We are excited to announce that Gil Penalosa will be a keynote speaker at the 2015 National Open Streets Summit! Read more about Penalosa here.

The 2015 National Open Streets Summit will feature sessions and networking opportunities for both novice and experienced open streets organizers, led by experts from the Open Streets Project, 8-80 Cities, Atlanta Streets Alive, and other local organizers. Participants will also have the opportunity to take part in Atlanta’s very own open streets initiative, Atlanta Streets Alive on Sunday, September 27th. The program will focus on the health benefits of Open Streets in communities.

At the Open Streets Summit, you'll learn all about:

• Building a coalition of supporters
• Outreach to key community partners and stakeholders
• Marketing and branding
• Choosing a route
• Program frequency
• Volunteer recruitment and management
• Sponsorship, fundraising, and sustainability
• Evaluating your initiative

Read a preview of the Summit here.

Agenda

Summit locations

Friday, September 25 and Saturday, September 26:

Ebenezer Baptist Church
101 Jackson Street NE
Atlanta, GA 30312

Founded in 1886, Ebenezer Baptist Church is an historic church nestled in the heart of Atlanta’s Martin Luther King Jr., Historic District. From the pulpit of Ebenezer Church, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once preached his ministry of nonviolence in the fight for civil rights.

Sunday, September 27 - 2 PM to 6 PM:

Join us at Atlanta Streets Alive on Highland Avenue on Sunday, September 27th from 2 PM to 6 PM. Atlanta Bicycle Coalition closes the streets to cars and opens them to people. The Atlanta Streets Alive - Highland Avenue Route (at Boulevard) is just 0.5 mi from Ebenezer Baptist Church.

Registration information & scholarships

Registration cost

• Alliance member registration: $295
• Non-Alliance member registration: $395
• Summit speakers receive $100 off registration price. For further instructions and a speaker promo code, please email Christy Kwan, Programs & Outreach Director, at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Only one promo code per attendee allowed.
• Atlanta residents are eligible to receive $100 off the non-member registration price. For further instructions and a promo code, please email Christy Kwan, Programs & Outreach Director, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Only one promo code per attendee allowed.
  

Additional registration information for Alliance members

Please log into your account and navigate back to this event page to access special member pricing. If you have questions on how to login, please email Christy Kwan, Programs & Outreach Director at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Scholarships

Thanks to support from MailChimp and the Susie Stephens Memorial Fund, the Alliance awarded full and partial scholarships to attendees.

Note: The application for scholarships is now closed. Scholarships are for registration only and do not include transportation, housing, or food costs.

About Atlanta

Nearby accommodation options

Aloft Downtown (1.3 mi from Summit site)
300 Spring St NW
Atlanta, GA 30308

Fairfield Inn & Suites (1.1 mi from Summit site)
54 Peachtree St SW
Atlanta, GA 30303

Hilton Atlanta (1 mi from Summit site)
255 Courtland Street NE
Atlanta, GA 30303

Holiday Inn Atlanta-Centennial Park (1.2 mi from Summit site)
101 Andrew J. Young, International Boulevard
Atlanta, GA 30303

Marriott Marquis (1.1 mi from Summit site)
265 Peachtree Center Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30303

There are also Airbnb options available in the area.

Directions and transportation

To Ebenezer Baptist Church (at 407 Auburn Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30312)

Walking and biking:

• Atlanta's downtown and the area immediately surrounding the Ebenezer Baptist Church are walkable, bikeable, and transit accessible in pockets.
• The Atlanta Beltline, a large park with a walking and bicycling path, is nearby (see website access points).
• Bike rental shops are also available in the area, including Atlanta Beltline Bicycle and Civil Bikes, which both offer tours and rentals.

 Public transportation:

• Take MARTA to the King Memorial Station
• Take Atlanta Streetcar to Jackson St NE @ Old Wheat St NE

 Driving and parking:

• From I-75/85 south, take exit 248C (Freedom Parkway, Carter Center)
• Turn right onto Boulevard
• Take immediate second right on John Wesley Dobbs Avenue to bus and visitor parking
• Walk from the back of the parking lot toward the Visitor's Center pass the Visitor's Center and turn right
• NO parking on Jackson Street

Local attractions

We thank MailChimp for being a sponsor of the 2015 National Open Streets Summit. Check out MailChimp's Guide to Atlanta.

Additional attractions:

• The Beltline (urban park with a walk and bike path around Atlanta)
• Center for Civil & Human Rights Museum
• The King Center
• Centennial Olympic Park
• Georgia Aquarium
• Inside CNN Studio Tour at CNN Center
• Underground Atlanta
• Little Five Points - Neighborhood with many restaurants
• Sweet Auburn Curb Market

About your hosts

The Open Streets Project is a collaboration between the Alliance for Biking & Walking and The Street Plans Collaborative. The goal of the project is to share information about open streets and increase the number, size, and frequency of initiatives occurring across North America.

The Atlanta Bicycle Coalition is your voice for better biking! Our mission is to create a healthier, more livable Atlanta by making it safer, easier, and more attractive to bicycle for fun, fitness, and transportation.

Atlanta Streets Alive opens streets for people by temporarily closing them to cars to create a whole new healthy, sustainable and vibrant city street experience. Bring your bicycle or just your feet, and get ready to explore your community streets in a safer, healthier, more livable way.

Thank you to our sponsors