Episode 7: The war on cars in New York City

In this episode of Better Cities by Design, Doug Gordon, safe streets advocate, and co-host and producer of “The War on Cars” podcast is our guest. We speak with Doug about his crusade to rid New York, and other cities, of cars.With a population of over 8.8 million residents, New York is the most populous city of the United States, and a melting pot of cultures from around the globe. Unlike many cities in the US, most New Yorkers do not own a car. Across the 5 boroughs 55% of households do not own a car and a mere 22% of people commute to work in a car. Still, it’s estimated that there are around 620 car accidents in the city every day. And a 2021 Harvard and University of North Carolina study found that around 1400 New York residents die prematurely each year from pollution caused by trucks, cars, and buses.Join Host Davion Ford and Doug, as they discuss what New York could be like without cars. Doug shares why he has taken up this battle and how the COVID-19 pandemic taught many people that life in the Big Apple could be so much better with fewer cars. Doug raises serious questions about whether the car is really so beneficial for humanity, and he paints a picture of what city life could be if we eliminate cars from our streets. Listen in to find out why our guest has declared war on cars.