This American Mayor is Creating the Ultimate Biking City

[@kmemz]

I have to have a car for my area, because I can bike in my suburban/rural hybrid area, and I can bike in my town, but I can't bike on the highway between them, not even legally. I have to drive to a public parking area about ten miles from home, then I can bike everywhere else from there. Even then, I still deal with the caveat that my town's bike pathing is a gravel trail that used to be a cargo train line. I've popped tires multiple times because things sometimes get hidden in the gravel that I'd see and probably even bother to stop and clean up on pavement. Other than this repurposed gravel rail line, there are almost no bike pathings in this entire city, other than a random strip with bike path symbols next to a McDonalds. Places in the U.S. like where I live could absolutely take a hint from developments in other areas of the country like this. Even though the gravel path is all I got to get around, I make use of it, and I've been able to successfully use it to get everywhere I need, of course with the caveat of having to go by car to cross a highway, but with far less fuel spent than the other options I have at my disposal. And I get to socialize with the occasional person I end up riding alongside, which has led to me meeting a lot of new faces even though I've not been doing this routine very long.

[@FernandoHernandez-jw4yy]

Kudos for biking even under these circumstances! Maybe consider buying tires with puncture protection. Those decrease your chances of getting a flat from pointy objects by a landslide. Also inflate your tires regularly (like once a week). If your tires don't have enough air, chances of puncture are higher. You could also consider going for wider tires if your frame allows for it. Wider tires tend to have less punctures but don't overdo it as excessively wide tires might slow you down and make cycling less fun by making steering sluggish. On gravel paths I would defintely go for tires above 35mm width at the very least but a width of up to 50mm is perfectly fine. Also note that wider tires need lower pressures and lower pressure (if not too low for the tire, that is) means better suspension e.g. a more comfortable ride, especially on rough terrain.

[@matt39581]

need to rip out the highway and put in a rail line with a multi-use path or several next to it

[@nikrashelin8674]

That's really unfortunate about your trail surface, I'm impressed with your perseverance! I just came by to second the comment about puncture protection. You can buy tires with kevlar and other similar linings, for instance the marathon and marathon plus range from Schwalbe. They are a little more expensive and somewhat heavier than regular tires but I used to ride a route littered with broken glass and it was a game changer. After about 3 punctures I switched, and I didn't get another flat after that. Think of it as a good investment of all that money you're saving on fuel ;) Good luck and enjoy!

[@FrankLadd]

Great story. Try Flat-Out in your tire tubes. I use a folding bike so I can take it in my car. So much fun to ride once I get through the no bike gauntlet. In time I think we will connect paths to make biking easier. In Raleigh a decade ago the bike paths were just for recreation, but now they are connected to a lot of places you need to do errands.

[@0xsergy]

@@nikrashelin8674 its a time investment too. a flat is 15-30 min repair either at home or on the road. how many times can you afford to be late for work? it pays for itself the first time you run over some glass.

[@joblo2671]

Also, a bike FORCES YOU to engage with and pay attention to the world around you!!! Something we desperately need more of!!

[@EastWindCommunity1973]

It gives you a great incentive to do so, but I still see hella bikers staring at phones as they pedal no handed down busy streets.

[@Luckingsworth]

Lmao no it doesnt. Not anymore than a car does.

[@joblo2671]

@@Luckingsworth certainly much more than a car, whether you realize it or not

[@longnguyen80]

@@EastWindCommunity1973 the difference is cars are way more dangerous

[@romxxii]

Unfortunately, responsible riding is not inherent to biking. I'm at Singapore right now, and there are some assholes here who bike like they're competing in Tour de France.

[@julieflagg9171]

Don’t underestimate older people - we want more biking! As a 71 year old practicing physician I routinely e bike 30 miles per day in Connecticut. Older people remember the freedom of bikes . Many of my younger patients don’t have a bike memory or experience. The e- bike has so changed exercise mobility for older people! We long for and are willing to work for improved bike infrastructure.

[@JC-vq2cs]

Thank you for speaking up, a lot of us older people (how the heck did I get this old anyway??) are quite flexible in our attitudes and strongly support people-centered design for active, healthy lifestyles and the planet. For example, my 80+ y.o. father recently got an e-bike to complement his other 3 bikes and now is riding all over town - in the upper Midwest in the winter too, not in CA. Intergenerational solidarity and coalition-building is needed. I think I saw a stat that in the Netherlands, the 60+ y.o. cohort has the highest bicycling rate - build it safe, attractive, and complete, and yes they will come, not the other way around. That said, the current political power of car-centric older, whiter, wealthier people is real - the "if I say I won't do it (bike, walk, transit, etc.) then by extension no one will" shows both lack of imagination and data. I am in my 50s and have to speak out among my neighbors in community forums frequently. But frankly, some of our younger, newer elected officials in my town are not very progressive in this regard - yet? - despite claiming politically progressive stances in general. Fundamentally, though, when we can talk about what we value in urban spaces, its mostly the same thing - and car-centric design ruins it. Showing alternative visions and realities is super helpful, thanks for the video Chris and Mayor John.

[@jokermtb]

Why are you still practicing after so long?

[@kurtphilly]

@@jokermtb I going to guess she loves what she does, just like biking.

