APBP Announces 2025 Award Winners

The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) Awards honor individuals who have demonstrated excellence, leadership, and innovation in the bicycle and pedestrian profession, as well as APBP chapters that have significantly contributed to the organization by fostering local engagement, professional growth, and visibility.

The 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award, four Professional of the Year Awards, and one Chapter Award were presented during the final day of APBP’s 2025 Virtual Summit: A Path to Progress, Sept. 25 - 26, 2025. Their acceptance videos can be viewed by visiting APBP's Annual Awards page. 

Lifetime Achievement Award 

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual who has made a substantial commitment to the profession during their lifetime and who has shown excellence in the field of bicycle and pedestrian planning, design, advocacy, research, or education. The award distinguishes those whose vision and determination have made their communities better places to bicycle and walk and who inspire the rest of us. 

Roger Millar, President of Millar Consulting Services, LLC is the recipient of APBP's 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award. The guiding theme throughout Roger's career has been planning and implementing transportation systems that are not ends unto themselves, but rather the means toward economic vitality, environmental stewardship, social equity, public health, and thriving communities where all are welcome. As Secretary of the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), Roger transformed the agency's approach to active transportation, directing the creation of WSDOT’s Active Transportation Division (ATD), the first such division in the nation positioned within a state DOT at the same level as other modes and major activities. His leadership sparked award-winning planning, innovative design, and historic investments in equity and safety. His strong advocacy helped secure new programs focused on underserved communities and guided statewide adoption of Complete Streets principles. A national leader, Roger served as AASHTO President from 2022-2023 and brought active transportation into the spotlight across major professional and advisory boards. Through it all, Roger remained committed to inclusion, spearheading anti-racism initiatives and fostering thoughtful dialogue on systemic inequities in transportation. Playwright John Fletcher said “Deeds, not words, shall speak me.” Roger’s actions encourage us all to do better and speak volumes for his commitment to advance diversity, inclusion and better multi-cultural awareness. His career has been a testament to the belief that transportation should serve people and communities. The APBP Lifetime Achievement Award exemplifies the heart of his work and the difference he has made.  

Professional of the Year Awards 

The APBP Professional of the Year Awards recognize the achievements of pedestrian and bicycle professionals made in the last 12 months in the private, public, nonprofit and research sectors. 

  • 2025 Professional of the YearResearch: Nick Ferenchak, Associate Professor at the University of New Mexico, has a deep passion for traffic safety, particularly pedestrian and bicyclist safety, which he has championed through his research, outreach, mentorship, and leadership. Nick has authored more than 35 peer-reviewed research publications to date, with a remarkable h-index of 17 and over 860 citations. Many of these projects are either led by him or developed in collaboration with other leading safety researchers, and notably, with undergraduate students. His commitment to engaging undergrads in research is rare and truly commendable, and it has made a profound impact on the student community at the University of New Mexico (UNM). In June 2023, Nick achieved a significant milestone in his career by securing and leading a Tier-1 University Transportation Center (UTC) dedicated exclusively to pedestrian and bicyclist safety—the first of its kind. Through this work, he has not only advanced the field in substantial ways but also enabled a culture of collaboration, innovation, and academic excellence. Nick continues to promote process improvements, create new educational programs and lead efforts to secure additional external funding, ensuring the center’s success and relevance. His achievements throughout his career reflect his commitment to advancing pedestrian and bicyclist safety, mentoring the next generation of professionals and researchers, and promoting justice and equity in our field. 

  • 2025 Professional of the Year – Public Sector: Active transportation professionals need to champion and prove the value of multimodality well beyond their existing sphere of influence to further integrate walking, biking, and rolling into state transportation networks and policy. Few understand this as well as Celeste Gilman, Strategic Policy Administrator at Washington State Department of Transportation. Gilman’s transportation career is distinguished with many examples of leading successful collaborations between not only dozens of teams at WSDOT, but also across state and local agencies, to elevate the status of active transportation in Washington state. She epitomizes the definition of a Public Sector Professional of the Year through her ability to navigate complex systems, develop relationships with and partnerships between countless diverse groups around novel concepts, and launch and shepherd projects toward institutional change that increases everyone’s access to bicycle and pedestrian improvements. If that weren’t enough, Celeste extends her positive influence by giving others the educational resources and tools they need to lead, preparing teams to advocate for active transportation-positive policy and direct projects themselves. If there is ever a need to improve the active transportation system anywhere, Celeste is literally the first on the ground to identify how to foster support for change. She always leaves better infrastructure – and strengthened communities – in her wake. 

