What does it take to redesign a deadly street — and who stands in the way? In this season finale of Cities in Motion, we sit down with Ben Wolf, director of Changing Lanes.

Changing Lanes' begins as an intersection tragedy in Greenpoint, New York, but gradually widens to encompass decades of planning, activism, and corruption, to become a story about the fight for the streets of New York itself. Director and filmmaker Ben Wolf talks to us about the making of this politically charged three-year documentary

What if one of the most important factors affecting our health isn't how much we walk—but whether our communities make walking possible in the first place?

Awarded annually, the prize celebrates individuals who have made significant contributions to the fields of architecture, urban planning, and community development.

You can follow the links if you want to know the name of Jensen’s killer, but that’s not really the point. A more important question is why a four-lane boulevard and designated truck route that had already been the site of many collisions and deaths over the years (hence the nickname “Bloody McGuinness”) was running through a densely populated residential area in the first place.

Changing Lanes is a sharp, angry, and engaging civic documentary that turns one Brooklyn street into a broader argument about safety, power, and who cities are built to serve.

What does it take to make a street safer for everyone? In the US, it typically requires a combination of tragedy, grassroots organizing, and political leadership. Even when these ingredients come together, success is never guaranteed, as so many projects become battles about more than just bike lanes.

In this episode, we sit down with Ben Wolf, cinematographer, filmmaker, and director of the documentary Changing Lanes, to explore the complex relationship between street design, urban transportation, public space, and politics.

“This is a human powered movie,” a title card in filmmaker Ben Wolf’s document Changing Lanes outlines at the start.

After years of back-and-forth, McGuinness Boulevard is finally getting the full road diet.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani is closing the book on one of the city’s most controversial bike lane projects.

Launching on Amazon & Kanopy June 9, 2026!

Ben Wolf — cinematographer and director of the documentary Changing Lanes — is in good traffic this week for a conversation about using a Brooklyn bike lane project as a lens for understanding democracy, infrastructure, and why America feels politically stuck.

Interview with Ben Wolf, producer and director of Changing Lanes. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, people-centred cities, reclaiming public space for the public, micromobility, electric bikes, and many more.

Taylor talks with featured advocate Bronwyn Brightener and Director Ben Wolf of the documentary Changing Lanes about the contested Road Diet on McGuiness Boulevard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn (2:15).  

Eric Brightwell, host of the Nobody Drives in LA podcast, at the Changing Lanes screening (7:19).

Partial redesign of McGuinness Boulevard has resulted in fewer cars, more cyclists, DOT says ahead of full rollout.

How streets get transformed into safer, more inviting places is messy and difficult. This fascinating new documentary dives deep into the details of just such a transformation in New York City, and the results are beautiful and inspiring, yet frustrating on so many levels.

Taylor talks with the Director of Changing Lanes, Ben Wolf

Nobody Drives in LA chat with filmmaker Ben Wolf about his new documentary, Changing Lanes. The film( shot only on equipment carried by bike) captures the intense community battle following efforts to reconfigure a Brooklyn street in the aftermath of a deadly collision.

People have a visceral reaction to changes, especially when it’s their local streets….