The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) has just opened a new chapter in the Tampa Bay Region. The mission of APBP “is to grow the pedestrian and bicycle profession and its influence by facilitating the exchange of professional and technical knowledge, elevating practitioners’ skills and defining the field.” Chapter members are given access to communication channels and resources to help them plan and design places that are both safe and comfortable for walking and bicycling.

Julie Bond of Hillsborough County and Lucas Cruse of Pinellas County will co-chair the newly formed Tampa Bay Chapter of the APBP. Bond is a Senior Research Associate at University of South Florida’s Center for Urban Transportation Research, while Cruse is the City of Saint Petersburg’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator. “This leadership structure gives the region’s most densely populated counties adequate representation,” says Bond. “We want to have as many ways for people to connect as possible, and provide them with ways get in touch with the people working on these issues in their own counties and neighborhoods.”

With the help of other experts advocating for active modes of transportation, Bond and Cruse hope to create a space for transportation professionals in the Tampa Bay Region to engage in professional development while getting to know people through social engagements as well. APBP Members can add to the event calendar, write a blog, participate in forum discussions, share photos, and participate in monthly webinars. Cruse says. “It is our belief that by joining forces and sharing important information, we can have a more meaningful impact on issues affecting pedestrians and cyclists in the Tampa Bay Region.”

Click here to sign up today!