Professional planners will have lots of opportunities to earn AICP continuing education credit at the Winter Cycling Congress. This track is also appropriate for landscape architects and includes sessions, which likely fulfill continuing education requirements for design professionals. Check out the sessions for which we have applied for credit below.
Photo by Allison Osberg.
Tuesday, 2 February 2016
Breakout 1
Shifting to bicycle-friendliness in Finland and the Netherlands * **
This panel will focus on the policies and infrastructure that have supported everyday cycling cultures in the Netherlands and Finland. What can other places learn from the successes and mistakes of other cities that are bicycle-friendly all year-round?
Featuring:
- Pekka Tahkola, Planner, Navico Ltd | Vice President, Winter Cycling Federation
- Herbert Tiemens, Policy Advisor & Bicycle Program Manager, Province of Utrecht
- Kalle Vaismaa, DSc., Leading Advisor, WSP Finland
Building an even more bike-friendly state * **
Minnesota has been recognized as the second most bike-friendly state in the U.S. but agencies are aiming higher. Learn about the new state bikeways plan, a plan to create the bikeway version of a trunk highway plan for the Twin Cities metro area and a progressive plan for the state’s most populous county, Hennepin.
Featuring:
- Steve Elmer, Planning Analyst, Metropolitan Council
- Tim Mitchell, Bicycling Program Director, MnDOT
- Kelly Yemen, Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, Hennepin County
Breakout 2
Designing protected intersections in support of year-round cycling * **
Bikeways succeed or fail based on the comfort and safety of their intersections. Learn about intersection safety concerns, conventional treatments to mitigate risk, and the latest from on-the-ground installations of protected intersections. With simple geometric and operational adjustments, designers can raise the bar for designing safer and more accessible streets.
Featuring:
- Simon Blenski, Transportation Planner, City of Minneapolis Department of Public Works
- Nick Falbo, Senior Planner, Alta Planning + Design
- David Kemp, Senior Transportation Planner, City of Boulder
- Steve Mosing, Traffic Operations Engineer, City of Minneapolis
Transparency, flexibility & collaboration: How North Minneapolis Greenway planners approached equitable community engagement * **
The North Minneapolis Greenway is a proposal to convert low-traffic residential streets to a park-like trail for year-round biking, walking, and more. This project has invested in strong, equitable community engagement. This panel will discuss the importance of engaging communities of color in bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure projects, describe strategies for effective, equitable engagement, and demonstrate how collaboration between agencies, community, and government can lead to more robust engagement processes.
Featuring:
- Ebony Adedayo, Communications and Capacity Building Coordinator, Alliance for Metropolitan Stability
- Rose M. Brewer, Ph.D., Board Chair, Environmental Justice Advocates of Minnesota
- Will Lumpkins, Outreach Organizer, Northside Residents Redevelopment Council
- Alexis Pennie, Board Vice President, Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition | Chair, Northside Greenway Council | Co-founder, North Minneapolis Bicycle Advocacy Council
- Sarah Stewart, Senior Public Health Specialist, Minneapolis Health Department
Are bikes left out in the cold? Warming to opportunities for integrated mobility * **
This discussion will focus on barriers, opportunities and successful experience integrating bicycles and public transportation in the U.S. and the Netherlands. Learn about the challenges and opportunities associated with winter bike-share, a bike facility assessment study of the new Southwest Light-Rail Line in Minneapolis, and the successful integration of bicycles and trains in low-density parts of the Netherlands, including Houten.
Featuring:
- Ciara Schlichting, Regional Office Director – Minneapolis, Toole Design Group
- Herbert Tiemens, Dutch Cycling Embassy
- Jennifer Toole, President, Toole Design Group
Street design for winter cycling * **
How can we design streets that are safe and inviting for cyclists year-round but also efficient to maintain? Individuals interested in urban design and bicycle infrastructure will exchange ideas on street design and maintenance strategies. The workshop will begin with a presentation on cycling infrastructure design and maintenance challenges and will be followed by a practical exercise.
Featuring:
- Bartek Komorowski, Project Leader, Research & Consulting, Vélo Québec
- Brian Patterson, Principal and Active Transportation Practice Lead, Urban Systems
- Timo Perälä, CEO, Navico Ltd. | President, Winter Cycling Federation
Wednesday, 3 February
Breakout 3
Breaking the ice with winter maintenance policies & practices for cyclists * **
Gain a better understanding of the weather variables that really influence cycling habits as well as policies for planning around the weather. Learn about how new cycling facilities are being maintained in Chicago during the winter and the way good management and communication result in high-quality winter maintenance in Nordic countries.
Featuring:
- William Hyerle, Technical Sales Consultant, Eco-Counter
- Kaisa Karhula, Project Manager, WSP Finland
- Kristen Maddox O’Toole, Transportation Planner, Alta Planning + Design
Lessons from Montréal: Building a better réseau blanc * **
Montréal is often recognized as one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in North America, despite it’s famously snowy winters. The presentations in this session will look at the state of winter cycling in Montréal and the challenges the City faces in operating a four season cycling network. Recent improvements to maintenance practices and street design, and plans for further improvements in the future, will be discussed.
Featuring:
- Marc-André Gadoury, City Councilor – Official in charge of cycling in the Coderre administration, City of Montréal
- Bartek Komorowski, Project Leader, Research and Consulting, Vélo Québec
Breakout 4
Keeping people walking and biking despite the snow and ice * **
There is growing evidence that people are not only already bicycling and walking year-round but that they want more opportunities to stay active during the cold winter months. Panelists will explore the challenges of providing good pedestrian and bicycle access year-round in cold climate cities from an agency’s perspective and also from a facility design perspective.
