Recently got to hear @modacitylife.com talk about their new book, Women Changing Cities: Global Stories of Urban Transformation. It struck me that many of the leadership qualities they highlighted are also what the US desperately needs (but is lacking) from so-called national leaders right now.

Weekend reading...

The e-cargo bike in question is from North Vancouver’s pilot lending program, which makes a variety of electric bicycles available for residents to borrow at for free from a branch of their local library. We were honoured to learn it was inspired by a chapter of our book ‘Building the Cycling City’!

It’s been an exhilarating, exhausting and emotional week, fantastically finished with a social ride in North Vancouver—reminding us why it’s called the “wet coast”. Thanks to everyone who bought a ticket and/or a book, and made time to come see and speak with us. It really does mean the world to us.

Seamlessly linking key destinations between the Spirit Trail and Seabus terminal, North Vancouver’s Esplanade has been transformed into a complete street. The wider sidewalks, protected bike lanes, and Dutch-style intersections help to create a more safe and welcoming environment for all road users.

Really happy to reconnect with old friends Melissa & Chris Bruntlett @modacitylife.com back visiting Vancouver from their amazing global work championing smart urban biking. Great fun at the Dutch Consulate special event celebrating their inspiring new book “Women Changing Cities!” #UrbanismBookClub

An Evening w/ the Bruntletts:
Wonderful to welcome Chris and Melissa Bruntlett back and hear about their journey from YVR to the NL 🇳🇱 and beyond. Their experiences show how designing cities for people—through cycling and public spaces—creates healthier, more connected communities.
@modacitylife.com

My week of "going Dutch": Consulate event for @modacitylife.com new book✓ Active transport workshop✓ organized by Voor Urban Lab @dutchphoto.bsky.social
Now feeling an irrational confidence to cycle in a hurricane while carrying children and a flat-pack sofa. The transformation is nearly complete.

Can’t wait to start reading @modacitylife.com new book!

Women Changing Cities: Global stories of urban transformation by Melissa & Chris Bruntlett

Dear Vancouver,

Tonight is the night! Join us at the SFU Harbour Centre for the launch of “Women Changing Cities: Global Stories of Urban Transformation”. After a presentation and panel discussion, we will be selling and signing copies of the book.

Remaining tickets: www.modacitylife.com/vancouver

There are a few other opportunities to catch us this week! www.modacitylife.com/vancouver

‘Happy City’ by @charlesincities.bsky.social was a hugely influential book on the two of us.

It ignited our passion for urban planning, and set a standard in human-focused storytelling to which we still aspire.

So it was a tremendous honour to share a stage—and copy of our new book—with him today!

Here’s the project page on the City of Burnaby’s website, which includes links to more detailed design drawings: yourvoice.burnaby.ca/vancouver-sf...

Amazingly, our Vancouver visit has coincided with the construction of Canada’s very first Dutch-inspired fietsstraat (“bicycle street”).

Burnaby’s Frances-Union Bikeway is currently getting an all ages and abilities upgrade that treats cyclists as the main users of the corridor, and cars as guests.

Today, Vancouver is well on its way to having a complete citywide AAA network. When asked whether or not the fight was worth it, Robertson is confident he’s on the right side of history: “The media overinflated how controversial it was. Change is always challenging, but it’s the right thing to do.”🔚

Throughout all of this pushback and opposition, Vancouver experienced an authentic bike boom, with the mode share increasing by nearly 300%. An impressive 10% of trips to work are now made by bike, one of the highest rates in North America. Women now make up nearly half of all trips made by bicycle.

Interestingly, the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association, who had previously opposed the infrastructure, eventually reversed their position and became one of the city’s most vocal cycling proponents—calling protected bike lanes “the way of the future” and a “win–win–win for all users”.

Knowing that a single route doesn't a bike network make, Robertson spent the next nine years—and two successful reelection campaigns—building a “AAA” (“All Ages and Abilities”) network of infrastructure across the city, with a heavy focus on physical separation, especially on the downtown peninsula.

To his credit, Mayor Moonbeam—as he was dubbed—forged ahead: “A few loud critics can make anything look controversial. I recall the media doing full coverage of the opening, choppers overhead, filming the impending chaos—and it was much ado about nothing. It had zero impact on traffic from day one.”

Robertson first proposed reallocating one travel lane from cars to bikes on the Burrard Bridge, and the blowback began. Media outlets published scathing editorials. Residents voiced their vehement opposition at council meetings. Business leaders said he was choking the lifeblood out of the downtown.

When newly-elected Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson started converting car lanes to bike lanes in 2009, pundits claimed it was political suicide. In 2018, he stepped down after three terms as the longest-serving mayor in the city's history. So what can this tale teach us about so-called "bikelash"?🧵

Melissa and Chris, you’re back in Vancouver after 6.5 years. What’s the first thing you’re going to do? Cycle of course!

Today we reacquainted ourselves with 19-kms of seawall cycling thanks to Mobi Bikes plus over 20k steps along some of our old favourites.

Not a bad first day if you ask us!

A homecoming almost seven years in the making, we’re overjoyed to be on the ground—and on two wheels—in Vancouver again.

The next week promises to be an exhilarating one, with five different events including the global launch of our new book!

We hope you can join us: www.modacitylife.com/vancouver

Every bold urban transformation asks a question: what will people remember—the controversy or legacy?

Showing great leadership, Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak bet on the latter, replacing a motorway with a waterway.

Two decades later, absolutely no one regrets the decision or remembers the controversy.