Mark your calendar for the 2020 Bike Walk Summit in Great Falls on April 28-May 1. We are calling for papers and presentation proposals for the conference now. Deadline for Presentation Proposals: January 31, 2020
Bike Walk Montana is proud to offer the 2020 Bike Walk Summit. Our theme is Connected Communities including connecting within a specific location community or within a peer community across Montana. Areas of focus include health, infrastructure and the designed/built community, and highlighting the local Great Falls community successes and challenges. We have a vision of a bike-walk friendly state with innovative, safe and accessible active transportation choices and an enhanced quality of life with a vibrant economy, cleaner environment and better health. Help us get there!
Bike Walk Summit attendees represent a broad community of people who are engaged or interested in bicycling and walking, from advocates, to health and transportation professionals, to City, County, and State staff and elected officials. Participants from a range of experience levels, from those who have been working in the field for a long time to those just wanting safer places to bike and walk are all welcome!
Who is Invited to Submit?
The call for speakers is open to all bicycling and walking experts, advocates, individuals, or groups with relevant information to share.
If you are working towards healthier communities, safe and accessible routes for biking and walking, or encouraging more people to bike and walk, we want to hear from you. This is your opportunity to share your skills, research and wisdom.
How to Submit
Please fill out the Proposal Form
Topics and Themes
There is a list of examples at the bottom of this page. This is not intended as a comprehensive list. Whatever your field, we urge you to bring your skills to the table and consider it in the context of bicycling and walking in Montana.
We will select sessions based on their contribution to the following criteria.
Overall quality of the proposal
Focused and well-defined topic
Timeliness of topic
Relevance of the topic
Practical application of material
Applicability to a Montana audience
Presentation Formats
Break out sessions are 55 minutes in length. You may propose a longer or shorter presentation time. All presentations should demonstrate a practical application and include time for interaction with the audience. You may submit several proposals for presentation and/or mobile sessions; however, a separate submission is required for each presentation and/or poster session. Presentation formats include the following (you may also propose a format not listed here):
Panel Discussion: Up to four people present an issue, to brainstorm solutions or discuss a topic.
Paper or Topic Presentation: You give a presentation on a selected topic.
Roundtable Discussion: You lead or facilitate a discussion session on a topic or theme.
Mobile Tour: You lead a biking or walking tour, audit, or training within the local vicinity.
Key Date
Submission deadline: January 31, 2020
Speaker Compensation
Bike Walk Montana is bringing the best speakers possible as well as trying to keep registration costs low. We appreciate speakers donating all or part of their normal fee and will acknowledge that in our program. Presenters are Summit participants, expected to register and invited to stay for all of the conference.
Compensation can include lowered or waived registration cost, lodging and meals, and travel. We recognize that not all can or will be able to waive or contribute and will work with presenters to manage costs for all. If you anticipate that travel and accommodation will be a significant barrier to attending, please submit your abstract anyway and let us know by email of estimated costs needing covered.
Examples of Topics and Key words
Advocacy - The Why and How, influencing policy and decisions, Winning Campaigns, Working with Local Government, funding, public policy, legislation.
Building and Maintaining Infrastructure - Bicycle/Pedestrian Facility Planning and Design, Trails and paths maintenance, traffic calming, multi-use trails, sidewalks, bike lanes, complete streets, Signage and Pavement Markings, Bicycle Parking Solutions, Universal Desi
gn, Accommodating and being inclusive of all, GIS & MappingEconomics - Events, Tours, Promotions, Bicycle Tourism, Walkable/Bikable Communities, Bike camps
Education and Encouragement - Bicycle Safety Skills, Safe Routes to school, walking school buses, bike rodeos, Changing Public Perception
Funding - Federal and State Programs, Private Grants funding, Fundraising
Health and Wellness - Chronic Disease Prevention, Safety and Injury Prevention, Prescription Trails, Active living, nutrition
Local Success Stories - Cities and Towns, Big and Small, Local Affiliated Groups
Policy & Planning - Federal, State, or Local, Methods for Predicting and Counting walking and bicycling use, land use, public engagement, outreach, placemaking