Planning Expert Talks Cycling in Silver Spring

Virginia Tech professor Ralph Buehler will speak at the Montgomery County Planning Department headquarters in Silver Spring on April 9 at 7 p.m. His topic “Making Cycling Irresistible: Lessons from Europe and North America” will focus on the increase of bike use and how that relates to transportation and land-use policies. In his book and classes, Buehler contends that cycling should not be limited to those who are highly trained, extremely fit, and daring enough to battle traffic on busy roads. His presentation will describe ways to make cycling feasible, convenient, and safe for commutes to work and school, shopping, and other daily transportation needs.

Co-editor of the recently published book City Cycling (MIT Press), Buehler will report on cycling trends and policies in North American, European, and Australian cities and tie those to how planners and local government officials can promote cycling in their communities.

Buehler is assistant professor of Urban Affairs & Planning and a Faculty Fellow with the Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech in Alexandria, VA. Originally from Germany, Buehler’s research focuses on comparing transportation and land-use policies in Western Europe and North America and how policies affect travel behavior. In 2008, Buehler’s dissertation comparing German travel behavior and transportation policy was selected as the best planning dissertation by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning.

Professor Buehler’s talk is the second in the speaker series for this year. Watch previous presentations and learn more by visiting www.montgomeryplanning.org.

The talk will take place in the Park and Planning Headquarters auditorium, 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring.

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