Cities in Motion

Ep 19 | Can San Antonio Build Rail? SART Makes the Case

NOTE: I apologize for the audio, I had some new LAV mics and the sensitivity was too high. San Antonio is one of the largest cities in the U.S. without a rail transit system — but a growing coalition wants to change that. San Antonians for Rail Transit (SART) joins Cities in Motion to talk about what a rail future could look like for the Alamo City, why the political and demographic conditions may finally be aligning, and how grassroots advocacy is building the pressure needed to make it happen. SART Instagram https://www.instagram.com/railforsanantonio/ SART Website [https://www.railforsanantonio.com/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn1ER3_P60tQLAXy-wPu-Bo5i9__QpFkPrhg9UBW0KGYK5jxQt3GkI_de3AY8_aem_R9rBA8FUro28RbkLPR03OQ]

Ep 18 | Planning San Antonio's Future with Prof. Sarah Serpas, UTSA Department of Planning

What does it take to plan a city that actually works for people? I go on a tour with Prof. Sarah Serpas of the UTSA Department of Planning to explore how the next generation of planners is being trained — and what that means for the future of San Antonio and beyond. UTSA Urband and Regional Planning Department https://www.instagram.com/utsa_urbanplanning/

Ep 17 | Car-Free Community Trusts: Building Intentional Urban Living

What if your neighborhood was designed around people and not cars? Brett "Hans" McMurdy joins the show to unpack the Car-Free Community Trust model: a bold approach to urban living that combines cohousing, coworking, and car-free design into intentional communities built on renovated urban properties. We explore how CFCTs tackle affordability, sustainability, and community wealth-building—and why ditching the car might be the key to reimagining how we live together. Substack https://carfreecommunities.substack.com/p/what-is-a-cfct-how-a-car-free-community?utm_medium=web Instagram https://www.instagram.com/car_free_community_trust/

Ep 16 | Fixing the Alamo City: Joey Pawlik from Activate SA

San Antonio is one of the fastest-growing cities in America but is it growing in the right direction? Joey Pawlik, founder of ActivateSA, joins the show to talk about what it takes to build an urban advocacy movement from the ground up, why San Antonio's car-dependent development pattern is costing residents more than they realize, and what a more walkable, connected Alamo City could actually look like. Follow Activate SA on instagram and find their website https://activatesa.org/ Follow Cities in Motion on instagram, youtube and join our discord!

Ep 15 | Hyperlocal Hero: Hexel Colorado from Dallas Urbanist

In this episode, we sit down with Hexel Colorado, the founder of Dallas Urbanist and a leading voice in the Texas transit scene. Hexel isn't just a content creator; he’s an advocate who transitioned from viral "Dallas 1939" history videos to chairing the DART Citizens Advisory Committee. We dive into: * The Car-Free Life in Texas: What four years of navigating DFW without a car has taught him about "game time decisions" and the reality of our streets. * From "Likes" to Laws: How Hexel leverages digital advocacy to influence actual policy change—from parking reform to transit funding. * The Power of Hyperlocal: Why starting a "Local Conversation" (STLC) is the most effective way to fix your neighborhood. * The 1939 Blueprint: Uncovering the walkable history of Dallas and why it proves that car dependency was a choice, not an inevitability. Whether you’re a daily commuter, a city planning nerd, or someone tired of being stuck in traffic, Hexel’s story is a masterclass in how to become a hero in your own zip code. * Follow Hexel on Instagram: @DallasUrbanist * Learn more about Dallas Urbanists STLC * Join the movement at StrongTowns.org