Joe Gilpin, Planner

I would venture to guess that for most people, their first true feeling of limitless freedom was when they rode a bicycle for the first time. That feeling stayed with me through life every time I ride by bike and somehow I've turned it into my career. Being part of a movement that reminds people of this freedom and develops the resources and facilities to spread this feeling around to many more is extremely rewarding. Being part of Alta is being on the leading edge of bicycle and pedestrian innovation, I can see into the future, and the future is bright.

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Joe Gilpin brings a diverse background, including European perspectives, in bicycle and pedestrian advocacy, education, design, and planning to Alta. Mr. Gilpin provides technical and analytical research and writing, fieldwork and site analysis, mapping, data analysis, facility design and creative services to the firm.

Prior to joining Alta in 2006, Mr. Gilpin worked in a variety of capacities in alternative transportation modes. Mr. Gilpin participated in research in California freeway congestion pricing, local bus integration of Intelligent Transportation Systems, and bicycle rental analysis at rail stations in England. Mr. Gilpin worked in bicycle and pedestrian advocacy as Executive Director and President of the San Luis Obispo County Bicycle Coalition where he helped grow the organization from infancy and instituted several notable programs such as the ‘Bike First’ commuter incentive package, and ‘Coexist’ public service campaigns. Mr. Gilpin also worked as the County bicycle coordinator continuing promotional/educational campaigns. Since 2004, Mr. Gilpin has worked as a bicycle and pedestrian planner with RRM Design Group and now Alta Planning + Design. Projects include: bicycle plans, trails and pedestrian plans, trail feasibility studies, facility design, and Safe Routes to School Assessment, and safety education.

Recent Projects

• Bozeman Area Transportation Plan – Bozeman, MT
  As a part of the Robert Peccia & Associates team, Mr. Gilpin performed project tasks specifically related to bicycle and pedestrian transportation including public involvement, facility inventory, existing conditions analysis, network improvement recommendations and implementation strategies. He worked with many interest groups and members of the public and presented at City Commission and TCC meetings.
• Bozeman Safe Routes to School Assessment – Bozeman, MT
  Mr. Gilpin worked with the City of Bozeman, the Gallatin Valley Safe Routes to School Task Force and the Bozeman Area Bicycle Advisory Board to fund and implement a comprehensive Safe Routes to School Assessment for all elementary schools in Bozeman. The project includes a Community Workshop, walking audits for 7 elementary schools, school improvement plans with infrastructure recommendations and next steps for all 5 ‘E’s’ (Engineering, Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, and Evaluation).

• College to Huffine Bicycle Path – Bozeman, MT

  As a part of the Robert Peccia & Associates team, Mr. Gilpin led the design of a 2-mile bicycle path in for the City of Bozeman in Montana. This trail is a key linkage between Montana State University and neighborhoods to the west. Key issues included intersection treatments to ensure visibility to pathway users. This project will be built in 2009.

Selected Presentations & Trainings

• “Planning for Pedestrians and Bicycles” May 2008, IES-APA Conference, Priest Lake, ID

• “Bike First Incentive Program” September 2005 Walk & Roll California (CBC), Ventura CA