Walkable Community Workshops

May 12-14, 2004

The upcoming Walkable Community Workshops are half-day events for elected officials, citizens, and professional in the fields of planning, engineering, law enforcement, public health, and education. These interactive workshops will provide information on how we can turn our communities into the kind of pedestrian-friendly places we all like to experience. Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council was one of twelve Metropolitan Planning Organizations from around the country selected to participate in this program. The workshops are funded by the National Center for Bicycling and Walking (NCBW) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and are being sponsored locally by RTC, Clark County, City of Vancouver, City of Ridgefield, C-TRAN and Washington State Department of Transportation.

We invite you to participate in any of the four workshops scheduled in our area in May. The workshops are presented by NCBW expert trainers Charles Gandy and Bruce Appleyard who combine vision with real-work experience in implementation. During the four-hour workshop, participants will identify opportunities to eliminate barriers and enhance walkability, while building consensus on what needs to be done to improve conditions for pedestrians.

As a workshop participant, you will learn about successful pedestrian design, safety, education, enforcement and encouragement. A walking audit of the study area will help us understand and identify obstacles and solution specific to each of the four workshop study areas.

Workshop Focus Areas and Dates:

Downtown Ridgefield

Ridgefield Community Center
210 N Main Ave., Ridgefield
Wednesday, May 12, 5:30 p.m. to 9:15 p.m.

Highway 99

Best Inn & Suites
7001 NE Hwy. 99, Vancouver
Thursday, May 13, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Fisher’s Landing

Rose Besserman Room, C-TRAN Transit Center
3510 SE 164th Avenue, Vancouver
Thursday, May 13, 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Fourth Plain

James Parsley Center
2901 Falk Road, Vancouver
Friday, May 14, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

RSVP by April 30th:

It is important that we have an accurate count of participants prior to the workshop so please contact Lynda David at RTC 360-397-6067 extension 5205, or e-mail to Lynda.David@rtc.wa.gov if you can attend, or have questions about the workshops.

The workshop will include a walking tour of the site, so please wear comfortable shoes and clothing suitable for the weather that day.

We hope you will be able to participate in one of these interesting workshops!

Schedule

	May
	Wednesday 12	Thursday 13	Friday 14
AM		Best Inn & Suites 7001 NE Hwy 99 8:30am-12:30pm Highway 99 Revitalization Project	Jim Parsley Recreation Center 2901 Falk Road 8:30am-12:30pm
PM	Ridgefield Community Center 210 N. Main 5:30pm-9:15pm Downtown Ridgefield	Rose Besserman Community Room Fishers Landing Transit Center 3510 SE 164th Ave 1:30pm-5:30pm

Taking C-TRAN to the Workshops

Highway 99 – Best Inn & Suites - 7001 NE Highway 99

Highway 99 has urban corridor service seven days a week on C-TRAN #71 Highway 99 route. Route #71 makes connections at 7th Street Transit Center and Salmon Creek Park & Ride. All buses are lift equipped and have bike racks. For more information, call C-TRAN Customer Service at 360-695-0123 or visit C'TRAN's website.

Fishers Landing Transit Center

Fishers Landing Transit Center is accessible by several C-TRAN urban and commuter routes. From 7th Street Transit Center, take the #37 Mill Plain or #30 Burton Rd. From Vancouver Mall Transit Center, take the #80 Van Mall/Fishers route. From Camas, access the Connector, C-TRAN’s Dial-A-Ride service or #92 Camas/Washougal. All C-TRAN buses are lift equipped and have bike racks. For more information, call C-TRAN Customer Service at 360-695-0123 or visit C'TRAN's website.

James Parsley Center

James Parsley Center has service on C-TRAN’s #4 Fourth Plain seven days/week with connections at 7th Street Transit Center and Vancouver Mall Transit Center. All C-TRAN buses are lift equipped and have bike racks. For more information, call C-TRAN’s Customer Service at 360-695-0123 or visit C'TRAN's website.