  • 2025 Professional of the Year Private Sector: Dave McLaughlin, Principal, Senior Director of Business Development and National Active Transportation / Complete Streets Lead at WSP Canada, is a true pioneer in the field of active transportation. As a multi-modal transportation planner, he has over 30 years of experience in active transportation network planning and facility design, transportation master plans, cycling and trail system network strategies, design guidelines and policy development. As one of Canada’s leading urban mobility and complete streets specialists, Dave has made invaluable contributions to hundreds of active transportation design projects and has served as an expert advisor to all levels of government. He has also authored and co-authored a number of key technical thought leadership papers that focus on active transportation, complete streets and micromobility. Dave’s legacy of advancing the state of active transportation across Canada and beyond includes the thousands of industry professionals he’s influenced, and the millions of citizens who benefit from healthier, safer and more connected communities that he had a part in through his work. Dave has collaborated with municipalities across the country to create progressive active transportation plans, and developed high quality design guidance at the national, provincial and local levels to support implementation. Through his mentorship of dozens of active transportation and complete streets team members, Dave has inspired a new wave of planners and engineers to embrace careers in active transportation, think big, and realize ambitious visions for better streets and safer and more equitable communities. 

  • 2025 Professional of the Year – Nonprofit Sector: Rachel Hollar Umana is the founding Executive Director of Bike Walk Macon, Macon-Bibb County’s first and only pedestrian and bicycle advocacy nonprofit organization. In the ten years since she launched the effort, what started as a small grassroots initiative has grown into a powerful local movement for safer, healthier, and more accessible streets for all. Rachel began this work through the Emerging City Champions fellowship program with 8 80 Cities, inspired to make her city more walkable and bike-friendly. At the time, Macon had fewer than a mile of bike lanes and little dedicated infrastructure for people walking or biking. Ten years later, through sustained advocacy and community engagement, Macon-Bibb has taken major steps forward in supporting multimodal transportation and traffic safety, and has been officially recognized as a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. Through it all, Rachel has stayed grounded in a community-first approach — listening, showing up, and advocating alongside residents. She has prioritized equity and inclusion in Bike Walk Macon’s leadership and programming, especially in neighborhoods historically impacted by transportation and infrastructure decisions. Whether helping reconnect divided communities like Pleasant Hill or making sure local voices are at the table for major projects, Rachel’s work is rooted in the belief that safer streets are about more than transportation — they’re about dignity, access, and opportunity. A decade in, Bike Walk Macon is not just an organization — it’s a movement. And thanks to Rachel’s leadership, it’s helping transform the future of transportation in Macon-Bibb County. 

Chapter of the Year Award 

APBP Chapter Awards recognize the achievements of APBP chapters that have added value to the organization by creating opportunities for local APBP members to grow, engage and connect. 

The Michigan Chapter is awarded the 2025 Chapter of the Year Award for its exceptional commitment to member engagement, professional development and community building. Through consistent communications, including a monthly newsletter and dynamic LinkedIn presence, the chapter celebrates members’ contributions and fosters cross-sector connection. To keep members across the state connected, the Michigan Chapter hosts an annual chapter planning workshop, a book club, quarterly regional meetups, and promotes information sharing through virtual avenues. APBP Michigan is prioritizing the development of future field trips and technical tours that highlight successful projects, showcase emerging trends, and create space for in-person networking and knowledge exchange across the state. APBP Michigan has been working hard over the past year to amplify their members and cultivate a vibrant, inclusive community dedicated to advancing active transportation in Michigan.

APBP Updates Policy Statement on Victim Blaming

The APBP Policy Committee regularly reviews and updates our statements. The original policy statement on Victim Blaming was published in June 2022. This revision was approved by the Board of Directors in June 2025 and can be found here.

APBP believes it is our professional duty to make it safe for people to travel in their community, requiring us to incorporate this duty into our work wherever possible by focusing the conversation on systematic safety improvements, rather than only trying to identify a party at fault. We especially prioritize avoiding finding faults with or blaming crashes on the actions of those typically most vulnerable (those road users outside of a motor vehicle).

APBP encourages professional practitioners (such as traffic and transportation engineers and agency officials), as well as law enforcement and media to avoid reporting on crashes involving pedestrians, bicyclists and other vulnerable travelers in a way that places undue blame on them for the traffic violence they suffer, especially when they are using a dangerously designed system shaped by our auto-dependent culture that does not adequately consider their needs or the context of the street. APBP supports developing a different mindset about crashes that is reflected in a new vocabulary with comprehensive descriptions in police crash reports, local government publications and presentations, and reporting by the media.

