2024 Tennessee Bike Walk Summit
In 2024, Bike Walk Tennessee was proud to host the Summit in Knoxville, Tennessee for the second year in a row! On Thursday, November 14, Bike Walk Knoxville staff and volunteers led a bike ride exploring South Knoxville and downtown, followed by a networking social at a local brewery, Crafty Baker Creek. Friday, November 15 began with a welcome from Bike Walk Tennessee Board Member Jeff Schenkel and City of Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon, as well as an opening plenary from Preston Elliott, Tennessee Department of Transportation Deputy Commissioner and Chief of the Planning Bureau. The rest of the day featured informative and exciting breakout sessions from individuals across the state covering a wide variety of topics related to biking and walking. Conor Semler, Kittelson and Associates Principal Planner, delivered the Keynote Address, highlighting how we can redefine conversations about transportation to truly prioritize safety. The Summit wrapped up with a closing plenary from John Vick, Tennessee Department of Health Office of Primary Prevention Director, Kelly Ware, Tennessee Department of Health Southeast Region Healthy Development Coordinator, and Cameron Taylor, Tennessee Department of Health East Region Healthy Development Coordinator, and comments from Bike Walk Tennessee Board Member Bert Kuyrkendall.
2023 Tennessee Bike Walk Summit
In 2023, Bike Walk Tennessee was proud to host the Summit in Knoxville, Tennessee! On Thursday, November 16, Bike Walk Knoxville staff and volunteers led a bike ride through some of North Knoxville, followed by a networking social at a local cidery, Gypsy Circus. Friday, November 17 began with a welcome from the Bike Walk Tennessee Board and Carter Hall, City of Knoxville Strategic Policy & Programs Director, as well as an opening plenary from Preston Elliott, Tennessee Department of Transportation Deputy Commissioner and Chief of Environment and Planning Bureau. The rest of the day featured informative and exciting breakout sessions from individuals across the state covering a wide variety of topics related to biking and walking. Zabe Bent, former Director of Design at NACTO, delivered the Keynote Address focused on the impacts of transportation projects and how to meaningfully highlight equity and sustainability in transportation work. The Summit concluded with a closing plenary from Kelly Ware, Tennessee Department of Health Southeast Region Healthy Development Coordinator, and Cameron Taylor, Tennessee Department of Health East Region Healthy Development Coordinator, and comments from the Bike Walk Tennessee Board.
2022 Tennessee Bike Walk Summit
In 2022, Bike Walk Tennessee was proud to host the Summit in Franklin, Tennessee! On Thursday, October 20, Bike Walk Franklin led a bike ride through downtown Franklin, followed by an opening reception and networking social at a local restaurant. Friday, October 21 began with a welcome from the Bike Walk Tennessee Board and the City of Franklin City Administrator, as well as a plenary from the Tennessee Department of Transportation. The rest of the day featured informative and exciting breakout sessions from individuals across the state covering a wide variety of topics related to biking and walking. Bill Schultheiss, Toole Design Group Director of Design and Engineering, delivered the Keynote Address where he reflected on his 25 year career in the realm of active transportation. The Summit closed with a plenary from the Tennessee Department of Health.
2021 Tennessee Bike Walk Summit
Bike Walk Tennessee brought the Summit, back in person, to Cleveland, Tennessee in 2021! On Thursday, September 30, participants got to tour historic downtown, Lee University, and the greenway by bike before meeting back at a local restaurant for networking. Friday, October 1 was full of informational plenaries from the Tennessee Department of Transportation and the Tennessee Department of Health, as well as lots of exciting breakout sessions from folks across the state working to make biking and walking better. The Summit featured a Keynote Address from Michael Kelley of BikeWalkKC and comments from the Mayor of Cleveland, TN, Kevin Brooks. The Summit was an amazing opportunity to connect with Tennesseans to focus on biking and walking and build on a commitment to creating streets that are safe and inviting for all people.
2020 Tennessee Bike Walk Virtual Summit
Bike Walk Tennessee was thrilled to be able to host a portion of the 2020 Summit virtually! The Virtual Summit took place on September 25, 2020 and featured presentations from the Tennessee Department of Health and the Tennessee Department of Transportation. You can watch the recorded Summit by clicking the button below!
2019 Tennessee Bike Walk Summit
2019 marked our 8th annual Bike Walk Summit in Knoxville. We gathered with individuals across the state to learn about trends in biking and walking, making biking and walking safer, and working with diverse community partners to have an impact on biking and walking. We got to enjoy beer and coffee at Vienna Coffee House, bike around downtown Knoxville, hear from elected officials, and we got an update on the state of bike/pedestrian infrastructure and initiatives in Tennessee from the Tennessee Department of Transportation Deputy Commissioner/Chief of Environment and Planning, Toks Omishakin.
2018 Tennessee Bike Walk Summit
The 7th annual Bike Walk Summit took place in Nashville and was hosted by Bike Walk Tennessee in partnership with Walk Bike Nashville. It featured presentations from Tennessee Department of Transportation Deputy Commissioner Toks Omishakin, Commissioner's Fellow Michael Thompson, and Metro Nashville Council Member Jeremy Elrod. Attendees also got the opportunity to walk or ride across the Nashville Pedestrian Bridge and explore the Lentz Public Health Center.
2017 Tennessee Bike Summit
The 6th annual Bike Summit visited Memphis, and took place at Harbor Landing in Mud Island River Park. Attendees explored the Harahan Bridge and Fourth Bluff Park, and learned from amazing speakers including Mayor of Memphis Jim Strickland, Tennessee State Senators Lee Harris and Mark Norris, and Tennessee Department of Transportation Deputy Commissioner Toks Omishakin.
2016 Tennessee Bike Summit
The 2016 Summit was hosted in the heart of Chattanooga's Innovation District. Presentations and plenaries featured speakers from The Path Less Pedaled, the Tennessee Department of Health, and Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.
2015 Tennessee Bike Summit
In 2015, the Summit was hosted in Knoxville and featured a Keynote Address from Gil Penalosa, Founder and Chairman of 8-80 Cities. Other speakers included Director of The Green Lane Project Martha Roskowski and Program Manager for IMBA Trail Solutions Richard Edwards.
2014 Tennessee Bike Summit
The 2014 Tennessee Bike Summit took place in Nashville. Keynote Presentations were given by Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, Advocacy & Programs Director for the Alliance for Biking and Walking Brighid O’Keane, and Vice-President of Government Relations for the League of American Bicyclists Caron Whitaker. Janette Sadik-Khan, former former commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation and an advisor on transportation and urban issues, also gave a Keynote Address.
2013 Tennessee Bike Summit
The 2013 Summit was held in Memphis, and featured a Keynote Address from Andy Clark, President of the League of American Bicyclists.
2012 Tennessee Bike Summit
In 2012, Bike Walk Tennessee organized the first Tennessee Bike Summit in Chattanooga, Tennessee. More than 125 Tennesseans gathered in Chattanooga to discuss topics ranging from regional planning to bicycle encouragement programs like “Ride to Work” day. Since then, the Summit has visited every major city in Tennessee and has grown into an annual event that regularly brings together cyclists and pedestrians, advocates, planners, engineers, and elected officials from across the state to share resources and best practices related to bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, funding, education, outreach, and policy.
