Could Columbia Be More Bicycle Friendly? Find Out Tonight

A future Columbia could be more friendly for bikers, if the next community building speaker has anything to do with it.

Jennifer Toole, an expert in bicycle and pedestrian planning, will be featured in the 's , at 7:30 p.m. in . Toole will explain the role of bicycle commuting and pedestrian transportation in Columbia's future.

"Cycling is on the rise and more and more communities are making investments to make cycling easier and safer," according to a CA press release. "Come learn about communities in the US and their successes creating greenways, safe bike lanes, and other changes that make these communities more livable, enjoyable, and more economically competitive."

A resident of Columbia, Toole established her own planning firm–Toole Design Group–which now has offices in Silver Spring, Boston, Seattle and Madison, WI. She has also worked with the Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Federal Highway Administration and led the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals.

Toole is also involved locally as lead consultant for the Connecting Columbia project, an effort by CA to improve the pedestrian and bicycle routes throughout Columbia for health, recreational and transportation purposes.

The speaker series event is free, and people can register with the Columbia Association online. Viewers can also post questions and interact on social media with the Twitter hashtag #CASpeakersSeries.