Chris Bruntlett - Curbing Traffic

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2021 Melissa Bruntlett and Chris Bruntlett

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Keywords: Access to nature, aging in place, childhood autonomy, climate resilience, cycling city, Delft, low-car city, mental health, mobility choice, the Netherlands, noise pollution, protected bike lane, street design, traffic calming, transportation accessibility

For Wendy, Ed, Margaret, and Robert, our biggest fans and most ardent supporters.

Our story has only been possible because of your unwavering encouragement, no matter where our journey has taken us.

I t was only supposed to be five blog posts. But when our family first traveled from Vancouver to Rotterdam in the summer of 2016, we had no idea how quickly a simple writing assignment would spiral out of control. Those five online articles would form the basis for our book Building the Cycling City: The Dutch Blueprint for Urban Vitality, whose publication by Island Press in August 2018 transformed these two Canadians into inadvertent international ambassadors for the Netherlands. Focused on the forward-thinking urban and transport planning policies that have transformed Dutch cities from places for cars to places for people, the book also provided concrete case studies of North American communities already translating these concepts onto their streets. Following a global speaking tour that saw us address 44 audiences in 25 cities across seven countries (including a once-in-a-lifetime trip across Australia and New Zealand), and countless media appearancessuch as Vox, The Guardian, CityLab, National Public Radio, and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporationwe returned home to the Pacific Northwest with a life-changing decision to make. But to be honest, it was a fairly easy one.

After featuring Dutch Cycling Embassy (former) director Mirjam Borsboom in a chapter of Building the Cycling City, and then meeting Mobycon CEO Johan Diepens at our Ottawa book launch, the process of writing and promoting our first book became one gigantic job interview. And sure enough, in early 2019, the two of us were staring at employment offers from these respective organizations, both located in the small city of Delft: Melissa as international communications specialist for Mobycon, and Chris as marketing and communication manager for the Dutch Cycling Embassy. So, with very little hesitation, we reduced all of our earthly belongings into eight suitcases (and a cat carrier), pulled the children out of school midsemester, and traded the peaks of British Columbia for the lowlands of South Holland, eager to begin exporting the inspiring bicycle infrastructure and culture wed been fervently touting for years.

Aside from it being the home of the eponymous Delfts blauw (Delft blue) pottery, the birthplace of Johannes Vermeer, and the assassination site of Willem van Oranje, (the main leader of the sixteenth-century Dutch Revolt against the Spanish Habsburgs), we knew precious little about our new hometown. We had not even set foot there until we arrived at the door of our rental apartment on a February morning in 2019. It was love at first sight, and within hours of wandering its quaint canals, cobbled streets, and historic squares, it became clear that we hadas one of our Twitter followers so eloquently put itmet onze neus in de boter gevallen (fallen with our nose in the butter). This was an immense relief, as we had initially considered settling in some of the surrounding cities, but with both of our jobs located within a short cycle ride, it made sense to stay close to the kids as they transitioned into the public-school system. Coralie and Etienne, at the ages of 12 and 10 respectively, were understandably a bit more hesitant about this intercontinental move. But despite its being our warm and welcoming home for 11 wonderful years, all four of us were ready to downsize from big and bustling Vancouver, and Delft seemed to check all of our boxes: a compact and historic college town of just over 100,000 people30,000 of whom study or work at the local universitywhere an incredible four-fifths of all journeys are made on foot, bicycle, or public transport (and no less than half of all trips are on a bicycle!).

In addition to the obvious (and ongoing) adjustment to a new language and culture, the starkest discovery was the myriad qualitative benefits that come with living in a place with far fewer motor vehicles. Even with high expectations, the first few weeks were nothing short of a revelation for our family; each day discovering the immense joys of living in a city that treated cars as guests, rather than guests of honor. Suddenly we found ourselves living in an environment where we could hear again. Having been accustomed to the prevalence of engines, we had forgotten the sounds that give life to a city: people talking, birds singing, bells ringing, and music playing. At the same time, we watched our children enjoy the independence and freedom of moving autonomously on their own streets. These inclusive spaces welcomed virtually anyone; including the aging and disabled. In this immersive environment, levels of trust and compassion were clear through eye contact with fellow travelers. We saw how such an environment permits frequent and meaningful connections with our community, allowing us to meet and interact with our new neighbors.