[@jokermtb]

@@kurtphilly it’s a joke….practicing,

[@redwhite_040]

E-bikes are so popular in the Netherlands. Currently half of the bike sales are E-bikes.

[@AdmitthatijustdiditX]

Damn this mayor gives me hope. A young guy who is informed on the topics he discusses! I can't imagine how much change we would see if more cities followed this.

[@rascal_lipton_tea]

He looks a lot younger than he is, almost 45. Wow.

[@placeholder3863]

@@rascal_lipton_tea amazing what daily exercise does

[@jas7256]

@@rascal_lipton_tea old in age, young in spirit

[@theresabu3000]

Yeah - completely contrasting with other cities in the US. I live in Germany - and the crazy thing is that we have enough bicycles (1 for every person) but the infrastructure is not nearly as good as in the Netherlands. Not enough safe places to park your bike - if you commute by train or bus. And really high number of accidents. Some good things - in the last years E-bikes became more popular, we even have an incentive from our state and an possibility to lease a bike through our job. And Swapfiets is in some big cities - an opportunity to rent bike for a month for not much money. A good opportunity to let you test it - and in some cases you don't need all the time (cargo bikes maybe daily?)

[@robertlee8805]

I AGREE 100000000%

[@kdstoffel7574]

I live local to Emeryville and can recall a time when it was a stinky, industrial wasteland. In spite of all the naysayers, the city has COMPLETELY transformed into a wonderful, vibrant, increasingly cyclist friendly community. I wish more communities would take notice and get to work.

[@sroberts605]

Wow, I'm in Britain so have no knowledge of this city, but what a great thing to hear!

[@Nicholas-f5]

They built the mall over toxic dump sites that abused indigenous people.

[@natalieb6956]

Havent been there but great that there was such a change. Hope more cities in America / the world will follow. It looks better, its healthier, in the end its cheaper as well for that town but also the people, it smells better, its less loud, its better for our climate and our environment.

[@harktischris]

i've only been in the bay area for less than a decade, living near emeryville, and even in that short time frame emeryville has transformed so much, and it keeps getting better. very inspiring to see what a city can do with a vision and committed leadership

[@c.d.9035]

When I grew up in the Bay Area in the 60s and 70s, Emeryville was just part of the "Mud Flats." The nearest interesting feature was the Berkeley dump. Both were incredibly smelly (though popular with birds). Glad to see so many positive changes.

[@johnfowler4820]

It has made me very emotional to see that the future of urban environments is bright. The world needs this mayor's calm, intelligent and collaborative approach to make it happen.

[@thelakeman5207]

When I ride thru bad sections of my town, I've never had a problem except for all the glass they like to break all over the road and sidewalks. I can't keep tires on my bike. After 10 rides, the tires are sliced so bad I can't use them anymore.

[@LafemmebearMusic]

Pleaseeeee folx I’ve lived here a long time don’t be fooled by this video pleassseeee it’s all lies.

[@theclickbaitdetective9196]

@@LafemmebearMusic I’d like to know what lies if you don’t mind sharing

[@enjoyslearningandtravel7957]

@@thelakeman5207 that sounds like a problem to me since buying new bicycle tires is not so cheap.

[@helphelpimbeingrepressed9347]

@@thelakeman5207 Have you tried "Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tour"? Seem pretty good so far 750ish miles no punctures yet.

[@mahatranslator]

Here I am, sitting in Russia, watching this video about bike lanes in Emeryville, CA and with all the madness that is going on around, this clip gives me a sense of gratification - at least somewhere things go in a semiright direction. That was therapeutic in way, thank you.

[@yeboscrebo4451]

Things are NOT going in a right direction. There is an agenda to restrict international and and interstate travel and vilifying the auto is step number one. They don’t give a rats asss about the environment or anything else but control of the population.

[@thelakeman5207]

Most people are OK, it's the 20% of extremist left and right wingers who give humans a bad name.

[@yeboscrebo4451]

@@thelakeman5207 seeing things in terms of left and right is another problem

[@desktorp]

Hugh Jass is looking for Amanda Huggenkiss

[@thelakeman5207]

@@desktorp - Maybe Moe DeLawn?

[@ashpunting]

I'm disabled I have osteoporosis and a hip replacement but e-bikes has changed my life I can get out again see the beautiful places I love to go to because of ebikes but I wish they were more bike lanes in my city 🤔

[@TheSpaceBrosShow]

Also more bike lanes that arent just pain in the gutter

[@DarkAngel-yu1ye]

Also have osteo arthritis in knee. My ebike (Trek) has also been a game changer Also has greatly assisted rehabilitation and general wellbeing . Out nearly everyday.

[@nomadben]

Your story makes me very happy. I wish you all the best

[@chelseagirl278]

so HAPPY for you!!

[@lb2791]

Same story for my mother in law. She can't walk long distances anymore because of bad knees but leads a very active lifestyle thanks to her eBike. Thankfully the area where she lives has lots of bike paths. I hate how old and disabled people are always used as a reason to keep car infrastructure in place and not make the situation for bikes better. Many old or disabled people can't even drive a car but would happily ride an eBike or some sort of other mobility device but can't because there is no infrastructure for these types of vehicles. They end up trapped in their own homes and/or dependent on other people to drive them around.

[@LoveToday8]

The point about it not being safe to go half a mile or even a mile on a bike from your home is so real. The experiences I’ve had within a half mile or mile of my home alone would be enough to deter most people from using a bike to get around.

