Fionnuala Quinn immigrated to the U.S. as a 21-year old civil engineer who expected to be able to get around by bike. That was back in 1984 and she has spent the decades since unravelling why the infrastructure and how it is operated impacts this simple and sensible travel choice. Her engineering work has focused on the innovative design of safer and more comfortable places to walk and bike, whether by reconfiguring existing streets or through the creation of new facilities for people of all ages and abilities. She recently launched Discover Traffic Gardens, a company focused on reimagining the potential of miniature street networks as tools for biking and street design education. Her previous roles included The Bureau of Good Roads where she created innovative civic education about the design of our streets. Prior to that she worked as an engineer with Alta Planning + Design focusing on the design of safer and more comfortable places to walk and bike all around the U.S., whether by reconfiguring existing streets or through the creation of new trails. Fionnuala led APBP’s Women’s Cycling Project which engaged thousands of participants from all around the U.S. and became the catalyst for creation of new women’s biking programs and national forums. For ten years she helped lead a suburban bike advocacy organization in Fairfax, Virginia, successfully changing many aspects of getting around by bike. She has served on numerous committees from the local to the national and has been recognized with regional and national awards for her work in creating materials to improve civic understanding of design improvements.
Fionnuala Quinn | Director, Bureau of Good Roads, Washington, DC