8-80 Cities hosted the "Great Streets, Healthy Cities" Public Meeting and Panel Discussion about Car Free Sundays on February 2, 2010 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The Great Streets, Healthy Cities event highlighted the best practices of planning and implementing Car Free Sundays from the foremost international program examples. Three leading Car Free Sundays/Ciclovias experts from New York, San Francisco, Bogota and Guadalajara provide a unique perspective and a diversity of implementation tools and models used to make these programs world class examples.

Walking, Bicycling and Public Spaces: Lessons from Bogota and Beyond

Gil Penalosa, Executive Director of 8-80 Cities, presents one of his celebrated lectures at Vancouver's Simon Fraser University as part of The City Program lecture series. Penalosa emphasizes the urgency with which cities must address pedestrian and cyclist issues to face the wide array of challenges facing this generation, including environmental degradation, rising obesity rates, and economic competitiveness, just to name a few. Included are examples of cities throughout the world that are implementing innovative solutions to globally faced transportation issues.

Cycling Copenhagen, Through North American Eyes

Cycling Friendly Cities - Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and Houten

Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and Houten are three cities that have opted to create and support infrastructure that integrates the bicycle into an everyday mode of transportation for its citizens.  The bicycle has become a part of everyday life, especially after the innovative changes to the streets in these countries over the past couple decades.  Whether it’s going to work, school, shopping or a night out on the town, people in Denmark and Holland have the means to use their bicycles for all their daily tasks throughout the entire year.  The video shows great examples of bicycle friendly infrastructure, bicycle safety education, and the importance of sharing public space between pedestrians, cars and cyclists in these three cities.

The Case for Physically Separated Bikeways

Streetfilms travels to New York City to look at the benefits of separated bike lanes. Includes interviews with local and international experts including Transportation Alternative`s Paul Steely-White, Caroline Samponaro, and Brooke Dubose, Project for Public Spaces` Andy Wiley-Schwartz, Open Planning Project's Mark Gorton and Clarence Eckerson Jr. and `Gridlock` Sam Schwartz, New York City`s Traffic Commissioner from 1982-1986.
Made by StreetFilms (8:30 min)

Streetfilms goes to the Ciclovia in Bogota, Colombia

Every Sunday from 7:00 am until 2:00 pm some of the busiest roads in Bogota, Colombia are shut down to cars and open to people – allowing citizens, residents and tourist the chance to walk, bike, skate, dance and enjoy the city's roadways. See how the Ciclovia began, how it is operated and how it is enjoyed by 1.5 million people every Sunday. Includes an interview with Gil Penalosa who oversaw the extension of the Ciclovia from 13 km to 113 km during his term as Bogota's Commissioner for Parks, Sports and Recreation. Penalosa, Executive Director of 8-80 Cities, says that the Ciclovia is “like a party that everyone attends.”
Made by StreetFilms (9:41 min)

Cycling for Everyone: Lessons from the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany

John Pucher, professor of planning and public policy at Rutgers University, speaks at Vancouver's Simon Fraser University as part of The City Program lecture series.

Bus Rapid Transit – Transmilenio, Bogotá

When Enqrique Penalosa began his term as mayor of Bogota, Columbia there was a plan on the table to build a network of elevated highways across the city. Deciding that this would be expensive and counterproductive, Penalosa took his own approach to reducing congestion and, at a fraction of the cost of the highway plan, created what Aaron Naparstek of the Open Planning Project calls "probably the world`s most advanced Bus Rapid Transit." Take a look around the inner workings of this world class system and those who make it run.
Made by StreetFilms (7:29 min)

Melbourne: A Pedestrian Paradise

Melbourne is repeatedly cited as one of the most liveable cities in the world. Watch interviews with Robert Adams, Director of Design and Urban Environment Melbourne, Eliot Fishman from the Institute for Sensible Transportation, Gilbert Rochecouste the Director of Village Well, Kevin Luten from Urban Trans and Jan Gehl founder of the revolutionary architecture firm Gehl Architects to see how this city doubled its pedestrian traffic and transformed into a vibrant community through restricting car access, and giving priority to pedestrians, cyclists, and public space.
Made by StreetFilms (9:54 min)

Paris Skates!