[@martijnvangammeren1868]

And that is all due to infrastructure. Make that and the whole things changes, it really does.

[@hazelisaacs2201]

The infrastructure is all. Make a safe bike path & parents will allow their kids to cycle to school & out to play and adults will use it to cycle from A to B. Prioritise car traffic & everyone will think they too must go by car in order to be safe “we have to drive a car as the roads are not safe for bikes…. Because of all the cars”

[@martijnvangammeren1868]

@@hazelisaacs2201 that's the key indeed safe infrastructure.

[@hamingnu6610]

I'm happy that people here are making a consensus that the right step forward, at least in this regard - is to build the infrastructure that won't let this stuff happen. When your town's full of huge stroads with cars going highway speeds with 'pedestrian crossings' no pedestrian would reasonably try to cross; It's clear that people not being able to walk around or go around without a car, is because of the infrastructure there. Even in very short distances. Heck, literally just removing a whole lane of traffic from two or god-forbid more than two-lane per side roads within towns - is already a huge help. And, I do emphasize that I'm talking about 'towns' or even 'cities'. Lots of these places are perfect for people who wanna go short distances because, well, the places they wanna go are probably a short walk away. But no one's reasonably gonna walk those short distances if there's a bunch of overbearing car traffic. The next step for many American towns is the avoidance of stroad designs (Come on, when you're making a high-capacity fast road, these cars shouldn't be going in and out of establishments and intersections every 1/8th of a mile. Either you make a fast road with no slowing down [highways], or you make a slow one with establishments around [inner-city streets]), an emphasis on sidewalks (and bicycle lanes, of course), better urban planning decisions as a whole, etc...

[@NoZenith]

THIIIISSSS is so true!

[@jarnobot]

I'm from the Netherlands and I've thought for a long time that I would (hypothetically) never be able to live in another country for a long time, because I've never heard of a place before, that offers the same kind of bicycle infrastructure, walkable spaces and freedom, as found in the Netherlands. This video proved me wrong.

[@rutgerschutten5730]

I can recommend Uppsala, Sweden (where I moved to, from the Netherlands) as well. There are some towns in Finland and of course Denmark. There are bikefriendly places even though none are of course as thorough as in the Netherlands since it is all a more recent development. But every year things are getting better!

[@jarnobot]

@@rutgerschutten5730 That sounds awesome! Thank you for sharing!

[@withnail-and-i]

I live in Montreal Canada and can pretty comfortably go to most of the city pretty much all year long (only when there are huge snowstorms do I take the metro or walk). It is not on the same level as a city like Copenhagen (haven't been to the Netherlands) but it's very doable. Worth seeking a video for differences with European cities.

[@codex4046]

A fellow Dutch person here, I completely agree. When they were showing off the first shots in the park I saw the housing behind it and thought "that's quite typical Dutch neighbourhood housing"

[@johnwednesdaylapp2446]

it really isnt a city it is basically a strip mall neighborhood of oakland california and is a ugly part of oakland at that

[@paulworth70]

As an architect by training and now a church pastor this content makes my heart sing! It combines two of my great passions, people and places. The move toward bike friendly towns and cities is not a luxury but a must for many reasons. So thank you for this excellent content.

[@nick2555v6]

It's great to see leaders in the church actually care about the poor. It's very discouraging to see my church say how much it cares about children and the poor when it's basically only accessible by car, making it exclusive to the poor, and half the congregation drive trucks as status symbols which are far more likely to kill children. Any advice for getting my church to recognize the effects of their choices and care about these issues?

[@samsaxetaller]

Interesting fact about Emeryville: The mayorship is passed between city council members in a rotating fashion. Also, as an East Bay resident who uses a bike as my primary transit mode I sometimes go through Emeryville and I've appreciated the good new bike infrastructure.

[@Nicholas-f5]

Would be great to electrify the Emery Go Round

[@robertlee8805]

Lucky you. I'm so excited that a mayor had the knowledge, the will to DO all of these bike infrastructure done and still expanding. Well designed bike infrastructure and problem solver.

[@IamSpiders]

The Four Seasons shirt gave me a chuckle.

[@alextorresphoto]

LOL.

[@maxxrenn]

+1

[@Mythicalgnome]

Glad someone else noticed it😭😭

[@-Bloomingtales]

It is SO nice to hear people who sound just like me!!!!! 😩 I often feel like I’m preaching to the choir in Atlanta. 🤦🏾‍♀️ But I’m going to continue to push for change because it’s what we need.

[@miyounova]

Preaching to the choir means advocating or expressing your opinion to people who have the same opinion as yourself. Is that what you meant? Is Atlanta a bike-friendly city?

[@scallaway21]

@@miyounova atlanta is absolutely not bike-friendly lol, I think Dana might have misused the phrase

[@jenniferboehm7895]

Atlanta has gotten so much better in the last few years and I think it will continue.

[@-Bloomingtales]

@@scallaway21 not a misusage just a different interpretation… when you’re preaching to the choir it’ll fall on deaf ears because they’re not listening because they think they’ve heard it all. The congregation might be willing to listen a bit quicker but the choir not so much. THAT’s my take.

[@-Bloomingtales]

@@miyounova we view that phrase differently … in context I think you knew what I meant. If you didn’t, I understand since things can be subjective at times.