APBP supports Vision Zero and its use of a Safe System view of traffic crashes. The Safe System approach recognizes human imperfections and shared responsibility, and requires that systems be designed with those human qualities in mind. APBP recognizes that designers, policy makers, system operators, and system users share in this responsibility. As a group of practitioners, APBP acknowledges the responsibility to promote safe design.

APBP Updates Policy Statement on Performance Measures

The APBP Policy Committee regularly reviews and updates our statements. The original policy statement on Performance Measures was published in February 2020. This revision was approved by the Board of Directors in January 2025 and can be found here.

It is APBP’s position that:

Transportation agencies and governments consider the needs and desires of all users of the transportation system in line with a commitment to Complete Streets. To accomplish this, APBP recommends the use of multimodal performance measures that reflect community goals.

A holistic set of performance measures should derive from the goals of the community as determined through robust public engagement. Goals should consider the following themes and recognize the ways in which they are interconnected:

  • Safety
  • Public Health
  • Access and Mobility
  • Environment / Sustainability
  • Economic vitality
  • Equity
  • Livable places

Performance measures should leverage both quantitative and qualitative analyses. Data collection and analysis methods should recognize that community engagement and qualitative information are valuable. Both types of information help decision makers and the public to understand trade-offs between alternatives and guide decisions that best align with community goals. Furthermore, performance measures and transportation data should be accessible to the public.

Goals and performance measures should apply to a wide variety of project types and at multiple tasks and checkpoints throughout the project.

APBP Welcomes New Board Member, Adam Wood

APBP is pleased to share that Adam Wood from Toole Design Group has been elected to serve a three-year term on the Board of Directors starting in January 2025.

Adam is an Active Transportation Plan Practice Lead with Toole Design Group in Silver Spring, Maryland. In this role he advances the state of goal-oriented, data-driven bike and pedestrian planning. Adam has expertise in helping communities change their transportation paradigms, enhancing livability and advancing equity. He has created active transportation and Complete Streets plans for a diverse array of communities and agencies across North America, from platinum-level bicycle-friendly cities to communities embarking on their very first efforts to enhance their streets for everyone. Adam excels at translating community values into actionable policy and program strategies; crafting Complete Streets policies and implementation plans; and planning local, regional, and statewide bicycle and pedestrian transportation systems.

Adam and his family live in Madison, WI where they enjoy walking, biking, and being outdoors.

Welcome to the APBP Board of Directors, Adam!

APBP Announces 2024 Award Winners

The Association of Pedestrian & Bicycle Professionals (APBP) announces the winners of its annual awards program to honor excellence in the profession. The 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award, three Professional of the Year Awards, and two Chapter Awards were presented during the final day of APBP’s Conference in Detroit, MI on August 14. 

Lifetime Achievement Award 

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual who has made a substantial commitment to the profession during their lifetime and who has shown excellence in the field of bicycle and pedestrian planning, design, advocacy, and/or education. The award distinguishes those whose vision and determination have made their communities better places to bike and walk and who inspire others.  

The 2024 APBP Lifetime Achievement Award goes to Tim Young, a bicycle and pedestrian advocate, whose visionary leadership has profoundly shaped the landscape of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, through the development of the Jackson Hole Community Pathway System. Tim's efforts, beginning in the early 1990s, led to the creation of a more than 70-mile network of all-ages and all-abilities multi-use pathways that safely connect the entire region. As the first Pathways Director for Teton County, Tim’s relentless advocacy, strategic partnerships, and innovative funding strategies were instrumental in overcoming significant opposition and bringing these pathways to life. His impact extends beyond Jackson Hole, with his work influencing pedestrian and bicycle advocacy at local, state, and national levels. Tim’s legacy is cemented by the lasting benefits he has brought to the community. 

Professional of the Year Awards 

The APBP Professional of the Year Awards recognize the achievements of pedestrian and bicycle professionals made in the last 12 months in the private, public, and research sectors. 

  • Research Professional of the Year: Sarah O'Brien, Senior Research Associate for the Highway Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is a leader in the research field, and has contributed to the advancement of safety for people bicycling and walking through her own research, mentorship, and shaping the state of the field through actively participating in leadership of professional bodies such as the Transportation Research Board. She has made significant contributions to pedestrian and bicyclist count and volume data processes and methods, decision-making tools for facility selection, and increasing accessibility in the public realm. The selection committee was impressed by the number of colleagues who collaborated to support her nomination, noting that her colleagues and peers value her guidance, mentorship, and expertise in navigating research processes.” 

