Michael Ronkin - Designing Streets for Pedestrians & Bicyclists

	Designing Streets for People
	Michael's Biography

Michael Ronkin was born in France, and lived in Geneva, Switzerland till early adulthood, where bicycling and walking were his main modes of transportation. He also used buses, trams and trains. This background had an influence on his future career, as he has first-hand experience of a sensible transportation system.

Michael moved to the USA in 1973, in New York City, where bicycling was not a viable option. He then attended the University of California at Davis, the most bike-friendly city in country, and went back to riding his bicycle everywhere. He now resides in Corvallis, OR, the most bicycle-friendly city in the state.

After obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in 1977, Michael Ronkin worked for the Soil Conservation Service and the Forest Service. He has been employed with the Oregon Department of Transportation since 1984. He worked in construction for five years, which enabled him to learn the basics of highway design and road building.

In 1989, Michael became ODOT’s “Bikeway Specialist.” This job was well suited for him, as he was able to apply both his practical engineering knowledge and his bicycle transportation background to improving bicycling in Oregon.

Mr. Ronkin was promoted to Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Manager in 1993. He quickly moved the focus of the program more towards pedestrian issues. His current activities include:

Advocating for pedestrians - in 1994, ODOT adopted his recommended walkway policy, which requires the department to provide sidewalks on urban projects;
Designing for disabled pedestrians - ODOT has developed detailed drawings to illustrate how to accommodate pedestrians with physical limitations;
Proposing better intersection designs - intersections designed for high-speed, free-flowing motor vehicle travel can be obstacles for pedestrian travel;
Proposing roundabout designs – to ensure that pedestrian and bicycle needs are met;
Improving pedestrian crossings - wide roadways with high traffic speeds and volumes can be intimidating to cross;
Studying the effects of access management on bicyclists and pedestrians - reducing the number of driveways and creating raised medians can be beneficial, but eliminating street connections can add travel distance to non-motorized users.

Other achievements include:

· The “Main Street Handbook” – a tool to help guide DOT’s and local interests when a highway runs through town.
· The Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan – a model for the nation, a document that lays out a strategy to make all the cities of the state better place to walk and bike, with great emphasis on proper design standards.
· Chaired NCHRP Panel – created to oversee the creation of an AASHTO Guide for the Design of Pedestrian Facilities
· Member, TRB Panel on Pedestrians – guide the national research agenda

Mr. Ronkin proposes that it is the responsibility of transportation agencies to provide for the most basic (walking) and efficient (bicycling) forms of transportation; he envisions transportation systems where people’s needs are considered first. The greatest challenge facing America is redoing the suburbs, where most new development has occurred in the last 50 years. Most of it was created with the automobile as the only travel mode considered; retrofitting the suburbs for walking and biking is a daunting but not impossible task

On top of his duties at ODOT, Michael has been offering Bicycle and Pedestrian Design Courses around the US since 1994 in over 25 locations, including Ohio, Alaska, Pennsylvania, New York, Washington DC, Virginia, New Mexico, Wyoming, Hawaii, Hew Hampshire, Texas and South Carolina. His background enables him to communicate effectively with engineers, planners, elected officials and citizens.