More Information

NCBW Walkable Community Workshops Handout, 68K PDF

RTC Press Release: The National Walkable Community Workshop Series Kicks Off In Clark County, 21-Apr-2004

Venue Descriptions and Area Maps, 141K PDF

• Ridgefield Downtown and School Connections
• Highway 99 Revitalization Project
• Fisher’s Landing Transit Center
• Jim Parsley Center

 

Presenters

Charlie Gandy NCBW Walkable Community Workshop Presenter

Charlie Gandy is a recognized expert in community design, trail planning/design and bicycle and pedestrian advocacy. Gandy is working for the National Center for Bicycling and Walking (NCBW) to present the Walkable Community Workshops. The workshops are sponsored by the NCBW, funded by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Since 1998, when Gandy started his current consulting practice, he has consulted to government agencies, communities and is often enlisted by other design firms as an expert in government policies in this area. A representative list of clients includes: Federal Highway Administration, National Park Service, Texas Department of Transportation, City of Austin and City of Pasadena both in Texas, California Bicycle Coalition, The Grand Canyon Collaborative, Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, Alta Transportation Consultants and Hawaii Bicycling League.

Gandy regularly appears on television and radio commentating on government policy and legislation as it relates to pedestrian and bicycling issues. In 1998, he was named "America's #1 Bike Advocate" by Velo Business Magazine. In 1997, he was one of the "30 Most Influential People in the Bike Industry" by Bicycle Dealer Showcase Magazine.

From 1994 to 1998, Gandy was Director of Advocacy Programs for the Bicycle Federation of America. During his tenure he had 4 major objectives: to increase funding for bicycling and walking at the federal, state and local levels; create citizen based advocacy; train facilitators and other advocates; created events that highlighted pedestrian safety. His success resulted in the Bikes Belong Campaign to win Congressional funding for bicycling and walking in the federal highway as well as the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Advocacy Campaign. He organized and launched citizen based advocacy groups for walking and cycling in thirty states and metropolitan areas. Gandy coached and trained advocates in all 50 states. Gandy developed and launched the Pedestrian Safety Road Shows, which have traveled to more than 250 communities.

Gandy founded and served as the first Executive Director of the Texas Bicycle Coalition (TBC) from 1990 to 1994. During his tenure, TBC grew to 2,500 members, developed and executed public awareness campaigns and lead several successful legislative initiatives improving cycling conditions in Texas.

Gandy served as a Member of the Texas House of Representatives for Dallas, Texas from 1983 to 1985. As a house member he passed several bills improving public safety and was a leader in Texas Education Reform. In 1985, Governor Mark White appointed Mr. Gandy to manage the Office of State/Federal Relations in Austin. Through 1987, Gandy worked with Texas' Congressional Delegation in Washington to maximize tax dollars returned to Texas.

Gandy has served on the National Board of American Youth Hostels and was appointed to the Austin Parks and Recreation Board. Mr. Gandy graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1980 with a B.A. Degree in Political Science. He has traveled extensively around the world, enjoys, hiking, cycling and camping. He lives in Austin, Texas and has two children.

 

Bruce Appleyard NCBW Walkable Community Workshop Presenter

Bruce Appleyard is an experienced transportation and community planning expert. Appleyard is working for the National Center for Bicycling and Walking (NCBW) to present the Walkable Community Workshops. The workshops are sponsored by the NCBW, funded by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Bruce Appleyard has over ten years of experience developing sound transportation and land use planning strategies throughout the United States. He is an expert in transportation and community planning issues at the local, regional, state and national levels, and holds a master's degree in City Planning from the University of California at Berkeley.

Currently, Bruce teaches the graduate transportation and land use planning course at Portland State University and consults through his practice, Appleyard Associates. Prior to moving to Portland, OR, last summer, he taught his course at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA, where he also served as a Planning Commissioner and a member of the Board of Zoning Appeals.

Bruce has a long history of advocating for biking, walking and physical fitness. He has been a champion tri-athlete and rower, a candidate for the US Olympic Rowing Team, and a rowing coach. Bruce has written a number of articles on transportation and community planning issues and is experienced as a planner, advocate, and policy maker, working with a variety of stakeholders including grassroots organizations, developers, and public officials.