Every Friday in Paris roller blades take over the city's streets. In existence since 1998, Paris' Pari Roller now draws over 10 000 people on summer weekends, with over 2000 coming out even through the winter months. Tanao Terra, the Vice President of Pari Roller discusses the establishment and management of the weekly event with Streetfilms, while participants and volunteers discuss the Paris community of which they now a feel a part.
Made by StreetFilms (2:59 min)

Parking Policy with Dr. Donald Shoup (Author of The High Cost of Free Parking)

Dr. Donald Shoup, Professor of Urban Planning at UCLA and author of “The High Cost of Free Parking”, discusses the problems caused by free street parking in the city including congestion and the careless driving that results from `cruising for a spot.` Shoup speaks with Mark Gorton of Streetfilms proposing that a small parking fee would reduce traffic, increase economic activity and provide many other benefits to cities.
Made by StreetFilms (5:10 min)

Portland: Celebrating America's Most Liveable City

It's not often that a Department of Transportation receives love letters, but in Portland it's a regular occurrence. Frequently cited as America's most liveable city, Portland has spent the last 20 years promoting walking and biking as activities, and building the infrastructure to make such activities safe and possible. The result has been a quadrupling of the number of cyclists in the city, increased property values, and an improved quality of life for residents. Hear from Tom Potter, Mayor of Portland, Sam Adams, City Commissioner of Transportation, Mia Birk, Portland Bike Coordinator from 1993-1999 and many others on what it takes to create and keep up America's most successful walkable bikeable community.
Made by StreetFilms (30:00 min)

Parks, Bikeways & Open Space in Bogotá

Gil Penalosa, Executive Director of 8-80 Cities and former Commissioner for Parks, Sports and Recreation in Bogota Colombia, leads Clarence Eckerson Jr. of Streetfilms, Karla Quintero of Transportation Alternatives, and Aaron Naparstek of Streetsblog around Bogota's parks, streets and trails. Residents discuss the social integration and economic boom that has resulted from Bogota's transformation into a city that focuses on pedestrians, cyclists, and public space. Today, Penalosa says, a person could not be elected to the smallest ward of the city without making parks, open space and bicycles and pedestrian issues a major part of their campaign.
Made by StreetFilms (9:58 min)

Summer Streets 2008 (NYC)

Streetfilms follows New York City's first Summer Streets event that saw 6.9 miles of the city's streets, stretching from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park, closed to cars and open to people. Aside from the walking and cycling that took place, art activities and aerobics classes were held along the route. Interviews with Aaron Naparkstek of Streetsblog, Mark Gorton, Executive Director of Open Planning Project, Noah Budnick of Transportation Alternatives, and Janet Sadik-Khan, New York City's Transportation Commissioner who spearheaded the project, discuss the benefits and success of the event that was so well received one participant said “every day should be summer streets!”
Made by Street Films (4:37)

Velib – Public Bicycles in Paris

Velib, standing for “Velo Liberte” (bike freedom), is the fitting name of Paris' incredibly successful public bike share program. In operation since summer 2007, Velib is the biggest bike share system in the world with 1451 stations and 20 600 bikes. With its large number of bikes and stations, and seamless integration with other forms of public transportation Velib has greatly increased bike commuting in the city and acted as a model for similar programs throughout the world. Hear from the City of Paris' Velib Project Manager, Celine Lepault, Eric Britton of the New Mobility Agenda, Thomas Valeau of JCDecaux and many enthusiastic Velib users about Velib's operations and contributions to city life in Paris.
Made by StreetFilms (8:25 min)

Video on vancouver.ca

This video presents a vision concerning how inclusive planning – that puts on walking and cycling – can create world class cities such as Copenhagen, Denmark, and Amsterdam. Due to its recognition as one of Canada’s greatest cities, Vancouver is now striving to compete with these cities, and become one of the best places to live in the world. By creating a complete grid of safe bicycle and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, as well as public places for people to enjoy, Vancouver will be able to showcase the opportunities and benefits that can come from focusing city planning around active transportation.

Where the Hell is Matt?

Matt travels to hundreds of cities throughout the world to dance in public spaces with perfect strangers. A window into the boundless potential of public spaces to foster creative thinking and a community atmosphere. Read more about Matt at www.wherethehellismatt.com
Running time (4:29)