Summit 2026 - New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition

Saturday, March 7, 2026 at Crowne Plaza

Princeton-Conference Center

Welcome to the 15th Annual

New Jersey Bike & Walk Summit

Now in its 15th year, the New Jersey Bike & Walk Summit brings together New Jersey’s mobility leaders and community advocates to share insights, uplift local stories, and push for safer streets that work for everyone. Each year, hundreds gather to learn from one another and help move the state toward safer, more connected communities.

Online registration is open!

Online sales end at 11:59pm on Wednesday, March 4, 2026.
There will be on-site registration available starting at 8am on Saturday, March 7.
Early-bird pricing ended Saturday, February 7, 2026.

Room Reservations

For attendees who wish to stay overnight at the Crowne Plaza Princeton on Friday, March 6th, a room block is available for individual booking and payment. Booking is available through Friday, February 28th. Please click here to book your room.

Program and Schedule Overview

8am – Registration + Breakfast + Networking

9am – Morning Plenary

Welcome Remarks
Debra Kagan, Executive Director, New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition
Dan Benson, County Executive, Mercer County

Keynote Introduction
Brendan Gill, Essex County Commissioner

Keynote Speaker
Sarah Goodyear, Co-Host, The War on Cars

Keynote Panel: Getting to Life After Cars

Moderator: Sarah Goodyear

Panelists:

Cathleen M. Lewis, Mercer County Commissioner
Leigh Ann Von Hagen, AICP, PP, Executive Director, Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center, Rutgers University
Olivia C. Glenn, President & CEO, Baobab Blossom Consulting LLC

10:20am – Breakout Block 1

SRTS Academy: Start with the School Zone
Advocacy in Action: Target Zero Legislative Actions
Flourishing Routes to School (and Beyond): A Bike Bus Roundtable
Trails: Shifting Policy, Funding, and Mindsets

11:30am – Breakout Block 2

SRTS Academy: Rethinking our Roads with Youth Leadership
NJ’s E-Bike Policy: What’s Works, What’s Stuck in Gear, and What’s Ahead
Designing for Dignity: Meaningful Engagement, Place, and Belonging
Walking Tour led by Walk Bike Princeton & West Windsor Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance

12:30pm – Lunch & Networking

1:40pm – Afternoon Plenary & Awards

Reconvene
Debra Kagan, Executive Director, New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition

Keynote Introduction
Cathleen M. Lewis, Mercer County Commissioner

Keynote Speaker
Ed Potosnak, Acting Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Marty Epstein Advocates of the Year Awards

3:00pm – Breakout Block 3

Transitioning Municipal and County Vision Zero Policies into Actions
Automated Enforcement: Is New Jersey Ready?
Greenways as a Target Zero Strategy
Bike Tour led by Walk Bike Princeton & West Windsor Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance

4:00pm – Summit Ends

Location

The event will be held at the Crowne Plaza Princeton – Conference Center, located at 900 Scudders Mill Road, Plainsboro, NJ 08536.

For ease of arrival, please use 870 Scudders Mill Road, which is the main and closest entrance to the Conference Center

Arriving by Car

Free and accessible parking is available throughout the Conference Center. The closest parking lot to the Summit is near the 870 Scudders Mill Road entrance.

Here is additional information about parking and accessibility.

Transit, Shuttle & Bike Options

For those who are able, we also encourage traveling to the Summit by active modes. We’ve provided some resources to support you in doing this.

[Bonus–we’ll have giveaways for those who use active modes of transportation!]

By Transit & Shuttle

For those traveling via NJ Transit, we will be providing FREE shuttle service, in partnership with GOTrenton!, between the Princeton Junction Station and the Crowne Plaza Princeton.

The shuttle service will run between the hours of 8-10 AM and 3-5 PM.

By Bike

For those traveling by bicycle, e-scooters, and e-bikes, secure indoor storage will be available on site.

Here is additional information for Bikes on NJ TRANSIT.

The shuttle is able to accommodate up to two bikes per run when the shuttle is at capacity with riders.

Loading/Unloading Instructions for Vendors

Vendors may temporarily park vehicles in front of the 870 Scudders Mill Road entrance and unload materials. Vehicles must not block the entrance path and should be moved to a secure parking space once unloading is complete.

Hotel Accommodations

For those traveling longer distances across the state, you are welcome to stay overnight at Crowne Plaza Princeton on March 6th at a discounted price.

Booking is available through Friday, February 28th. Please click here to book your room.

Internet Access

All visitors and guests may connect to wireless network using “Network Conference Center Guest”.