[@Zoza15]

From a Dutch eyes perspective, this looks quite amazing!. Keep going like this OMG!.. If America keeps developing like this, then people could consider moving over there because of these amazing developments going on. Perhaps Emeryville can be the example of how other cities in the States can plan their infrastructure.

[@Maxime_K-G]

This city looks way more comfy to live in than anything else I've seen in the US. Large modern apartment buildings with parks, greenery and quiet roads. Congrats on this community for taking urban life seriously. There is no reason every American city shouldn't have places like this.

[@dtape]

The story about the family at 6:45 taking kids in the cargo bike and the kids having fun gave me goosebumps. I love the idea that the kids will grow up knowing that biking is a viable and fun transportation option. Setting the stage for social progress in the future. Great mayor and great conversation. I'm definitely jealous of this mayor and we definitely need more people like John Bauters in office who walk the walk! Not corrupt phonies like Eric Adams in NYC who only give lip service for bike lanes & public transportation safety.

[@martijnvangammeren1868]

It is indeed so much fun. Growing up in The Netherlands it seemed so strange that many other countries didn't have the same infrastructure as we had. I was 7-8 when I could cycle to the store, alone to get some grocery's and back home in a safe environment. Now I live in Belgium and that is also very car oriented but I see progress in the good direction. Also helping out with the local green/left parties to advocate for that.

[@jamesrafael6794]

With gas prices and everything going up, this is an opportunity for introducing a better alternative on how communities should be redesigned and a better life for all.

[@markuserikssen]

He's such an inspiring mayor! His approach is just totally opposite of many American towns. As a Dutchie, I wish him best of luck. I'm impressed by all the things they have achieved already.

[@christill]

Getting rid of the car was definitely when I felt the most free I’ve felt for a long time. And that was just an electric smart car which was relatively cheap to own. I imagine the bigger and more consuming the car is, the greater the relief.

[@Cl0ckcl0ck]

When I got rid of my car I also got rid of over 20 pounds of fat in a year and gained a big boost in energy levels without any other changes. Being able to not own a car is really a gift that keeps on giving. Nothing more satisfying then coming home cold and drenched from some really foul weather and getting cozy again.

[@christill]

@@Cl0ckcl0ck Yeah, you’re right about coming home in cold weather. But actually in any weather it’s a really satisfying way to end the day.

[@hajj9722]

Mayor Bauters is very wholesome and this was lovely!!!

[@dominoot2652]

This guy is incredible. He understands how the systems work, he sees how they interconnect (like how car dependence relates to social mobility and working conditions), and seems genuine and passionate and actually in touch. My fucking goat.

[@elicard8320]

“My bicycle is the most liberating thing” FACTS!!! I live in Salt Lake City and only have an E Bike and no car. I get places way faster than I can in a car, it’s way cheaper especially with gas the way it is, and a lot more fun/active. Salt lake is pretty bike friendly but I wish we had a mayor like this. I feel so much more free with my bike than I did when I had a car. Great video guys!

[@qapmoccetbal]

A bike lane that goes through a building is bananas...I love it!!! it's a 'why didn't we think of this sooner' moment. Man I am excited for the future!

[@anubizz3]

Because the Mayor force them to do that. he no different than other mayor that force other developer to comply with their car centric idea. they just same shit different color.

[@mk-oc7mt]

I bike commute thru Emeryville regularly omw between oakland and Berkeley. The city has come a long way from its corrupt, polluted past, and honestly the bike/ped infra is getting better month by month. It’s honestly beautiful to witness the stitches of my commute becoming more safe and noticing new options as infra is developed. I’m especially excited about the ped/bike lane/bus lane overhaul of nearby San Pablo Ave and how that will further integrate the amazing infra in Emeryville to the rest of the east bay.

[@daem3n]

This Major is inspiring. America needs more folks like him.

[@philipbyrne3037]

If Mayor John is reading the comments he MUST try and set up a sister city relationship with the City of Marybyrnong and City of Hobson’s Bay in Western Melbourne. Emeryville looks eerily similar to this precinct, which has established cycling infrastructure,, but through knowledge and resource sharing has the potential to expand much further. For instance I can immediately see that safe infrastructure connection to the City of San Francisco could happen. Marybyrnong has a similar issue with safe, logical connection to the City of Melbourne, and Marybyrnong is much closer to the City of Melbourne.

[@miyounova]

Melbourne's urban planning is outrageously bad. I wish they'd have consulting sessions with this mayor to finally change things.

[@arxligion]

I live right by Emeryville and go there fairly regularly on my bike. It's truly astounding how the city has changed from the industrial ghetto to what it is today. Some of my best childhood memories were biking along the ohlone (in Berkeley) and Emeryville greenways. I'd also like to say that this kind of transformation is happening all over California, just that Emeryville is so small and hipster-y that it is happening throughout the city. When I went to Santa Ana, it looked hilariously similar to Emeryville .. and even places like Clovis are setting up greenways through the city

[@patrickb8513]

I live at the intersection of Berkely, Emeryville and Oakland and can attest to all the biking in Emeryville. I go out of my way to ride the greenways there because they are so nice and well protected! During peak car hours its often times faster to bike places than drive. They didn't show it in the video but biking out to the emeryville marina is beautiful, you get amazing views of the city, bay, mt tam and ofc the sunsets (when there's not a wall of fog)!

