BikeWalkNC

North Carolina’s advocate for safe cycling and walking

BikeWalkNC

Connecting Communities by Trail: Meet Keynote Speaker Dennis Markatos-Soriano

The 2025 NC BikeWalk Transportation Summit is proud to welcome Dennis Markatos-Soriano, Executive Director of the East Coast Greenway Alliance, as a featured keynote speaker.

Since 2009, Dennis Markatos-Soriano has served as executive director of the East Coast Greenway. He and a staff of 16 work alongside volunteers, partners and elected officials to complete the 3,000-mile, Maine-to-Florida Greenway and promote its use.

Under his watch, the East Coast Greenway has grown from 18 to 37 percent complete, adding more than 500 new miles of Greenway. Markatos-Soriano has quadrupled the organization’s funding through his cultivation of foundations, corporations and individual donors. And he has conceived and led ambitious programming for the Alliance, from regional conferences that gather and energize thought leaders to the recent East Coast River Relay, a two-month series of public events that marked the organization’s 25th anniversary, while also strengthening its partnerships throughout the corridor. 

Markatos-Soriano holds a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a Morehead and Byrd Scholar; and a master’s in public affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School of Princeton University, where he received the 2008 Bradford Prize for Academic & Civic Achievement in Science, Technology and Environmental Policy. Prior to joining the Alliance, he served as executive director of two nonprofit organizations he co-founded: Students United for a Responsible Global Environment (SURGE) and Sustainable Energy Transition.

A native of rural Chatham County near the town of Pittsboro, N.C., he now lives in Durham, N.C. Markatos-Soriano enjoys basketball, soccer, riding his bike and time outdoors with his wife, kids, extended family and friends.

Registration is Now Open for the 2025 NC BikeWalk Transportation Summit in Hickory!

a group of people wearing helmets gathered on bicycles
Photo Credit: Hillsborough Photography

Registration is now open for the 2025 NC BikeWalk Transportation Summit, taking place September 7–9 at the Hickory Metro Convention Center!

Each year, the Summit brings together advocates, planners, engineers, public health professionals, students, and community leaders committed to making North Carolina’s streets safer, healthier, and more inclusive for all. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a passionate newcomer, this event offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to connect, learn, and take action.

register now

A room block has been secured at the following hotels for Summit attendees. Reservations at the group rate can be made using the link below:

Fairfield Inn & Suites Hickory – $154/night + tax
Courtyard Hickory – $164/night + tax

Book your group rate for BikeWalk NC Here!

We will continue to share additional information through email, social media and various communications. You can also check in at the BikeWalk NC’s 2025 Summit webpage for periodic updates.

Bring our Friendly Driver Program to Your Community!

At the 2025 NC BikeWalk Transportation Summit, we’ll feature dedicated programming that highlights the recent successes of the Friendly Driver Program.Designed to educate motorists on safely sharing the road with pedestrians and cyclists, the program fosters safer and more inclusive streets across North Carolina. So far we’ve reached over 1,000 attendees in our NC Friendly Driver Program this year, each taking an important step toward building a culture of awareness and respect on our roads.

The Friendly Driver Program is a one-hour interactive course covering essential road-sharing topics, including:

  • Common crash scenarios and how to prevent them
  • The legal rights and responsibilities of all road users
  • Practical strategies to reduce conflicts and improve road safety

We’re excited to bring the Friendly Driver Program to even more communities this year. With your support, we can continue to educate drivers, prevent crashes, and make North Carolina’s roads safer for everyone.

BikeWalk NC would like to thank to the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program for their support of our program.

Interested in hosting or attending a Friendly Driver Program session?
Contact us at programs@BikeWalkNC.org.

The Movement for Safer, Healthier Streets Rolls On!: 2025 NC Transportation Summit Preview

As we look ahead to the 14th annual 2025 NC BikeWalk Transportation Summit in Hickory, on September 7–9, 2025, we’re still carrying forward the momentum, ideas, and energy sparked at last year’s gathering in Chapel Hill.

The 2024 NC BikeWalk Transportation Summit brought together advocates, planners, engineers, students, public health professionals, and community members from across North Carolina and beyond. We opened the weekend with a community group ride led by featured speaker John Bauters, who reminded us—both on the bike and at the podium—that leadership in mobility justice begins with listening, showing up, and building trust. His keynote, “America’s Bike Mayor,” encouraged attendees to use storytelling and values-based messaging to advance local bike and pedestrian goals.

At the Friday Center, the daylong summit featured a wide range of topics: Vision Zero strategies from Jersey City and Hoboken, the growing role of micromobility, and the lived experiences of those for whom driving is not an option. In a powerful session, disability rights advocate Anna Zivarts challenged us to rethink who transportation systems are built for—and whose voices have too often been left out.

Later in the day, we turned our attention to rural areas, hearing from grassroots leaders and statewide partners working to overcome transportation barriers in communities across North Carolina. The program closed with inspiring success stories from groups like the Major Taylor Cycling Club of NC, Asheville on Bikes, and Fairview Community Youth Advocates—a reminder that lasting change often begins at the local level.

View all sessions on our youtube channel

Now, it’s Hickory’s turn.

Please save the dates—Sept 7–9—for the 2025 NC BikeWalk Transportation Summit will take place this fall in Hickory, NC. As we finalize this year’s schedule, we’re building an engaging program focused on Inspiring Spaces, Helene Recovery & Resilient Infrastructure, and so much more.

This year’s Summit will include:

  • A new slate of featured speakers representing communities across North Carolina and beyond
  • Workshops and active sessions for hands-on learning
  • A group ride and walk audit highlighting the transportation landscape in Hickory

In the coming weeks, we’ll begin rolling out speaker announcements and updates to our website, and registration will be opening soon as well. Follow us on social media and check the 2025 Summit webpage for the latest details. See you in September! 

Friendly Driver Program Drives Change: Quarterly Recap and Highlights

Over the past quarter, the Friendly Driver Program has continued to grow and reach new audiences—all with the goal of fostering safer roads through education and understanding.

Thanks to grant funding and strong local partnerships, our program has reached two of our priority counties this spring. Last quarter, we reached 461 new student drivers through 11 in-classroom presentations delivered in collaboration with high school Driver’s Education programs. These young drivers walked away with tools and awareness that help create safer conditions for everyone on the road—whether behind the wheel, on foot, or on a bike.

Led by Program Manager Oliver Sendall, our team facilitated engaging and informative sessions that break down real-world scenarios and provide simple, practical guidance for everyday travel:

  • Motorist driving habits that affect people who bike and pedestrians;
  • Explanation of common bicyclist practices;
  • How to avoid common crashes between motorists and vulnerable road users;
  • Active transportation infrastructure (like bike lanes); and Complete Streets concepts.

These sessions are strengthened by the relationships we’ve built with local educators who see firsthand how this information resonates with students. They’ve described our sessions as “engaging,” “real,” and “a helpful extension of the Driver’s Ed curriculum.”

As we look toward the rest of the year, we’re continuing to connect with more school systems, organizations, and community leaders who want to help make North Carolina’s roads safer. The Friendly Driver Program is available both in person and virtually, making it easy to bring these important conversations to your classroom or community—wherever you are in the state.

Special thanks to the Governor’s Highway Safety Program—our program wouldn’t be possible without their support.

Want to host a session?
Email us at programs@bikewalknc.org to get started.

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