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2006 Forum
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2006 Oberstar Forum
Transportation Choices: The Important Role of Walking and Biking
The fifth Oberstar Forum was held on April 10, 2006, at Coffman Memorial Union on the University of Minnesota campus. The forum is hosted by CTS.
The 2006 Oberstar Forum explored the value of integrating non-motorized transportation into communities. SAFETEA-LU has provided substantial federal funding to advance and evaluate walking and biking systems. The forum considered several key aspects of investing in these modes, including:
- the integration of the design of non-motorized facilities into the community and transportation network
- the value of increased accessibility on economic activity, livability, and community identity
- recreation and health benefits, and safety concerns
- the role of local, state, and federal government, and the impacts of geography and culture
The featured speaker of this year’s forum was Berthold Tillmann, the mayor of Münster, Germany. Münster looks like the medieval village it once was but features a highly effective transportation network to allow quick and easy access to work, shopping, entertainment, and schools. Münster boasts of a daily mode share of bicycling approaching 40 percent, and recently received a global “Most Livable Community” award.
Forum Features
Forum Summary
Regional and national transportation officials, policymakers, and professionals joined Congressman James L. Oberstar on April 9 and 10, 2006, to explore the value of integrating non-motorized transportation into communities.
SAFETEA-LU: A Vision for Non-Motorized Transportation
By Rep. James L. Oberstar
New Perspectives on Non-Motorized Transportation (982 KB PDF)
Steve Lockwood, Principal Consultant, PB Consult
Forum Proceedings (920 KB PDF)
A summary report of the 2006 Oberstar Forum