[@robadr13]

Great video. I never get tired of seeing good cycling infrastructure, and hearing the **absolute** logic of bike usage for probably 75% of trips in the city. The arguments - economic, health, financial, environmental, plus the simple joy of cycling - are so strong. The mayor is super inspiring. One of the problems in getting more people to cycle is that our cities and lifestyles have been arranged to almost mandate travelling relatively long distances to do anything - home to work, home to school, home to shopping, etc. Overall planning issues are almost as important as the cycling infrastructure itself.

[@FHRider-o1m]

Joy to watch this positive intelligent conversation 👍⭐️ We desperately need more Mayors like this in U.K.

[@JaladhiPujara]

I live only an hour from Emeryville and yet I had no idea of the great work mayor Bauters is doing! Huge kudos @Chris for using your channel to highlight this really important work and inspiring all of us to do our part!

[@PeterSdrolias]

In my city the most common excuse for not investing more in active transportation is the weather. In reality, it comes down to safety. I would gladly ride more in the winter if I never had to share the road with cars/trucks.

[@theepimountainbiker6551]

Same here. I live where we get an average 15 feet of snow through winter. That is most peoples excuse to not build bike lanes, not like the ones we have are even cleared of snow. I love biking in winter and the irony is most these people against bike lanes because of winter take part in other outdoor winter activities like skiing or skating without complaining its too cold. Winter biking is nice and warm, but dangerous because of only the cars.

[@e2gstuff]

Wow. No. WOW. Thanks for sharing this. This made my day. This is what kindness and cleverness can achieve. I can't tell how much inspiring this is. Massive thank you Propel and huge respect to the coolest mayor in the world for being such an incredible human. Love from France.

[@adrianus13]

This was such a breath of fresh air. Hopefully Mayor Wu keeps biking and keeps prioritizing bike infrastructure here in Boston!

[@YonaDagalosi]

This was sensational. We Stan John.

[@pizzabw]

I am 70 years old and I agree what he says about older generation we need more younger people in politics

[@zebtron]

I live in Emeryville and walk and bike. I really appreciate how the city makes humans the priority.

[@YoureNowOnTV]

This is one of those video's that should be shown to all Local governments as proof that there is a different way of thinking and building communities and infrastructure. Thank you so much for creating this and sharing it with the World ! 😀👍

[@unculturedmeat]

Damn I work in Emeryville and had no idea the Mayor is this cool. He's totally right, I bike to work every day. So easy and smooth thanks to the bike paths that run through the entire (small) city

[@victrolux]

Chris, you propelled (see what I did there?) me into my first eBike. Even tho I didn’t buy from you, you educated me and are partly responsible for my eBike choice (Gazelle C380+]. I live in Oakland and it’s very cool to see this interview with Mayor Bauters. Thanks so much for this. Truly inspired!

[@erayapana]

Great episode. I was an Emeryville resident almost 10 years ago and thought it was fairly bike friendly back then. These changes are amazing! Hope to have the same down here in Long Beach.

[@maxnewts]

One thing I might suggest to planning teams is that simplicity is your friend. To reduce stigma around initial bike infrastructure installation, we first need to develop a plan so that the entire local environment is also taken into account. Ideally infrastructure in general needs to follow a pattern, which can be easily interpreted upon by a variety of different user types. This means using traffic calming methods as psychological tools so that the classification of the street conveys a particular message. For example, the street may be an access street for car users, but would be a high priority street for bikes. We’ll do this to make it safer overall, by making it so that most streets in urban centres are quiet and without conflict points. Here car drivers will be encouraged by the infrastructure to pass around the outside of the town, not through the middle of it, and will encounter minimal turn-offs so to keep their direct travel. Bicycle riders on the other hand will be encouraged to ride by/through local parks or more pedestrian friendly environments. This way it also reduces the climate impact on a city, since the city can benefit from its most frequent low-distance travellers being powered by themselves - rather than a car. :)

[@christinmiller576]

I would love to see a follow-up video when that building with the bike through lane to the park is completed!

[@mikeowen3478]

Tara, Chris, John: you made a little gem. Thanks so much for making us smile and be truly inspired.

[@InterFelix]

This is such a hugely important development, entirely necessary for so many communities around the world. I live in a German city with mediocre biking infrastructure (great by typical American standards), but this makes me so envious! Getting around by bike really becomes a lot of fun when there's proper infrastructure. I've seen it first hand - the city built a new cycle route along an old railway line that replaced the latter half of my commute (by bike) to my first job. Shaved a cool 10 minutes off a 35min commute, just because I didn't constantly have to zigzag through streets, stop at traffic lights and watch for traffic. It was so much more stress free and so much faster (at least on this part of my commute), I started to enjoy my commute! I always saw it as a necessary nuisance, but once the infrastructure was there, it actually became fun. Now, at my current job, there's almost no real bicycle infrastructure along my commute route (only along the biggest road, the rest are little semi-rural streets without bike lanes), and the employer provides no real infrastructure for cycling commuters (no bike stands, no changing room, nothing), but a company car (since a big part of my job is to drive out to customers). So, most of the time, I drive to work, even though I love cycling and do it in my free time for fun. If there was proper infrastructure along my commute and at my work, I'd probably park the company car at the office and bike to work, because I just like cycling. Just goes to show how much impact the existence of (good) bike infrastructure has on the adoption of this mode of transport.