  • Public Sector Professional of the Year: Matt Messina, Chief of Multimodal Transportation for the Kansas Department of Transportation, has been instrumental in shifting the focus and practice of Kansas DOT from vehicle movement to providing a safe and reliable transportation system for all users. He has sought out and incorporated the tools and processes to result in meaningful incorporation of active transportation into state roadway projects and has looked beyond traditional funding sources to increase resources going to people walking and bicycling. To quote his nomination, “The culture of KDOT has literally transformed in the past 5 years as a result of his efforts to a place that accepts active transportation as part of the overall transportation system.” 

  • Private Sector Professional of the Year: Bill Schultheiss, Director of Design and Engineering at Toole Design Group, has a long record of helping communities throughout the country develop design guidance to improve facilities for people walking and bicycling, and is known for his ability to deliver trainings and presentations in a way that transcends professional silos and jargon. Bill has a proven track record of influencing national conversations about design standards through research and crafting user-friendly policy and guidance documents. The selection committee was impressed by multiple recommendations on Bill’s behalf that cited his ability to overcome differences of opinion to help create better facility designs, better guidance, and as a result create better conditions for people walking and bicycling across the country. 

Chapter of the Year Awards 

New in 2024, the APBP Chapter of the Year Awards recognize chapters that have significantly contributed to the organization by fostering local engagement, professional growth, and visibility over the last 12 months.  

  • Chapter of the Year Award: The Ontario Chapter is awarded the inaugural Chapter of the Year Award for its exceptional efforts in creating opportunities for member engagement and collaboration, both virtually and in person. The chapter’s initiatives, including partnerships with organizations such as the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and Project for Public Spaces, as well as its active presence on LinkedIn and Instagram, have strengthened the profession and increased APBP’s visibility in the region. The Ontario Chapter’s events, such as bike rides and monthly meetings, have provided valuable platforms for networking and knowledge sharing. 

  • Chapter Momentum Award: The Missouri-Kansas Chapter is awarded the inaugural Chapter Momentum Award for its remarkable resurgence post-COVID and recent expansion to include Kansas. The Chapter has an active bi-monthly meeting schedule where members have an opportunity to present their plans and projects as part of a roundtable discussion. The Chapter has conducted strategic planning showcasing its commitment to future growth 

For more information about the APBP awards, please visit the APBP website at https://www.apbp.org/annual-awards. 

APBP Updates Policy Statement on Electric Bicycles

The APBP Policy Committee regularly reviews and updates our statements. The original policy statement on Electric Bicycles was published in January 2019. This revision was approved by the Board of Directors in December 2023 and can be found here.

It is APBP’s position that:

  1. E-bikes have the potential to unlock significant latent demand for cycling and should be considered an integral part of a more sustainable transportation strategy in the U.S. and Canada.
  2. The U.S. and Canada should take legislative action at the federal level to better define e-bikes, create more uniformity in regulations, reduce regulatory burdens, and increase uptake of e-bikes across North America. In Canada, a harmonized legislative framework for e-bikes should be a national priority and the efficacy of devolving e-bike regulation to provinces should be subject to a full regulatory impact statement.
  3. Further research and technical evaluation of the safety risks associated with e-bikes travelling at higher speeds is urgently needed. If sufficient evidence exists of a higher level of risk exposure arising from e-bikes with more powerful motors, then governments must act in the public interest to reduce risk through effective regulation of e-bike speed and/or motor power.
  4. Further study of the interaction of e-bike riders, non-motorized bicyclists, and pedestrians is needed, particularly as it relates to existing and planned shared infrastructure such as sidewalks and shared use paths.
  5. Widespread adoption of e-bikes has the potential to make a lasting and positive impact on major public health challenges, including diabetes and obesity across the continent.
  6. Greater attention to the enforceability of e-bike legislation and regulation is needed, as is greater focus on the educational needs stemming from increasing e-bike adoption.
  7. E-bikes have the potential to lower barriers to cycling for people with different transportation and physical activity needs, including people whose commute trip exceeds 15 to 18 minutes, and people who are reluctant or unable to use non-motorized bicycles due to the physical demands, but have the ability to handle an e-bike.

Read the full APBP Policy Statement on Electric Bicycles. Additional policy statements from APBP can be found here.

APBP Updates Policy Statement on Automated Driving Systems

The APBP Policy Committee regularly reviews and updates our statements. The original policy statement on Automated Driving Systems was published in April 2018 with a first revision published in June 2019. This updated version of the policy statement can be found here.

