Bicycling Enthusiasts and Advocates Roll into Town for Upcoming Summit

Mark your calendars for the fourth annual Tennessee Bike Summit, which will be held at the Knoxville Convention Center on April 23 and 24.

Anyone interested in learning how to improve conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists, and to increase the health and economic vitality of their community, should attend. The Summit will be of special interest to cycling and transportation advocates, planners, traffic engineers, public health officials, landscape architects, researchers, cycling retailers, and elected officials.

MPC/TPO is a gold sponsor of the Summit, and staff have been assisting with the planning of the event.

The keynote speaker for the Summit is Gil Penalosa, founder of 8-80 Cities. Gil advises decision-makers and communities on how to create vibrant cities and healthy communities for all: from 8 to 80 years old. He is passionate about creating great cities for all people, regardless of social, economic, or ethnic background, and the design and use of parks and streets as great public places, as well as sustainable mobility. As former Commissioner of Parks, Sport, and Recreation for the City of Bogot?, Colombia, Gil successfully led the design and development of over 200 parks and initiated the "new Ciclovia" - a program which sees over 1 million people walk, run, skate, and bike along 121 kilometers of Bogot??s city roads every Sunday. Because of his unique blend of pragmatism and passion, Gil?s leadership and advice is sought out by many cities and organizations.

The Summit?s sessions are presented in three categories: Infrastructure and Policy, Advocacy and Education, and Recreation and Development. For professionals attending the conference, organizers are working to have the sessions certified to provide Professional Development Hours (PDHs) for engineers, planners, and landscape architects.

The Summit will also include social bike rides, mobile workshops, and other networking opportunities.

Previous Tennessee Bike Summits were held in Chattanooga, Memphis, and Nashville. The event?s primary organizers are Bike Walk Tennessee and Bike Walk Knoxville. Registration for both days is $85, and one-day registration is $45. For more information, visit the official website for the Summit at www.tnbikesummit.org.

Posted 04-10-02015. Written by Ellen Zavisca.