Beyond Streets

Buffalo, Bikes & Big Vision: Reclaiming Streets with Justin Booth of GoBike Buffalo

Beyond Streets Podcast Season 1 Episode 6

In this episode, we head to Buffalo, New York—a post-industrial city with deep roots and a bold future. We sit down with Justin Booth, Executive Director of GOBike Buffalo, to explore how biking, community-led planning, and quick-build infrastructure are reshaping the city’s streets and values.

From “Recycle-a-Bicycle” to regional trail planning, Justin shares the journey of GOBike’s 25-year evolution and the coalition-building needed to reconnect communities fractured by expressways. We discuss what it really takes to make change: listening to neighborhoods, rethinking parking culture, and focusing on the basics—like sidewalk snow removal and safer crosswalks.

Buffalo’s past holds lessons for every city rethinking its future. This one’s for planners, parents, advocates, and anyone who believes cities should work for people and a variety of transportation modes, beyond cars. 

🛠️ Topics covered:

  • Community-led quick-build projects
  • Repurposing the Kensington and Scajaquada expressways
  • Bike equity, youth empowerment, and transportation demand management
  • The intersection of advocacy, politics, and public health

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