Vision:
To ensure automated vehicle operations meet our shared goals for safe, efficient, and equitable transportation, vehicles with automated driving systems should meet or exceed core driving competencies of a human operator and all requirements of local, state, and national vehicle and transportation codes while consistently and safety operating around all roadway users, especially pedestrians, bicyclists, or other vulnerable road users.

Position:
APBP believes automated vehicles represent an emerging technology that carries great potential for both positive and negative outcomes and must be primarily designed and operated to ensure functional safety for all people using streets and highways. Beyond the specific responsibilities of AV manufacturers, APBP believes that an integrated safety management system must be put in place to properly collect, monitor, disseminate (in real-time where required and where appropriate) anonymized safety data from AVs and from other roadway, government, and user data sources. The anonymized data collected should be aggregated and shared with governmental agencies responsible for planning, building, operating, and maintaining transportation and safety systems.

Vehicles’ Automated Driving Systems (ADSs) must readily detect and protect all vulnerable road users including those walking, bicycling, and using a mobility device– regardless of age, race, ability, location, time of day, and other factors – from serious injury or death.

Read the full APBP Policy Statement on Automated Driving Systems. Additional policy statements from APBP can be found here.

APBP Publishes Carbon Neutrality and VMT Reduction Policy Statement

The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) identifies reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) as a critical measure in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from the transportation sector and the effects of climate change.

APBP believes that policies to make the use of active modes safer, easier, and more comfortable, or to promote the use of active modes, play a key role in shifting mode use away from passenger vehicles. While these policies have a quantifiable and positive effect to reduce GHG emissions, they are most effective when combined with direct disincentives for automobile use, such as charging the market rate cost for traffic congestion or vehicle parking and eliminating vehicular parking minimums or implementing vehicular parking maximums.

APBP supports policymakers to consider measures from a variety of spheres (e.g. land use policies, increasing access to bicycles and e-bikes through bikeshare programs and financial incentives, equitable roadway pricing strategies, etc.), a combination of measures both infrastructure and non-infrastructure, and level of scale (i.e. individual parcel level, corridor-level, or community–wide) in order to implement programs that will yield meaningful changes in VMT reduction.

Read the full APBP Policy Statement on Carbon Neutrality and VMT Reduction.

APBP Announces 2022 Annual Award Winners

Contact: Lauren Santangelo, Executive Director
859-402-9819
[email protected]

LEXINGTON, KY -- The Association of Pedestrian & Bicycle Professionals (APBP) announces the winners of its annual awards program to honor excellence in the profession. Four Professional of the Year awards and the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award were presented during the final day of APBP’s Conference in Minneapolis, MN on August 24.

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual who has made a substantial commitment to the profession during their lifetime and who has shown excellence in the field of bicycle and pedestrian planning, design, advocacy, and/or education. The award distinguishes those whose vision and determination have made their communities better places to bike and walk and who inspire others. The 2022 APBP Lifetime Achievement Award goes to Susan Sauvé, Transportation Demand Management Planner for the City of Peterborough.

Through her selfless, collaborative nature, Sue has built a community of people around her, magnifying the impact of her efforts far beyond what any single person can do. She is a known collaborator - truly motivated to work alongside other staff departments, consultants, agencies, organizations, and residents to deliver the best outcomes for people walking and cycling. Through her passion and perseverance, Sue has transformed the way it is possible to travel in Peterborough. Her work will impact the community for decades to come!

The APBP Professional of the Year Awards recognize the achievements of pedestrian and bicycle professionals made in the last twelve months in the private, public, research, and nonprofit sectors and one young professional under the age of 30.

Laura Sandt, Director of the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, UNC Highway Safety Research Center, receives the 2022 APBP Research Professional of the Year Award. Laura’s impressive background as an epidemiologist lends immense value to her perspective and ability as a transportation safety researcher. She leads a diverse portfolio of research projects with a focus on safety, mobility, and access for people who walk, bike, and roll of all ages and abilities. Laura encourages the uptake of research to practice by leading opportunities for knowledge exchange, as well as interfacing directly with leaders in multidisciplinary fields and informing adoption and implementation of ideas.

Darnel Harris, Executive Director of Our Greenway Conservancy is awarded the 2022 Nonprofit Professional of the Year Award. Darnel is a determined, resilient, forthright advocate and leader of social justice, equity, and equal opportunity for underprivileged and underserved racialized communities. For more than a decade, Darnel has been in the forefront of advocating for proper sustainable micromobility, cycling advocacy and the development of the cycle industry in North America as a whole. His ethical standard has forged bridges with important actors including major industrial investors, researchers, not-for-profit leaders, entrepreneurs, and cooperative leaders in the micromobility industry in Mexico, Canada, USA, and Europe.

