Andy Boenau, a private-sector transportation planner in Richmond, is really passionate about his job — so passionate that in his spare time he publishes a blog and podcast, “Urbanism Speakeasy.” Every week he interviews people with fascinating perspectives on smart growth, New Urbanism and urban planning. In recent weeks, to mention just two examples, Andy has interviewed Peter Koonce about Portland, Ore.’s traffic signal systems for bicycles and Chuck Wolfe, author of “Urbanism without Effort.”

Yesterday, Andy posted a podcast in which he and I chatted about a topic near and dear to my heart, smart growth for conservatives. If you’re not inclined to listen to the 25-minute interview, he summarizes key points on his blog.

In retrospect, the name “Urbanism Speakeasy” seems a tad ironic. The interview took place on a Sunday evening after a dinner in which I had imbibed a couple of glasses of wine. After listening to the interview, however, I don’t think I was much more rambling, incoherent or agitated than normal!

— JAB