ThinkBike Workshop with Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization

Building on five years of fruitful cooperation with the Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization, this week the Dutch Cycling Embassy assembled politicians and planners from across the county for a three-day ThinkBike Workshop in Downtown West Palm Beach. The goal: cycling not as an end, but a means to shape a more liveable, inclusive, and prosperous future. In addition to International Relations Manager Chris Bruntlett, who played the role of facilitator, joining him were three experts from our public-private network:

Modacity Creative‘s Melissa Bruntlett made the case building cycling infrastructure is as much a communications challenge as a transportation one, arguing success depends on crafting compelling, inclusive narratives rather than relying solely on technical or environmental arguments. Drawing on examples from children, older adults, caregivers, women, people with disabilities, and existing riders, she reframed cycling as a tool for access to opportunity, community connection, local economic vitality, tourism, and public health—not just commuting.

Movares‘ Geert Koops introduced bike-transit inter-modality as one of the most effective ways to compete with the private car, drawing heavily on Dutch experience and lessons relevant for regions like Palm Beach. He showed how aligning bike networks with rail lines, prioritising seamless and intuitive transfers, and providing high-quality, well-located bike parking can dramatically expand station catchment areas, increasing mobility without increasing congestion.

Dick van Veen argued safer, more efficient streets come from clear road classification—arterials, collectors and local streets—each designed for a distinct function, speed and level of modal separation. Higher-speed arterials should prioritize continuous traffic flow with physically separated bike and pedestrian infrastructure, while local streets should focus on access, low speeds and “mix and mingle” principles using traffic calming, circulation and intuitive design.

Emphasising “forgiving” infrastructure that anticipates human error, the workshop concluded with hands-on design exercises, challenging participants to rethink corridors and intersections in Palm Beach to improve the experience for all modes. With exceptional local guidance from Valerie Nielsen, Brian Ruscher, and Carly Diglio, a clear vision emerged: a safer, more efficient and connected multimodal community that serves people, and not just cars. We’re excited to help realise this vision in the years ahead!