Hannah Pritchard, Principal Pedestrian and Bicycle Engineer for the Minnesota Department of Transportation is awarded the 2022 Public Sector Professional of the Year Award. Hannah is a public sector professional with the unique skill of translating the needs of pedestrians and bicyclists to and between planners, engineers, and advocates. She understands the strategic steps necessary to design transportation facilities to meet the needs of people walking and biking. Her involvement within national guidance for pedestrian and bicycle facility design has strengthened MnDOT’s facility design guidance and has brought it into a new era. Hannah’s work has pushed the agency to figure out ways that all users of the transportation system can coexist, thus improving mobility for all people.

Austin Taylor, Redevelopment Agency Project Manager with the Salt Lake City Corporation, is named APBP’s 2022 Young Professional of the Year. In his work as a transportation planner at Park City Municipal Corporation, Austin empowered historically excluded communities to carry out tactical urbanism projects to reshape their neighborhood streets. Austin works closely with community residents, helping the public gain trust in transportation professionals. Outside of his work in municipal government, Austin spends free time advancing active transportation as Executive Director (now board member) of BikeWalk Provo, a nonprofit advocacy organization.

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APBP is a community of practitioners working to create more walkable, bikeable places. We foster peer knowledge sharing, advance technical expertise, and support the professional development of our members. We offer multiple membership levels, and more information can be found at apbp.org.

 

  

APBP Signs On to CDR and TDI Letter on Police Reform and Accountability

APBP, the Center for Disability Rights (CDR)The Daniel Initiative (TDI), and 43 civil and human rights groups have written a sign-on letter encouraging Congress to move and pass legislation that addresses the lack of law enforcement accountability in the harm and killing of people and in particular Black people in this country. While this letter is not specific to traffic enforcement, it does align with APBP's Equity and Traffic Enforcement policy statement.

Click here to read the full sign-on letter.

APBP submitted written testimony for Maryland SAFE Roads Act (HB0656)

APBP submitted written testimony for the Maryland SAFE Roads Act (HB0656) which is one of the top two active transportation bills (along with HB0254) in the 2022 Maryland General Assembly session.  Written testimony would urge Environment and Transportation Committee members for favorable consideration of House Bill 656.

Bill Highlights - Safe Access for All (SAFE) Roads Act of 2022 requires MDOT State Highway Administration to:

1. Conduct an analysis of high pedestrian and bike injury corridors/ intersections and identify engineering improvements to address identified threats; publish the results by July 2023

2. Provide specified minimum annual funding levels in budget areas involving pedestrian and bicycle safety

  • SAFE Roads Act specified funding is a small fraction of the increased funding Maryland is expected to receive of the $4.6 billion over five years ($992 million per year) in IIJA Federal highway formula funding for highways and bridges. On an average annual basis, this is about 35.9% more than the State’s Federal-aid highway formula funding (USDOT  MAC Conduit Street Blog)

3. Review outstanding and upcoming preservation and maintenance projects for opportunities to implement Context Driven Design Elements and FHA Proven Safety Countermeasures

4. When implementing new safe infrastructure and engineering improvements that will take more than 12 months to complete, implement near-term, incremental improvements which enhance safety in the interim.

APBP Publishes Policy Statement on Equity and Traffic Enforcement

APBP believes safe and dignified mobility is a human right. Within this, equitable enforcement for people moving around public space is essential.

APBP believes the legacy practice of armed law enforcement officers enforcing traffic violations denies the communities we serve this right.

APBP supports the decisions made by several organizations to remove traffic enforcementas a component of safety initiatives.[1] APBP endorses efforts to reinforce transportation safety with a more holistic definition that includes freedom from crash risk along with other forms of harm including harassment and racism.

APBP is supportive of alternatives to the traditional model of armed law enforcement of traffic laws. Such recent efforts include replacing armed law enforcement with other trained and unarmed staff to conduct traffic stops. Existing and emerging roadway and vehicle technology can also replace the safety function of traffic enforcement. APBP supports deployment of such technologies, provided that they are transparently and equitably planned and deployed.

