The March 2016 IPENZ Transportation Group Conference was a rewarding time for the ViaStrada presenting team, who received some well-earned awards.
- Megan Fowler was awarded 'Best Oral Presentation - Peoples' Choice Award' for her presentation of 'Cycling Network Guidance: Planning and Design', a summary of the 'National Cycle Network Design Guidance' project.
The NZ Transport Agency initiated the 'National Cycle Network Design Guidance' project in response to the NZ Cycling Safety Panel's identification of a need for further guidance in cycle design. The project has developed a framework of nationally consistent guidance for planning and designing for cycling. The paper was co-authored with Jeanette Ward (Abley Transportation) and Gerry Dance (NZ Transport Agency), and our website has a separate page introducing the project, with links to the paper and Megan's presentation.
- Megan also received an IPENZ study award, which allows her to conduct a study tour on protected cycling facilities.
Megan plans to study protected cycleways in Australian and North American cities and to learn from the experiences of the people who design and operate the facilities. She hopes to use her findings to further industry knowledge back here in New Zealand.
You can read more about the study tour on the separate project page.
- Glen Koorey of the University of Canterbury, soon to join ViaStrada, and John Lieswyn were awarded 'Highly Commended Practice Paper' for 'Making Space: Innovative Ways to Fit Multiple Modes within Narrow Cross Sections'.
For many typical NZ road corridors it can seem difficult to achieve road space allocation that caters for mixed road users such as cycles, buses, and light rail. John and Glen's joint presentation looked at some of the conventional tools available and at many overseas examples which offer inspiration and (sometimes unconventional) ways forward. Our website has a separate page introducing the 'making space' project, with links to the paper and presentation.
The ViaStrada presenters are thrilled that these great abilities have been acknowledged, and everyone else in the office is proud to work with such high-achieving colleagues. Well done!