[@RCDevotee]

Amazing transformation in Emeryville! I have noticed a large growth in bike infrastructure in San Francisco and didn't realize Emeryville has gone through an even greater transformation. I don't bike as I use electric unicycles to get around but I appreciate the safety the new bike infrastructure has afforded me and many others. It would be great to get a bike lane across the Bay Bridge both ways. I still enjoy my car but it should not be the only thing that is thought about when we build our infrastructure. I love seeing the many parents taking around their children on those awesome electric cargo bikes. Please keep up the great work!

[@frankducett9]

That Major is one in a million. We need more like him, and you! I applaud you two.

[@cosmic9511]

I have just started to educate myself about these topics, and it is very encouraging to see such a recent video about real-world successes. I am also inspired by what Mayor Bauters has to say about getting involved in your local community. Now that I am finally old enough to vote, I am working on becoming active in my town's government and seeing what kind of positive changes I can advocate for. Thank you for this video, and to anyone else in a similar situation as me, I wish you all the luck and resilience in the world!

[@deluxgaming6742]

Get it! 😊

[@G8Thunder]

The mayor also wearing his Four Seasons total landscaping T-shirt is epic! Looking forward to the next press meeting there :D

[@hngldr]

Wow, sending the bike lane through the building was pure genius and absolutely awesome to see. THAT is leadership, bold, genius, and following through. Fantastic!

[@leojonkers3181]

What a mayor! He must have been chosen by the people who live there, America is a democracy, just like the Netherlands. If you see this and also a little bit in New York, then things could change soon. Vote for these kinds of people, protest if you as a cyclist do not have space and safety. Great vlog Chris!

[@robjackson4597]

Chris. Outstanding video! I had never heard of Emeryville but now it will stand out as a national leader in active transportation. Would love to see you connect with some of the CalBike advocates and Bike New York and hear what they are working on.

[@hermanbodewesNL]

Looks great!!! Really admirable how much effort you put in better living conditions for your citizens. As a Dutch I appreciate how lucky I am with the city building philosophy and living circumstances we have here. I hope all Americans will be able to be so lucky in the future.

[@NoZenith]

At the risk of sounding tacky, this actually makes me interested in moving to Emeryville. Both the mayor and the infrastructure 😁

[@danhle1032]

too bad it's in California

[@NoZenith]

@@danhle1032 I'd at least love to go visit. Michigander here... trying to set myself up so my investments will lead to a pleasant retirement so I definitely can't afford California long-term

[@Nicholas-f5]

It's very expensive but great for cycling.

[@AssBlasster]

Like every walkable city in the US, the rent prices keeps me from moving there

[@NoZenith]

@@AssBlasster I live in Michigan, Ann Arbor is awesome to visit, but SAME!

[@harvey66616]

You and your crew have published _lots_ of great videos. But this has to be one of the best. It's one thing to discuss in the abstract how a US city could move toward a better, people- and bike-friendly infrastructure. It's a whole other thing to see a town that has actually made real progress on that front. Thank you so much for taking the time to meet up with Mr. Bauters and show us all the fantastic accomplishments he and his city have made.

[@SeanSmith66]

Great discussion! Great ride. (Love John's Four Seasons t-shirt)

[@samsaxetaller]

I saw that too

[@samsaxetaller]

@@cmmartti it’s a joke about one of the press conferences the 2020 Trump campaign held after the election to claim that it was stolen.

[@maxxrenn]

+1 on the t shirt

[@kyleworkman7877]

Excellent. Been riding bike since the '70's. I appreciate the efforts of the Mayor and those involved in make the city more bike friendly.

[@tedbellWRV]

Good job - we love this kind of content! It's great to see what people are doing to make things better. Inspiring.

[@nlx78]

I love that he wears a 4 Seasons Total Landscaping t-shirt. For the ones who forgot or didn't know, Rudy Giuliani was going to hold some speech, a day or so after the elections with some other Republicans. Instead of booking in the 4 Seasons hotel, they booked a spot on the parking lot of 4 Seasons Total Landscaping in some rundown neighbourhood.

[@Joshuakirsh1977]

This was wonderful. I own two Cargobikes (a bakfeits for winter, and an electric stretch for warmer weather) that I use as primary forms of transportation in Carmel Indiana. You should come check us out. Our Mayor has an electric bike as well as many of our city council.

[@mattvaandering]

this gives me hope

[@Mavkka]

This is the uplifting, inspirational, and educational content the world needs more of!

[@mattthelombax]

I'm glad to hear this guy actually exists and wasn't just an account that made a satirical tweet about removing parking spaces every time someone complains about a bike lane. Based. This feels so out of place to see in North America but glad to see it! Toronto (ON, Canada) is ... uhhh, still pretty behind on infrastructure, especially with connectivity. Some residents in a neighborhood on the edge of the city near mine said that adding separated bike lanes infringes on their constitutional rights and are worried about speeding bikes (on a road where the limit is 50kph but people drive >70kph...). A damn struggle.

[@ScottVanHorne]

They're worried about speeding bikes because they'll actually have to pay an ounce of attention. Similar in Hamilton, I could be going 40 in a 40 and still get passed by every single car.

