I fell in love with bicycling in 1990 while attending graduate school in Washington DC. Having grown up in suburban Dallas Texas, I was used to driving everywhere. Informed that there was no parking available near my school, I borrowed my brother’s 10 speed Schwinn. Within a few weeks, I was in the best shape of my life, and a lifelong love affair had begun. Since then, I have been a dedicated bicyclist for recreation, touring, exercise, and daily utilitarian trips. I have two children – ages 9 and 6 – and see bicycling as a win-win strategy for maintaining my family’s health, safety, budget, and community connection.
My career has included:
Investing in bicycling and walking infrastructure and promotion is a win-win strategy!
Mia Birk is a Principal at Alta, with 17 years experience in pedestrian, bicycle, trail, and greenway planning, design and implementation. She is an Adjunct Professor at Portland State University, teaching Pedestrian and Bicycle Issues for graduate students in urban planning. She was the Portland Bicycle Program Manager from 1993-99. She has developed more than 100 bicycle, pedestrian, trail, and corridor plans, and has managed the public process, design and implementation of over 500 miles of new bikeways and walkways, as well as programs such as Safe Routes to School, bicycle and pedestrian-friendly development codes, and bikeway/walkway maintenance. In addition, she is an engaging speaker and public process facilitator.
Announcement: Joyride
Mia is hard at work on her forthcoming book: Joyride: One Woman's Journey Empowering People and Transforming Communities.
Joyride is her memoir of an astonishing career empowering people and transforming communities to be more bicycle and pedestrian friendly. Told as a series of hilarious and poignant stories, it's a wild and unpredictable journey from her car-addicted youth in Dallas TX to having her eyes opened and discovering bicycle transportation, then leading the transformation of Portland into the nation's #1 cycling city. From there, she hits the road, spreading the gospel far and wide, all across the country, overcoming old ways of thinking and finding ways to make communities – even Dallas - more human, healthy, safe, and livable.
Sign up at www.miabirk.com for updates and ordering information on Mia’s forthcoming book Joyride: Empowering People and Transforming Communities, One Pedal Stroke at a Time. Joyride is Mia’s memoir of a delightful career empowering people and transforming communities to be more bicycle and pedestrian friendly. Told as a series of hilarious and poignant stories, it’s a wild and unpredictable journey from her car-addicted youth in Dallas TX to having her eyes opened and discovering bicycle transportation, then leading the transformation of Portland into the nation’s #1 cycling city. From there, she hits the road, spreading the gospel far and wide, all across the country, overcoming old ways of thinking and finding ways to make communities – even Dallas - more human, healthy, safe, and livable. Click here to download the full synopsis (PDF).
IBPI Courses & Information
Making the Case for Bicycle and Pedestrian Investments: Collecting and Using Data to Tell Your Story
February 25, 2010, Portland State University http://www.ibpi.usp.pdx.edu/datacollection.php
Selected Projects
- Portland (OR) Bicycle Master Plan, Platinum Update, and implementation of over 150 miles of bikeways
- Central Utah Valley Bicycle Plan
- Vancouver, B.C. Regional Bikeway Network
- Ada County (ID) Bicycle Master Plan
- AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities
- Columbia (MO) Non-Motorized Pilot Project
- Katy Trail Uptown/Downtown Arts Loop (Dallas, TX)
- Los Angeles Bicycle Master Plan Update
- Portland (OR) Safe Routes to School Program
- Bozeman (MT) Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan
- Bremerton (WA) Non-Motorized Transportation Plan
- Wilsonville (OR) Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Trail Plan
- Sellwood Bridge (OR) Replacement Plan
- San Francisco (CA) Bicycle Master Plan Update and Shared Lane Marking Study
- Grand Junction Rail-with-Trail Master Plan (Cambridge, MA)
- Dundee (OR) Main Street Refinement Plan
- Rails-with-Trails: Lessons Learned – U.S. Dept. of Transportation
- Santa Barbara (CA) Pedestrian Master Plan
- Marin County (CA) Bicycle Master Plan
- Pasadena (TX) Greenbelt/Bayou Trails Master Plan
- Minnesota State Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Telework Plan
- Vancouver (WA) Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Trail Plans
- Plano (TX) Transit Village Veloweb
Recent Keynote Speeches
- Joyride to a More Livable Community, Minneapolis and St. Paul, 2009
- Vancouver, B.C. Bicycle Summit, 2009
- Alaska Bike and Parks Summit, 2009
- All About the Bike, City Club of Portland, 2009
- Oregon Bicycle Summit, 2007, 2006
- National Bike Summit, Washington, D.C., 2006