Get the straight dirt on how Seattle's bike network stacks up

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Tonight, you have a golden opportunity to hear renowned cycling researcher and speaker Prof. John Pucher make his first-ever public appearance in Seattle. He'll be talking about how cities around the world become places where everyone can bike and walk. He'll also be giving the straight dirt about how Seattle is stacking up relative to other cities around the country and around the world, and how we can do better (sound familiar?)

Tonight, 6:30 - 8:30
Gowen Hall, Room 201
University of Washington
http://uw.edu/maps/?gwn

Details on the University Greenways Facebook

Prof. Pucher spoke in Vancouver on Friday to a full crowd. Don't miss this opportunity to hear from him for yourself tonight.

The Vancouver Sun caught up with Prof. Pucher as well. Here's an excerpt:

Rutgers University professor John Pucher’s eyes light up when talking about the increasing popularity of cycling among North American commuters. The 62-year-old authorand civic transportation expert has studied commuting infrastructure in cities around the world and was in Vancouver over the weekend giving a lecture at SFU’s Vancouver campus. Pucher travels the globe, constantly evangelizing the benefits accrued by all citizens when their governments invest in cycling infrastructure.

He sat down Sunday to talk to The Sun before taking the train to Seattle for another lecture. Here is an edited transcript.

Q: How did your crusade for biking start?

A: It started in 1984. There was 20 to 25 years where I did research on mass transit - transit systems around the world.

I was in Münster, Germany. I was a visiting professor at this university for a little bit more than two years. Well in Münster, 40 per cent of all trips are by bike. Stunned isn’t quite the right word. I was incredibly impressed by the fact that there were people in their 80s cycling, little kids cycling, more women then men cycling, people with certain kinds of disabilities cycling.

I thought, ‘Wow, everyone cycles. Even the bishop rides a bike!’

Read the full interview here.