[@MrAyla]

Living in Edmonton, Alberta Canada I just made the jump back to being a bike commuter because of the new bike infrastructure. My vehicle died in the spring and that pushed me to bike to work on my slow ass beach cruiser to work. And it was fine. Safe, even on that slow funky bike. So I decided that with winter coming on I’d invest in a winter friendly bike rather than a car and all it’s payments. Because of the city’s investment in bike lanes I feel safe on the roads. As a mail carrier I’m already dressed for the weather. The cold isn’t the issue, it’s safe and well maintained paths. I drive and walk for a living and bike to work. As such a car centric city that is pushing for more bike infrastructure I feel like supporting it is the right thing to do

[@tom.jacobs]

Thanks for this nice talk and ride with a competent mayor and very likable guy (with a perfect t-shirt :-) ) Not sure we [nl] can bring much more to the table as inspiration, looks like he already has some great ideas and perseverance

[@swedneck]

i really wish he'd document his city's improvements, it would be great to be able to follow the progress from overseas!

[@jaymescloninger4812]

Man, never thought I’d say I want to move to Emeryville…

[@dwfidler]

I love this video! Probably my favourite Propel video of all time. It's so amazing to see US cities turning a corner on bike policy. As a former Bay Area resident that's now in the Netherlands, it's so great to see some of the best examples of Dutch infrastructure being implemented in the US in a non-half-assed way! Great work Mayor Bauters!

[@smoshuajoshua]

Hell yes, Mayor! As someone who regularly takes all these trails/lanes, I can vouch for how awesome they are. Glad more infrastructure is coming our way. Also, hilarious shirt!

[@formarkv]

Wow this is super inspirational. I didn't know we constituents can have this much impact. This inspires me to do the same in my city

[@sixpackpilot]

Pretty sure he would also make a very good mayor in the Netherlands. Already seems to have the same infrastructural/transport mindset and the required people skills and humility to get constituents to support new/different developments and get them engaged in their own community.

[@OaktownBman]

Great video. I use all these paths every day. The wife and I are living carfree in our mid 50s. Thank you, Mayor and planners who see us.

[@ericdalejandro]

Amazing video! The hole in the building. Excellent. Reminds me of Japan’s highway that goes through a building. Also, I hope I get to look 25 when I reach my 40’s, too! This inspires me to do something in my city. I live in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Very car oriented city. Thanks for making this video.

[@MrSporeaddict123]

Its a miracle that this infrastructure exists in the U.S. We need more places and people like this. This this is an absolute positive for any city no matter what side of the aisle youre on.

[@Simplyblissfull]

Loved this video, it was wonderful to hear the anecdote about taking the kids to daycare and the positive impacts that good biking infrastructure has created for so many. 👍

[@drew031127]

Most people in NW Indiana probably think I'm an absolute lunatic with numerous DUIs, but I have a sense that momentum is building. Keep up the good work; you guys are helping to blaze the trail for the rest of us!

[@skiergirl4753]

Great conversation. We have to shift mindset so we can shift the “norm”. I have been carless for 6+ years in a city where bikes are everywhere. People assume there us a reason why I don’t have a car - there is confusion and disbelief when I speak about the lightness of not having a car. That has to change!

[@Vaioman67]

Great job Mayor Bauters - I currently live in Austin Texas, but I wish i lived in Emeryville because of you.

[@richyuh]

Fully support this. I'd also push for a lot more safe bike parking as well

[@charlottepine5375]

So glad I found this video. I live here and ride these paths and streets all the time; I absolutely love the bike network in my city! Such a cool mayor.

[@pauljbird]

This is truly inspiring and makes me want to up my cycling advocacy game. Thanks for making!

[@johnsmiff8328]

A competent American politician, good stuff right here. This brings me a lot of hope.

[@barkeater9606]

I retired last year from the Air Force and wanted a much simpler lifestyle. I sold everything except my guitars and moved in with my dad to take care of him, he just turned 80 years old. We both bought new bikes and really enjoy it. His car is now only used once a week for groceries. 👍

[@mikew9999]

I take exception with the older people talk. I am 62 and I bought a bike last year, after 30 years of not having one. Since I bought it, I have been exploring so many new routes within my big city that I didn't know existed, and inventing easy ways to travel through alleys, and side streets where there is no decent bike infrastructure, and lately I have been doing 40-mile rides on the weekends through some wonderful forest preserve bike trails that I discovered, which take 10 miles of riding on city streets to get to, but once on the trails through the wooded areas it is so wonderful. I ride every day, and wish there was more bike infrastructure. We have rental bikes in the city as well, and when I go grocery shopping, my load is too large for a bike, so I will rent a bike near my home and ride it to the supermarket and park it in the bike station, do my shopping and come home on the bus. I love having the bike, and wish I had bought it many years earlier. When I am out biking on the bike paths through the lakefront parks, I see many many older gentlemen that are my age group out riding bikes. In fact I think I see more older folks on bikes that younger folks. They are the ones still wedded to their cars. I just wish the bike paths that do exist would separate the bike traffic from the pedestrian traffic, because baby strollers, dog walkers, joggers, roller bladers, small children, walking couples and groups of folk 3-and-4-across, can really clog up a bike path and be a major hassle.

[@zacharykondas9787]

Love this mayor and hope more ideas like this spread to the rest of the country.