APBP encourages an emphasis on self-reinforcing street designs which may reduce or eliminate the perceived need for enforcement (armed or otherwise) as a tool for roadway safety. Self-reinforcing design practices use geometric elements to encourage drivers to select speeds consistent with the posted speed limits and design intent of roadways.[2]

APBP believes that any continued law enforcement related to traffic stops must be monitored and analyzed for bias and potential harm to Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color (BIPOC) and to the LGBTQ community.

APBP supports changes to federal funding programs related to safety that would improve transparency regarding expenditures and effectiveness, implement data reporting requirements related to racial and social equity impacts, and remove mandates for spending on enforcement activities.

Read the full APBP Equity and Traffic Enforcement Policy Statement.


[1] Safety documents often refer to Enforcement as one of the “5 Es” which can vary but typically include education, encouragement, engineering, enforcement, and emergency
response.

[2] Publication Number FHWA-HRT-17-098. Available online at https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/17098/17098.pdf

APBP Endorses Helmet Law Working Group Letter

The Helmet Law Working Group including Central Seattle Greenways, Real Change, Cascade Bicycle Club, and Beacon Hill Safe Streets, as well as members from other organizations has written a letter to the King County Board of Health recommending the repeal of the King County bicycle helmet law with endorsement from APBP.

The research, outreach, and discussion of the working group sought to understand the impacts of King County’s bicycle helmet law, including its disproportionate enforcement by Seattle police against people of color and homeless bicyclists. Findings were that Black cyclists have received citations at nearly four times the rate of white cyclists; homeless individuals have received nearly half of all recent helmet citations. Their research and advocacy were recently featured in The Seattle Times and The Guardian.

The King County Board of Health is now reviewing the helmet law beginning with a panel discussion at their meeting on June 17. The letter to the Board of Health urges them to keep all bicyclists safe from harmful policing by repealing the helmet law, or at the least, removing the possibility of punitive, armed enforcement.

 Read the full letter here.

APBP Signs On To Sen. Schatz Vulnerable Road User Safety Act

Senator Schatz's (D-OH) office is working on a bill to codify the infrastructure and vehicle safety recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) 2018 Report on Pedestrian Safety and 2019 Report on Bicyclist Safety.  The bill also would require better data collection. APBP has signed on in support.

APBP Submits Comments to Canadian Federal Active Transportation Strategy

On April 26, 2021, twenty-six APBP members from British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec and Ontario met virtually to brainstorm ways the federal government can support active transportation in Canada. Eleven comments were also provided through an online discussion board. You can see the results of these consultations in the submitted letter to the federal government on the Canadian Active Transportation (AT) Strategy, which includes screenshots of the “jam board brainstorming” as well as recommended actions.

We are pleased to see the Government of Canada taking a leadership role in advancing active transportation, through its recent announcement to create a $400 million active transportation fund and the development of Canada’s first National Active Transportation Strategy.

Active transportation is an essential piece of any successful climate action strategy, while also contributing to healthy lifestyles, a high quality of life and thriving communities. Partnerships across all levels of government, the private sector and civil society can lead to transformative change in how people move in and between our communities, towns and cities. We are grateful the federal government is playing a leadership role in this transformation.

View the full letter here.

APBP Signs On to Rep. Frederica Wilson’s Letter to Re-establish the Advisory Committee on Transportation Equity

APBP has signed on to support Congresswoman Frederica Wilson’s (D-FL) letter to the Department of Transportation on legislation to permanently re-establish the Advisory Committee on Transportation Equity (ACTE) to help ensure that transportation policies and investments are equitably serving all communities. This committee would be comprised of community, academic, and government stakeholders to advise the Transportation secretary on policies to promote equity through community engagement and interagency collaborations.

The ACTE was established under former DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx to "provide advice and recommendations to the Transportation secretary on comprehensive, interdisciplinary issues related to transportation equity from a variety of stakeholders involved in transportation planning, design, research, policy, and advocacy." The committee was tasked with identifying best practices to implement the department's "opportunity principles" to promote agencies, programs, and projects that would strengthen and revitalize communities through a comprehensive, community-focused approach.

The committee, which was established with a two-year charter, was eliminated by the Trump administration in January 2018, nearly one year before the charter was due to expire. As Congress considers major infrastructure investment and policies to move the US forward, APBP advocates for the DOT taking actionable measures to ensure that marginalized urban, rural, tribal, and other underserved communities are equitably allocated resources to help them thrive.

APBP Submits Comments on the Current Notice of Proposed Amendments for the MUTCD

APBP submitted comments on the recent notice of proposed amendments for the MUTCD requesting that FHWA reframe and rewrite the MUTCD to create a document that supports safe systems design. 

