We remain committed to making decisions that promote the success and well-being of our communities, and support our community members in following taking steps to take care of themselves, minimize the spread of the COVID-19, and protect those who are the highest risk. Unfortunately, Professional Study Abroad 2020: Sustainable Transportation in the Netherlands has been cancelled for 2020 in order to serve these ends. We intend to offer the course again next year. Fill out this interest form if you would like us to notify you when study abroad applications open for 2021.
Watch a video overview of the course with instructor John MacArthur.
Practitioners are invited to attend this one-week, 30-credit study abroad course biking in the Netherlands. Curriculum will compare U.S. and Netherlands problems, priorities and solutions with specific emphasis on design and engineering principles. Leading bicycle professionals responsible for creating and maintaining the Netherlands' world-class bikeway system will teach the Dutch approach to bike and pedestrian planning and design through an intensive week of classroom sessions and tours. The instruction and interaction with other participants will bring you up to speed on innovative practice and research and teach you the skills and techniques you need to start incorporating Dutch principles into your next project, and adapting them for a North American context.
Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:
- Select the appropriate bicycle facility design based on urban form, traffic conditions and multimodal context
- Identify various options for treating intersections that incorporate bicycle facilities
- Network with international experts from the various facets of bikeway design
- Leverage land uses to better support active transportation
- Feel rejuvenated and excited to go back to work and make an impact!
- No previous language study required.
We've been hosting a two-week version of this course for university students for several years. See those photos from the 2019 course, 2016 course and 2015 course.
DAY BY DAY AGENDA (June 21 - June 27, 2020)
The daily itineray is subject to change.
| MORNING | AFTERNOON | ||
| Sunday, June 21 | Arrive in Utrecht | Welcome Dinner | |
| Monday, June 22 | Morning Activity: Get bikes! Orientation & bike safety. | Take a tour of the city and watch welcome presentations from the instructors. | |
Tuesday, June 23 | Lecture: Urban Transportation in the Netherlands—Biking, Bike Infrastructure, and Policy | Bike Tour with Ronald Tamse (featuring bike parking, car-free zones in the center city, road diets, rails to trails, and a new bridge) Bike Tour (featuring case studies of retrofit projects to accommodate more cyclists, and problem intersections) | |
| Wednesday, June 24 | Bike Tour: Rotterdam (featuring bicycle infrastructure and programs) | ||
| Thursday, June 25 | Bike Tour: Houten (featuring Vision Zero, bike infrastructure and unique land use) | ||
| Friday, June 26 | Bike Tour: Amsterdam (featuring transit facilities) | ||
| Saturday, June 27 | Departure: Head back to the States, inspired to build great biking infrastructure! OPTIONAL / EXTEND YOUR TRIP! (Housing NOT provided Saturday night) | ||
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Transportation engineers, urban planners, advocates, policymakers, municipal staff and other transportation professionals interested in nurturing cycling in their communities. Participants must be able to bike up to 10 miles a day.
If you're a student looking for a two-week program geared towards the university level and credits, see our student study abroad program here.
Contact us at asktrec@pdx.edu if you have any questions.
REGISTER FOR THE COURSE
Click here to register for the course by March 1st. Registration will be through Portland State University's Education Abroad, and you will need to complete the same application process as PSU students. Once accepted, you will need to enroll as a "non-degree seeking student at PSU" (additional $25 fee). Requests for reasonable accommodations are made through the registration process.
INSTRUCTORS
Nick FalboNick Falbo is an urban planner and designer specializing in bicycle and pedestrian transportation. He has a personal interest in visual communication for planning, as a way to tell stories, communicate new ideas, and open minds. He is also the creator of the Protected Intersections for Bicyclists video proposal for adapting Dutch intersection designs to US streets. Nick works for the City of Portland Bureau of Transportation as a Senior Transportation Planner. Prior to this, he worked as a planner for Alta Planning + Design. He is also a contributing instructor to the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI)'s bikeway design workshops.
John MacArthurJohn MacArthur currently manages a complex Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant to Develop and Test an Emergency Transportation Recovery Plan for the Portland, Oregon Region. This project requires close coordination and collaboration with a variety of public agency partners including city of Portland emergency management and transportation bureaus in addition to transit and other agencies critical to the region’s emergency transportation recovery efforts. MacArthur is the Principal Investigator for TREC's electric bicycle research initiatives. His research also includes low-/no-emission vehicle infrastructure in Portland metro, as well as a climate change impact assessment for surface transportation in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska.
ESTIMATED COST
PSU Non-Degree Student Application Fee: $25
PROGRAM FEE INCLUDES:
- Housing in a single room in a centrally located accommodation
- Bike rental in Utrecht and Rotterdam
- Round trip train tickets for day field tours to:
- Amsterdam: Tour of Transit Infrastructure of Amsterdam (including the main rail and transit station) to include a meeting or discussion with individuals that do planning for the transit agencies or a separate guest lecture
- Rotterdam: a major port city known for its ship history and modern architecture. Guest lecture on transportation planning and bike infrastructure.
- One-day Amsterdam public transportation pass
- PSU Education Abroad service fee
- International Health Insurance
- 24/7 on-site support
ADDITIONAL ESTIMATED COSTS INCLUDE:
- International round-trip airfare
- Transportation from airport to/from hotel
- Additional meals
- Personal spending money
- Passport or visa (US passport holders will not need a visa to participate in this program)
WITHDRAWAL AND REFUND POLICY
(Non-refundable fees: $50 app fee + $250 Ed Abroad fee)
You may officially withdraw from the program by providing written notification of your withdrawal to the Education Abroad Advisor in the PSU Education Abroad Office. You are not considered withdrawn from a program until written notification is received. Withdrawing from a program does not, however, absolve you of your responsibility of covering program costs. If you withdraw from a program after your online application status is “committed”, you will be billed the non-refundable fees, as stated above, as well as any non-recoverable program costs, as determined by each program refund policy.
The Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University is home to the National Institute for Transportation and Communities (NITC), the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI), and other transportation programs. TREC produces research and tools for transportation decision makers, develops K-12 curriculum to expand the diversity and capacity of the workforce, and engages students and professionals through education.