[@KneesAndToesAnd]

Please, please, PLEASE get that mayor to talk to our city council in Burbank. If love to see this happen.

[@georgekarnezis4311]

It’s really cool to see what it’s like to ride a bike in other parts of the country.

[@sarahkathleen6752]

This is honestly so inspriring! Kudos to this mayor for being so forward thinking! He's doing so much for future generations by offering a different perspective.

[@stepheng.5623]

Awesome video Chris! Thanks for sharing. Would love to see more videos like this. What a great Mayor!

[@jeanlapoint8297]

My Eastern city has a fantastic bike trail but I have to load my bike on the back of the car to get there. Once there, it’s beautiful but recreational rather than functional for errands. It’s a very dangerous city to get around on a bike. There’s a man in our local artist’s group who was run over by a bus. He’s had to have many surgeries and he’s been in constant pain for over a decade now. This tends to be a deterrent for anyone who knows him.

[@SmileyEH]

Such a heart-warming and powerful video. Makes me incredibly optimistic to see what is possible.

[@TroubleshootGamingMeds]

This was fantastic thanks man.

[@vincenzodigrande2070]

It is easy, living in the Netherlands today tho think the way it is now has always been what everybody wanted, but growing up in the seventies myself, I remember many people, especially from the liberal political spectrum here, were not at all on board and were much more pro cars and wider highways etc. My own father was politically at the right wing spectrum of politics, whereas my mother, she was much more leftist, and she has always had a dislike for cars. I can remember my father often being quite vocal about those damn cyclists, and they should be fined for breaking the rules and not having lights on, and he thought cycle lanes were a waste of money. Nowadays though, even though my parents are not around any more, God bless them, any of my rather right wing liberal friends and family, they all endorse the idea of cycle lanes and all speak about the benefits and they would really camp out on them in protest, to protect them, should any politician ever decide to remove them. All I want to say is, it may take a generation and for the grand plan to be a bit more developed in order for everyone to be on board. It makes me proud today to see the pictures of the minister president Rutte, who is a right wing politician, and the royal family on bicycles circulating the media.

[@davigurgel2040]

@@mtbtroyem almost everywhere outside of north america, liberal means libertarian i.e. small government, free market and individual freedoms

[@Ryan_hey]

@@mtbtroyem In the normalized political spectrum of America, liberals are considered left, but on the global spectrum, they are most definitely right wing.

[@Schokland2007]

The hatred for restrictions on cars was indeed enormous.

[@natalieb6956]

@@mtbtroyem no our system works a little bit different. We have a lot of political parties who are mostly in the right, left or center wing). But we have conservative right, liberal right, progressive centre/left, social democrate centre / left and conservative left and more central progressive parties and then you have some activists parties that are looking out for groups or certain subjects in the left or right wing. Liberal parties are looking at things from a more economic / businesses view (i think our liberal right wing is more like the democrats in american) first. Social democrat parties are looking more at services like healthcare, education, social security if everything is accessible / affordable also for poor people etc. Progressive parties are pretty focussed on our environment / science / future / EU and then there are the conservative parties who are more religious and / or old school minded. But most parties al though theyre left / right / liberal / conservative/ social democrats / progressive minded also have some or more views that are lapping other wings. And in our system always makes sure they have to nagotiate together. Right now theres a right liberal party (VVD), a right conservative party (CDA) a left conservative party (CU) and a central progressive social party (D66) working together.

[@wernerrietveld]

What a wholesome, encouraging and hopeful video. Well done mr. Bauters.

[@claudiasquietwalk]

I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful conversation full of excellent insights! I would move to Emeryville if I could afford it. After I watched An Inconvenient Truth, I started biking to my grocery store and I never felt so powerful and free in my life!! I still miss that. Now I live in a small remote town where I would feel insecure to ride a bike anywhere except a few residential streets. Thank you for the brilliant work both of you are doing!

[@cb6866]

Thank you....this guy needs to be listened to on a national level . Peace

[@clpiatak]

Great, entertaining and informative interview. This Mayor spoke of including priority bike routes. FYI, our last Chicago Mayor installed these in our city. Maybe this Mayor can model after ours. It is a good experience, having priority over car traffic at traffic lights. 🚦

[@PlayerPunisher]

This man is the goat. He’s an advocate for better city planning, against cars, wealth inequality, and my personal favorite a fan of Four Seasons Landscaping. FSL is a company that helps people and orgs with California native plant landscaping

[@yumi419]

Thank you Chris for sharing this interview. I'm hopeful to see people like Mayor Bauters make positive strides for the community by providing a better bike infrastructure. Where I'm from in FL, we see people WANTING to ride their bikes around but a lack of safe infrastructure with cars as a priority. My friends and family are concerned about my safety for biking to the grocery store or to work, which are less than 10 miles from my home combined. I'm inspired to be like John - an advocate for wanting improvements for our community. I'm also glad to hear about Mayor Bauters speaking positively to hearing from at least 1 constituent via email. Our Mayor and district reps have done some good that I fear goes unrecognized; I'll be sure to send them my thoughts and appreciation for any improvements that benefit our community. Great insight!

[@ryanquinn1257]

“It’s fueled on breakfast burritos” is a quote I want from my mayor. Cool to see some real thoughtfulness from a CA mayor.