New Episode of NYC DOT's Curb Enthusiasm Podcast Features Professor Anne Goodchild

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IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 31, 2025
Contact: (212) 839-4850, press@dot.nyc.gov

New Episode of NYC DOT's Curb Enthusiasm Podcast Features Professor Anne Goodchild

Goodchild is a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Founding Director of the Urban Freight Lab (UFL) at the University of Washington

The Conversation Focuses on the Impact of Freight Policy on the Costs on Goods, Size of Freight Vehicles, the Value of Front-Line Workers, and Prioritizing Safety in the Delivery of Goods

NEW YORK - New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez today announced the release of the seventh episode of the agency's Curb Enthusiasm podcast. The episode features Anne Goodchild, PhD, a professor of civil engineering, the director of the Supply Chain Transportation & Logistics Center, and founding director of the Urban Freight Lab (UFL), all at the University of Washington in Seattle. The conversation focuses on the impact of freight policy on peoples' lives via the size of freight vehicles and impacts of costs on goods, the importance of communication and connectivity between stakeholders to balance safety and the delivery of goods, Dr. Goodchild's motivation to start the Urban Freight Lab, the role of government policy and the influence of geography and infrastructure on freight, and the value of front-line freight workers.

"This seventh episode of our Curb Enthusiasm podcast really takes a weighty look at the impact of freight policy on peoples' lives," said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. "Anne Goodchild, a world-renowned expert on supply chain and urban freight, delves deeply with our co-hosts into her mission to improve the safety, sustainability, and livability of the urban freight system as it relates to public space in communities with competing needs, even at the micro-distribution level."

The Curb Enthusiasm podcast focuses on issues at the local, national, and international level and features guests who discuss the most consequential transportation work happening all over the globe.

The episode is co-hosted by Emily Weidenhof, assistant commissioner of public realm at NYC DOT, and Diniece Mendes, assistant commissioner for transit development at NYC DOT.

Curb Enthusiasm is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Amazon Music, BuzzSprout and other major streaming platforms. More information is available at nyc.gov/CurbEnthusiasm.

About Anne Goodchild, PhD

Anne Goodchild leads the University of Washington's academic and research efforts in the area of supply chain, logistics, and freight transportation. She is professor of civil and environmental engineering, director of the Supply Chain Transportation & Logistics Center, and founding director of the Urban Freight Lab (UFL), all at the University of Washington. Goodchild is an international expert in the area of public/private collaboration, and her approach to research has resulted in almost 100 novel publications. She is the recipient of the 2021 PacTrans Outstanding Researcher Award, the 2021 ITE Transportation Education Council Innovation in Education Award, and the 2021 Transportation Research Board Urban Freight Committee Best Practical Implications Paper award.

Anne earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of California - Davis (BS), as well as both a Master of Science and PhD from the University of California - Berkeley.

About Emily Weidenhof, Episode Co-Host

Emily Weidenhof is assistant commissioner of public realm at NYC DOT. Emily works closely with community organizations throughout the five boroughs to transform their streets as public space. For over a decade, she has focused on strengthening communities through the creation of plazas and shared streets and retooling the curb lane for innovative programming. She's also played an integral role in NYC DOT's Broadway Vision Plan, which employs a range of tools to reimagine the famed Manhattan corridor from Union Square to Columbus Circle, which now prioritizes pedestrians and cyclists. Emily has worked as an architect and urban designer in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, including at the NYC Department of City Planning.

Emily received her bachelor's degree in architecture from Pennsylvania State University and her master's degree in architecture and urban design from Columbia University.

About Diniece Mendes, Episode Co-Host

Diniece Mendes is the newly named assistant commissioner for transit development at the New York City Department of Transportation, where she oversees the management, planning, and implementation of many complex bus lane projects and beyond. Prior to that as the agency's freight mobility director, Diniece spearheaded transformative programs rooted in Delivering New York and Delivering Green, enhancing the safety, efficiency, and resilience of New York City's supply chain to bolster urban livability and economic vitality. In addition to her role at DOT, Diniece serves as Vice President on the Board of Governors for ASCE's Transportation and Development Institute, where she champions the engineering profession and promotes diversity in STEM careers, inspiring the next generation of changemakers.

Diniece received her master's degree in civil engineering with a specialization in transportation from University of Texas - Austin and her bachelor's degree in civil engineering from City College CUNY.