We are excited to announce that Rebecca L. Sanders, PhD, has joined Toole Design Group to head up the firm’s growing body of research work. “Rebecca has a national reputation for the high quality of her research, particularly as it relates to Vision Zero goals,” said Jennifer Toole, President. “She will ensure TDG continues to provide practical, research-based solutions to multimodal transportation challenges for our clients throughout North America.”
Rebecca completed her master’s degree and PhD at the Department of City & Regional Planning at UC Berkeley. She is an appointed member of the Transportation Research Board’s Bicycle Transportation Committee and California’s statewide Traffic Safety Culture Committee. Her research spans a wide range of topics, focusing on the nexus between active transportation, health, and safety. She is experienced in analyzing trip and collision data, and advising clients on innovative roadway design strategies to address perceived and actual traffic risk. Rebecca’s work includes a pivotal study on roadway design preferences of bicyclists and motorists showing that all roadway user groups benefit from separated bicycle facilities.
As a former researcher for the UC Berkeley Safe Transportation Research and Education Center (SafeTREC), Rebecca has led research teams for multiple projects for Caltrans as well as other regional and local government agencies. Her work includes establishing performance measures and analyzing progress towards meeting mode shift and crash reduction goals.
Rebecca is based in Toole Design Group’s Portland, OR, office, where she will serve clients nationwide through active involvement in research, planning, and design projects. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the city by foot, bike, and bus with her husband and two children.
