We are looking forward to this year’s Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) Conference, being held August 12–14 in Detroit, MI. Toole Design staff have long been at the forefront of creating more walkable and bikeable communities in the Midwest and throughout the United States, and we are excited to showcase some of this work during the conference.
Learn about our projects and our approach by attending the sessions listed below. And be sure to stop by our booth to say hello to Columbus Office Director David Shipps, Multimodal Design Practice Lead Jeremy Chrzan, Senior Planner Drew Parker, and our conference presenters. We’d love to hear what you’re working on and share some of our open opportunities in Michigan, the Midwest, and beyond.
MOnday, August 12
Senior Planner Jim Elliott along with Matt Johnson, Montgomery County Department of Transportation and Alessandro Figueroa, UNC Highway Safety Research Center, will share insights on how to apply PROWAG and other fundamental practices to make streets even more accessible, comfortable, and inclusive.
Tobi Otulana, Catherine Girves, and staff from the City of Philadelphia are eager to share a variety of ways ambassador programs add value throughout a planning process and even in the implementation of programming. Bring your questions and concerns about setting up your own ambassador program.
Tuesday, August 13
Jim Elliott will also join a panel to discuss recent efforts to make floating bus stops adjacent to cycling infrastructure more accessible. The panel will explore strategies for building consensus around a consistent design approach that meets the needs of all road users.
Project Planner Lila Singer-Berk will present a Bikeway Feasibility Assessment Framework based on the FHWA Bikeway Selection Guide that allows any jurisdiction to enhance their bikeway recommendations for faster and more streamlined implementation.
Wednesday, August 14
Tobi Otulana and Anish Tailor will lead an interactive workshop that invites the participants to engage in meaningful discussions about inclusion for Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color in active transportation work and professions.
Making a Difference in Michigan
At our booth, in our sessions, and throughout the conference, Toole Design staff are excited to talk with you about how we’re partnering with state, regional, and local agencies to make tangible, measurable differences in communities through Michigan, the Midwest, and the United States. We have been working in Michigan for over a decade on a variety of projects from conceptual and final design, design guidance, corridor studies, mobility plans, trainings, and so much more. Read about a few of these exciting projects below.
- Streets for People Plan (Detroit): Toole Design was part of the team that worked with the City of Detroit to develop a design guide as part of the Streets for People Plan, a transportation plan that has guided planning and design for Detroit’s streets over the last several years.
- Joe Louis Greenway (Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park): Named in honor of Detroit’s Joe Louis, a champion for social and racial justice, this 27.5-mile greenway will provide recreational space accessible within a 10-minute walk of 10% of all city residents. As part of the Joe Louis Greenway Framework Plan, our project team developed design standards and concepts showing how to incorporate bikeshare and scootershare into greenway trailheads. We continue to provide conceptual and final design services to bring various on- and off-road segments to construction.
- Bagley Streetscape Project (Detroit): Toole Design provided civil engineering services on Bagley Street, a recently constructed curbless, shared street meant to support events and express the culture of the surrounding community.
- Michigan DOT Training Wheels (Statewide): This workshop focuses on content from the FHWA Bikeway Selection Guide and the forthcoming AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities. Toole Design has led over 15 individual/group trainings and is currently leading the 2024-2025 training series.
- Woodward Avenue (Detroit and Northern Suburbs): Our work along this corridor began in 2019 with an audit focused on improving pedestrian and bicycle access and safety. This work progressed to a road diet feasibility study for the segment between the cities of Ferndale and Pleasant Ridge. Now, we are a part of a larger team assisting MDOT with a corridor vision plan by leading public engagement, alternatives analysis, and concept design tasks.
- MDOT Pedestrian Safety Education Campaign (Detroit, Monroe, and Ypsilanti): Toole Design worked with the Michigan Fitness Foundation and Güd Marketing to implement a pilot pedestrian safety education campaign. Funded by MDOT, the project will result in a playbook with step-by-step guidance and resources to enable communities across the state to implement the campaign.
- West Michigan Wayfinding Signage Plan (Grand Region): Toole Design led a team to help the West Michigan Trails and Greenways Coalition develop a regional wayfinding system for the trail and bikeway network in West Michigan. We developed the preferred wayfinding sign family and accompanying guidance for sign placement, installation, and maintenance, as well as layout and design specifications.
- Planning and Design projects in Ann Arbor: In recent years, the City of Ann Arbor has emerged as a leader in creating bicycle-friendly streets. Our team led the design and public outreach for William Street, which became the first corridor in Michigan to feature a two-way protected bicycle facility. We’ve also contributed to the reconstruction of State Street, the rebalancing of First and Ashley Streets, and a downtown bike parking assessment.
We look forward to connecting with you in Detroit to share more about these projects and how we approach our work, and to hear about your own success stories!