Featuring:
- K.C. Atkins, Civil/Traffic Engineer, Toole Design Group
- Tom Huber, Senior Planner, Toole Design Group
- Arthur Ross, Pedestrian-Bicycle Coordinator, City of Madison, Traffic Engineering Division
The future of bicycling & transit * **
Learn what Metro Transit has done to accommodate cyclists in the past, projects being planned in the present and where the Agency will go toward the future. A part of this work is to identify obstacles for combining cycling and transit, estimating demand, and defining goals.
Featuring:
- Allison Bell, Project Manager of Everyday Equity, Metro Transit
- Tony Drollinger, Programs Specialist, Metro Transit
- Carol Hejl, Landscape Architect, Metro Transit
Breakout 5
Maintaining innovation on campus: planning & design for active transportation * **
Universities are often places of innovation, no less so when it comes to planning and maintaining facilities for biking and walking. Learn how campuses with harsh winter climates are adapting best practices for network design, promoting cycling and dealing with snow and ice removal.
Featuring:
- Aaron Fodge, Alternative Transportation Manager, Colorado State University
- Ian Hall, Director, Office of Sustainability, University of Manitoba
- Dylan Harris, Campus Planner, Campus Planning Office, University of Manitoba
- Doug Lauer, Landcare Supervisor, University of Minnesota
- Charles Strawser, Pedestrian & Bicycle Transportation Planner, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Transportation Demand Management Unit
Pedaling perks: Winter biking incentives *
This panel session brings together representatives from several companies and institutions to showcase their employee incentive programs that encourage biking. Panelists will answer questions such as the following. What role do companies play in increasing winter bicycling? How do companies benefit from investing in bicycle commute incentive programs? How do bicycle commute incentive programs affect employees? How can you convince your company to develop an incentive program?
Featuring:
- Peter B. Grasse, PhD, 3M Corporate R & D, Laboratory Manager, Recruiting and Leadership Development, 3M
- Ciara Schlichting, Regional Office Director – Minneapolis, Toole Design Group
- Beth Simon, Benefits Specialist, Quality Bike Products (QBP)
- Tony Spaay, ZAP Specialist, Dero
- Lucy Tobin, Prospect Researcher, University of Minnesota
Thursday, 4 February
Breakout 6
Measuring winter cycling traffic: Implications for policy and management * **
Making the case for winter bicycling starts with demonstrating that the activity is significant and that changes in weather may deter but do not prohibit bicycling. Learn about data collections practices in the Twin Cities, City of Minneapolis and State of Minnesota, plus research from University of Manitoba-Winnipeg and the legacy of the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program – Bike Walk Twin Cities.
Featuring:
- Simon Blenski, Transportation Planner, City of Minneapolis Department of Public Works
- Tony Hull, Nonmotorized Transportation Planning Consultant
- Greg Lindsey, Professor, University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs
- Thomas Mercier, Research & Evaluation Coordinator, Three Rivers Park District
- Michael Petesch, Non-Motorized Transportation Researcher and Planner, University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs
- Hilary Reeves, Strategic Advancement & Communications Director, Transit for Livable Communities
Bicycle transportation in winter destination communities * **
Winter cycling in resort communities isn’t only for sport. Parking and congestion are often exasperated in resort communities when the snow falls and the visitors and seasonal workers arrive, while trip distances are often short though lacking good wayfinding and pedestrian connectivity. This panel will feature mobility leaders from resort communities that have become bike-friendly by accident and by initiative.
Featuring:
- Steve Durrant, Principal, Alta Planning + Design
- Andy Esarte, Engineering Manager, Town of Canmore
- Stewart G. Osgood, P.E., President and CEO, DOWL
Breakout 7
Plowing through: Planning for bikes in snowy cities * **
Gain insight into trail use from a report covering 14 U.S. cities and understand how weather effects trail traffic in different parts of the U.S. Hear how Anchorage is implementing its bicycle and pedestrian plans, and learn from challenges faced there related to implementation and maintenance. Learn some dos and don’ts from Boulder’s experience implementing bicycle infrastructure and ideas for overcoming opposition to new bicycling infrastructure.
- Greg Lindsey, Professor, University of Minnesota – Humphrey School of Public Affairs
- Dave Kemp, Senior Transportation Planner, City of Boulder
- Joni Wilm, Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation
The bike as a disaster relief tool * **
Bicycles can perform emergency communication, transportation and evacuation effectively in winter. This session hosts emergency management experts and bike advocates who will discuss disaster relief preparedness and illustrate the role cyclists can play in the delivery of emergency services. Participating panelists are from Seattle, Minneapolis, Boston and North Dakota State University.
Featuring:
- Casidy Anderson, Community Risk Reduction Officer, Minneapolis Fire Department
- Sarah Bundy, Assistant Professor of Emergency Management, North Dakota State University
- Barbara Jacobson, Programs Director, Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition
- Steve Durrant, Principal, Alta Planning + Design
* AICP continuing education applied for.
** State laws and regulations for professional landscape architecture continuing education vary. Winter Cycling Congress courses and activities are not pre-approved for landscape architecture, however to the best of our knowledge this session meets the continuing education requirements of many state licensing boards. Final discretion is up to each board.
