Session #21 - "Introducing Bike Planning to Planners and Engineers: A Continuing Education Seminar"

Introducing Bike Planning to AICPs and PEs:

A Continuing Education Seminar

Ed BarsottiLeague of Illinois Bicyclists630-978-0583ed@bikelib.org www.bikelib.or

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Outline

1) Introduction– goals and motivation, drawing target audiences

2) Seminar content– list of topics covered

3) Seminar details– tone, logistics, publicity, finances, attendance

4) Wrap-up– university course, resources for replicating

Primary advocacy goal: Educating staff

• Lack of local staff (planners, engineers, …) knowledge on bicycle issues a problem

• Education dispels myths, builds buy-in

Deciding to conduct our own seminars

• Earlier experiences in partnering with others

• One statewide event vs. many regional sessions

• “Introduction to Bicycle Planning” seminar

Other advocacy goals

• Building org’s credibility, exposure as a resource

• Marketing for bike planning consultant work

• Making some “profit”, perhaps adding members?

Luring target audiences: Continuing Ed

• Local planners, engineers; consultants; DOTs, …

• Need continuing ed credits, but lower travel budgets

Planners – AICP details

• APA charges small non-profits $995/year to provide AICP CM credits

• Not as many AICP attendees as hoped

Engineers – PDH (Professional Development Hours) details

• In IL, PDHs required by law to maintain standing

• No provider certification (yet), just “expert” in field

• Increase credibility as provider by partnering?

Outline

1) Introduction– goals and motivation, drawing target audiences

2) Seminar content– list of topics covered

3) Seminar details– tone, logistics, publicity, finances, attendance

4) Wrap-up– university course, resources for replicating

Seminar content: Opening discussion

• Introductory questions?

• Motivations, products, process of bike planning

Seminar content: Bike safety lesson

• Types of cyclists, where/why they ride

• Traffic Skills 101, car-bike interactions, crash causes

• Break myths, build case for infrastructure discussion

Seminar content: Bikeway network

• Standards and guidelines

• Overview of bikeway types; costs; selection process including general applicability, objective planning tools

• Strategic guidelines and examples of selections

Seminar content: Other infrastructure

• Signal actuation; drain grates; skewed RR crossings

• Bike parking & policies; reducing intersection conflicts

• When to do at-grade vs. separated grade crossings

Seminar content: Non-infrastructure

• Quick overview, examples of “other E’s”

• “Resources are readily available”

Seminar content: Implementation

• Complete Streets policies

• Internal, external funding; grant-seeking advice

• “Top 10 List” to avoid real-life pitfalls

Seminar handouts

• Copy of Power Point slides

• LIB’s “Guide to Municipal Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning”

Outline

1) Introduction– goals and motivation, drawing target audiences

2) Seminar content– list of topics covered

3) Seminar details– tone, logistics, publicity, finances, attendance

4) Wrap-up– university course, resources for replicating

Seminar “tone”

• Professional learning experience, not a perceived advocacy “attack”. Praise=specific, criticism=general

• Solutions recognizing other engineering needs. Use objective approaches, engineer/planner language.

Seminar logistics – 10 seminars

• Partnered with MPOs, who hosted, publicized

• 2.5 hours, morning; winter Tuesdays and Fridays

• Short breaks, occasional Q&A throughout

Publicizing seminars

• Advertisement postcard pointing to webpage sent to 250 cities (admin, plan, eng/PW), 250 consulting firms

• MPO publicity; APA website; our newsletter

Registration fees, membership

• $25 fee. Free for LIB members, MPOs (& IDOT)

• Optional membership for free – 210 joined

Attendance

• 488 total for 10 seminars, ranging from 32 to 95

• Most: gov’t (from 125 towns, other agencies), then: consultants (80 firms), others. 90% professionals

• Estimated 75% with no prior info on bike issues

Expenses

• Travel; postcards and postage; copies of handouts; AICP provider fee; some room rental & refreshments

• Netted several thousand dollars (not incl. staff time)

Outline

1) Introduction– goals and motivation, drawing target audiences

2) Seminar content– list of topics covered

3) Seminar details– tone, logistics, publicity, finances, attendance

4) Wrap-up– university course, resources for replicating

University mini-course (4 weeks)

• U of Illinois-Chicago, 2009, 2010 – adjunct lecturers

• Seminar content, plus public input exercise, more

• Group project: brief bike plan, presentation for actual suburbs/city wards

“Packaging” for others to replicate

• Seminar video, power point slides, other handouts

• 4-page detailed writeup (also online)

• www.bikelib.org/bike-planning/bike-planning-instruction/ continuing-education (or just www.bikelib.org)

Thank you…

Advocacy Advance grant from Alliance for Bicycling and Walking