, San Francisco

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