Throughout this milestone year for our 15th Annual New Jersey Bike & Walk Summit, we invite partners to join us in supporting the work that makes this statewide gathering possible. Your sponsorship directly funds NJBWC’s efforts to plan, host, and grow the Summit, including bringing in plenary speakers and creating space for advocates, planners, and community members to connect. Your support helps expand the Summit’s reach and impact. If you’re interested in being part of this effort, we’d be glad to connect.

The Summit creates opportunities to connect with state leaders, county and municipal partners, and fellow advocates and we want to make sure everyone can participate. If the cost of a ticket makes it difficult for you to attend, scholarship opportunities are available. We warmly welcome applications from anyone who needs support to join us.

Looking to help others attend the Summit? Visit the registration page to purchase a Scholarship Ticket and your donation will be added to a pool of tickets made available to others.

2026 Summit Organizers

Morning Plenary

Keynote Speaker and Moderator for Keynote Panel "Getting to Life After Cars"

Sarah Goodyear, Co-Host, The War on Cars

Sarah Goodyear is a journalist and author whose work has appeared in CityLab, Streetsblog, Grist, The New York Daily News, The Village Voice, Ms. Magazine, Psychology Today, and many other venues. She is the coauthor of Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves from the Tyranny of the Automobile, published Thesis, a Penguin Random House imprint. She is cofounder and cohost of The War on Cars, a podcast that looks at the effects of automobile dependence on our society. She is also the author of a novel, View from a Burning Bridge, published by Red Hen Press. She holds a BA from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MA in Biography and Memoir from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Sarah lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Keynote Panel: Getting to Life After Cars

Leigh Ann Von Hagen, AICP, PP, Executive Director, Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center, Rutgers University

Leigh Ann Von Hagen, AICP, PP, is Executive Director of the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University’s Bloustein School. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in planning for healthy, inclusive, and sustainable communities. She leads interdisciplinary research, policy, education, and training initiatives, including support for New Jersey’s Target Zero strategy to eliminate traffic deaths. Her work advances Complete and Green Streets, Health in All Policies, and other efforts that inform transportation decision-making across sectors and scales. She also serves as an adjunct professor, teaching courses that bridge public health and urban planning.

Cathleen M. Lewis, Commissioner, Mercer County

Cathleen Lewis is a government affairs and communications executive with deep expertise in clean transportation, sustainable mobility, and public policy. A seasoned coalition builder and policy leader, Cathleen has spent more than two decades working at the intersection of transportation, energy, safety, and government. She is an engaging presenter at local, state, and national conferences and has played a central role in advancing transportation electrification, traffic safety, and sustainable funding strategies across New Jersey. Since 2023 Cathleen has served as a Mercer County Commissioner where she works on shared services, sustainable mobility, and Vision Zero initiatives. She previously served more than a decade on the Lawrence Township Council, including for 2 years. Professionally she works for the State of New Jersey overseeing a Clean Transportation portfolio advancing electric vehicle and charging infrastructure incentives and helping shape nationally recognized EV policies and utility programs.

Olivia C. Glenn, President & CEO, Baobab Blossom Consulting LLC

Olivia Glenn is the President and CEO of Baobab Blossom Consulting LLC and a proven consensus builder, problem solver, and collaborative leader. She brings deep experience across government and the nonprofit sector, with expertise spanning natural resource management, environmental justice, and stakeholder engagement. Olivia served in the Biden-Harris Administration as Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor for Equity for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 2 office, covering the Northeast, the Caribbean, and eight Indian Nations. Prior to EPA, she served at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, including Deputy Commissioner of Environmental Justice and Equity and as Director of the Division of Parks and Forestry. Olivia was also South Jersey Metro Regional Manager for the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, advancing land preservation, stewardship, and trail connectivity in the Greater Philadelphia region. She has served on the East Coast Greenway Alliance and as NJ Co-Chair of the Circuit Trails Coalition. She is a recipient of the Camden Environmental Hero Award, the Woman of Purpose Award, and the 2025 NY–NJ Baykeeper Environmental Leadership Award. A proud Camden native, Olivia holds a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College and a master’s degree from the Yale School of the Environment.

Afternoon Plenary

Keynote Speaker

Ed Potosnak, Acting Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Ed Potosnak is the Acting Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, where he leads statewide efforts to protect clean air and water, strengthen climate resilience, and advance environmental justice. He oversees initiatives that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, safeguard natural resources, and ensure communities most affected by pollution receive meaningful investment and protection. Before joining NJDEP, Potosnak served as Executive Director of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, building broad coalitions and championing major clean‑energy and environmental policies. His career reflects a deep commitment to science‑based decision‑making, public service, and creating a healthier, more sustainable future for all New Jersey residents.