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SHARING THE ROAD: ADVOCACY & EMPOWERMENT
Success Stories

• Pedestrians Educating Drivers about Safety, Inc., or PEDS, is a small nonprofit organization based in Atlanta, historically one of the most dangerous cities for pedestrians. Since 1996, PEDS has been effective in gaining media attention for pedestrian issues, building partnerships with public officials, and achieving concrete changes. PEDS started with a small, highly visible project: crosswalk striping (2). Today, because of PEDS’ efforts, the Georgia DOT has instituted a new statewide standard for highly visible crosswalks (3).

• David Engwicht of Brisbane, Australia, is a pioneer in what he calls “street reclaiming,” which encourages citizens to reclaim their streets for public use and enjoyment. Engwicht lays out a vision for community streets based on the historic multiple uses of streets for play, social interaction and economic exchange. He calls on citizens to organize with their neighbors to reduce vehicle trips, drive slower, and “reclaim and reuse” local street space for activities that improve the community (4). Engwicht’s approach has been used successfully by communities in several countries.
Advocates—in neighborhoods, the private sector, nonprofit sector, or government—are important to any cause to focus attention and resources on the issues and be champions or leaders for change.

Throughout Minnesota, neighborhood organizations and individuals have worked successfully to improve conditions for biking and walking. In many cities, individuals have organized around a particular bike or pedestrian issue or project. A few cities have a formal bike or pedestrian advisory committee and some neighborhoods have committees that focus on transportation and related issues like land use.


Grand Opening of the Midtown Greenway in Minneapolis, 2001. Bike advocates were instrumental in the development of this "bicycle highway" running east to west across Minneapolis.


Several private or nonprofit advocacy organizations are involved to some degree in pedestrian and bicycle issues in Minnesota, but existing advocates point to the need for a statewide pedestrian and bicycle advocacy organization or for at least a coordinated overall advocacy effort for pedestrian and bike issues (1). Organizations and committees in Minnesota whose work includes at least some advocacy on pedestrian and bicycle issues include:

• Be Active Minnesota
• Bicycle Advisory Committees for Saint Paul, Minneapolis and Hennepin County
• Bikes Belong
• Biking and Walking Solutions – Safe Routes Minnesota
• Midtown Greenway Coalition
• Minnesota State Bicycle Advisory Committee
• Several neighborhood organizations in Minneapolis and Saint Paul
• 1000 Friends of Minnesota
• Parks and Trails Council of Minnesota
• Twin Cities Bicycling Club
• Transit for Livable Communities
• Trust for Public Land

U.S. Rep. James Oberstar from Chisholm, Minnesota, is the ranking minority member on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and a powerful champion in Congress for bicycling, walking and transportation reform. Oberstar was a key architect of ISTEA, TEA-21, and SAFETEA-LU. He’s an avid cyclist and is very interested in bicycling, public transit and Safe Routes to Schools.

Recommendations

Support and fund bicycle and pedestrian advocacy.

  • Pedestrian and bicycle advocates should be represented on state, regional, county and municipal planning boards and other decision-making bodies in the area of transportation.
  • Government should partner with advocacy organizations to carry out programs and projects.

Resources

  • America Walks, Portland, Oregon. A national coalition of grassroots pedestrian advocacy organizations. Holds an annual training. Several teaching resources available on their website, including the "Toolbox for Pedestrian Advocates."
  • Thunderhead Alliance. A national coalition of state and local advocacy groups addressing barriers to safe bicycling.
  • Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP). Excellent source of information and links to other sites on pedestrian and bicycle issues.

 
Footnotes
1 Alice Tibbets, Biking and Walking Solutions and Dorian Grilley, Minnesota Parks and Trails Council, Pedestrian Safety Steering Committee, review of report, 26 Nov. 2002.
2 Sally Flocks, President, Pedestrians Educating Drivers Safety (PEDS), remarks at the Congress of Pedestrian Advocates, Saint Paul, MN, 2 September 2002.
3 PEDS, Annual Report 2001, (PEDS, Atlanta, Georgia: 2002): 1.
4 Engwich, David, Street Reclaiming; Creating Livable Streets and Vibrant Communities, (New Society Publishers: 1999), 126.