Breean Beggs, Spokane City Council Member, 509-625-6254
Tuesday, April 30, 2019 at 4:44 p.m.
Have you ever considered how our streets could function if we made alternative forms of transporation a priority in Spokane? While in Denmark with a group from Spokane in 2018, I learned that it takes two things to make pedestrian and cycling infrastructure work for the public: it must be safe and it must be reliable.
What makes Denmark one of the most bicycle-friendly countries in the world? To help answer that question, I am hosting two public events on Thursday, May 16 with Troels Andersen, bicycle program manager from Odense, Denmark, a city about the size of Spokane.
During the first event, Andersen will discuss how Danish communities are working to make cycling safer and more enjoyable for the public during a presentation for students at 3 p.m. at the EWU Spokane Center.
Later that evening, Andersen will be joined by local bike infrastructure expert Spencer Gardner of Toole Design for a public presentation on innovative infrastructure ideas both in Denmark and around the United States. That event will take place at 5:30 p.m. at the Gonzaga University Hemmingson Center.
In the past, shared mobility infrastructure has been an afterthought or an add-on, but that’s not how things operate in Denmark and their approach has been successful in getting more people out of their cars and onto bicycles. Their approach has made cycling safe and reliable. It’s helped clear up traffic jams, opened up available parking spaces, and made getting around town a more enjoyable experience for all commuters. We have a long way to go, but I hope that these events will help kickstart conversations about new ways to look at street design locally.
Details of the events are below. I look forward to seeing you there.
*Student Presentation*
Thursday, May 16, 2019, 3-4 p.m.
EWU Spokane Center
668 N. Riverpoint Blvd. #122
Free, registration required. Register online.
*Public Presentation*
Thursday, May 16, 2019, 5:30-7 p.m.
Gonzaga University Hemmingson Center Auditorium
702 E Desmet Ave., Lower Level
Free, registration required. Register online.
