ThinkBike Workshop in Eugene

Following our week-long economic trade mission to California this month, a number of participants dispersed to three American cities to execute ThinkBike Workshops in Santa Cruz (California), Eugene (Oregon), and Reno (Nevada) from September 12th to 16th. In these intensive and interactive events, teams of Dutch cycling experts offer support and guidance in implementing Dutch-inspired solutions; collaborating with local transport planners to adapt these measures to their own geographical, social, and cultural contexts.

The Eugene workshop was hosted by the City of Eugene. In addition to Chris Bruntlett from the Dutch Cycling Embassy, it featured experts Roland Kager and Sjors van Duren. The focused on the topics of infrastructure and network design, combining cycling and public transport, traffic calming and circulation, and policies and budgets to prioritize cycling.

The event unofficially got underway on Sunday with a cycling tour with the Dutch experts and local officials. Then on Monday, participants discussed best practices with the Dutch experts; after which the two case studies were introduced. The workshop continued on its second day with visits to the selected case studies. The breakout groups then spent the rest of the day working through potential design solutions. A public event on the Tuesday evening saw over 130 community members gather for a film screening and panel discussion. The third and final day saw the breakout groups present their case study solutions to the community, including mayor and city council. These interventions included plans for a low-traffic downtown, a citywide network of low-stress streets, and improved protection at intersections and arterials. You can view these presentations on the City of Eugene’s YouTube channel.

We look forward to continuing to work closely with City of Eugene staff over the following months and years to ensure the successful implementation of these Dutch-inspired projects.