APBP asks that the administration make changes based on comments provided and carefully consider whether the proposed standards and guidance in the proposed MUTCD will significantly address the public health crisis of traffic violence in our communities. Our consensus is that this revision will not result in the significant changes needed. The MUTCD has prioritized motor vehicles for over 50 years and it will take a significant amount of effort to overcome the inequities created by those actions. To enable government agencies to meet their local goals of reducing deaths and serious injuries, practitioners need a MUTCD that addresses the safety of multimodal users. To this end, APBP calls on FHWA to update the MUTCD with an emphasis toward increased flexibility for engineers to implement safety measures as directed by local leadership.

View the letter and comments here.

APBP Updates Policy Statement on Complete Streets

The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) supports the Complete Streets movement and recommends that transportation agencies and governments adopt and implement Complete Streets policies. Agencies should modify their planning, design, prioritization, and project delivery practices and standards to institutionalize the Complete Streets approach so that all potential users and uses are adequately accommodated with safe, welcoming, and context-appropriate facilities and networks. Read APBP's full Complete Streets Policy Statement here that was recently updated in early spring 2021.

The Complete Streets Act was reintroduced in February 2021 by Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. View the press release here and Smart Growth America's blog post here which includes a call to action to send a message to your Congressional representatives urging them to support the legislation.

APBP Updates Policy Statement on Shared Micromobility Programs

APBP supports the development of shared micromobility programs and supporting policies as a key element of a community’s comprehensive transportation system. APBP believes that shared micromobility programs have the potential to improve access and reduce barriers to schools, parks, libraries, food, services, and jobs; increase transportation options; reduce congestion on city streets; act as a catalyst for infrastructure that increases safety for all vulnerable users; improve air quality; and support local economic development. To ensure an effective, equitable, and sustainable program, communities must take a proactive approach to managing shared micromobility.

The APBP Policy Committee regularly reviews and updates our statements and the updated version of the Shared Micromobility Programs statement can be found here.

All of APBP's Policy Statements can be found on apbp.org under Resources > Policy Statements.

Remembering Jay Walljasper

Our work on creating livable places has benefited from many hands and minds, including like-minded journalists. Jay Walljasper was one of those journalists. As a young editor of the Utne Reader, Jay’s vision pushed the periodical to the forefront of influence in a time when the printed word was king. His work reflected much of what we believe and hope for, dished up in articles, books, lectures, and frequent conversations.

Jay died a few days before Christmas last month. The victim of an aggressive form of cancer that he could not outrun, Jay Walljasper was a friend to many in the APBP family.  To know Jay was to know more than a gifted writer.  Jay was, at heart, a student of people and places, a keen listener who absorbed details with child-like wonder, and a storyteller with a knack for framing big issues in a relatable way that helped to break down political and ideological walls.

Jay reflects on things that bring him joy in one of his final published articles, Treasure Hunt, which he asked be shared.

Jay’s thoughts about The Commons, articulated in his book, All That We Share, reminds us that we all have the right and responsibility to determine how our public space is used, including the public right-of-way. This message is particularly important in our work to build walkable and bikeable communities. His work on building neighborhoods, chronicled in The Great Neighborhood Book, is based on the theme of community ownership, as well.

More of Jay’s work is available on his website, http://jaywalljasper.com/.

Some of his articles on bicycling, bicycle networks, and bicycling’s impact on our communities are linked below, many published by AARP:

Bicycles Aren’t Just for Kids:
http://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/getting-around/info-2015/bicycles-bike-riding-older-adults.html

E-bikes get older people riding:
https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/getting-around/info-2018/e-bikes-energize-bicycling.htm

How Better Biking Benefits Even People Who Don’t Bike:
http://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/getting-around/info-2016/why-bicycling-infrastructure-is-good-for-people-who-dont-ride-bikes.html

Bike-Sharing Gets Older Adults Cycling: 
https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/getting-around/info-2018/bike-sharing-transportation-solution-for-older-adults-too.html

7 Street-Level Solutions for Safer Cycling: 
https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/getting-around/info-2018/street-level-solutions-for-better-bicycling.html

Bike-Sharing’s Past, Present and Future:
https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/getting-around/info-2018/bike-sharing-past-present-future.html

Vision Zero:
https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/getting-around/info-2015/vision-zero-safe-streets-for-everyone.html

Lessons from Melbourne for US Cities:
https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/livable-in-action/info-2019/livable-lessons-from-melbourne-au.html

20 Minute Village:
https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/livable-in-action/info-2017/20-minute-village.html








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