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2021 Safe Walking Summit: The Role of Community in Walkability
On June 10, 2021, NVRC hosted a Safe Walking Summit, which focused on the role of community action in pedestrian safety and walkability. Communities and residents represent the key element for improving Virginia’s pedestrian safety. Join us for a summit that shares ideas and techniques from two featured Virginia community safety initiatives: Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets and Bike Walk RVA initiative from Sports Backers. Geared toward local, community, state staff, and people interested in safe walking in their communities. As a result of community demands, learn of German and Dutch leadership in safety and walkability. Learn of other successful programs, including how Virginia programs have collected critical data and engaged communities to support safer conditions while working with local planning staff.
The summit featured two successful community programs: Bike Walk RVA Sports Bakers and their community counts, and Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets and their near miss crowdsourcing program.
Watch the video here. To navigate the video:
Hr:M:Sec
0:02:55 Keynote Speakers:
- Ralph Beuhler, Virginia Tech
- Mike McGinn, America Walks
- Kimberly Burt, Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
0:46:10 Community Initiatives
- Moderator: Sonya Breehey, Washington Coalition for Smarter Growth
- Mike Doyle, NoVA Families for Safe Streets
- ShaCoria Shelton, Bike Walk RVA
1:10:51 Engaging Local Government Panel
- Moderator: Lisa Campbell, Bike Loudoun
- Christine Mayeur, City of Alexandria
- Laura Ghosh, Loudoun County
- Alex Vanegas, Prince William County
- Heidi Mitter, VDOT Northern Office
Consider performing a walk audit. Walk Audits represent a tool that anyone can do to evaluate and document specific areas of a community. This brief video offers an overview. Created with America Walks, the video is part of the Share VA Road campaign, funded by Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Highway Safety Grant.
Summit covered tools, and strategies, and new multi-agency initiatives to increase walking safety in Virginia. This second annual summit highlighted resources and public health approaches and the benefits of livable communities and safer walking for all communities in this online summit. The pandemic has brought to light the need for safe walking. This summit continued to teach walkability leadership skills and move the region towards zero traffic deaths. The last portion of the summit consisted of interactive sessions to develop recommendations related to next steps and greater community engagement.
Presentations from America Walks, local staff, Virginia DOT, Virginia Department of Health, local programs, and DMV offered tools and initiatives that improve walking and reduce crashes. The summit was developed by Northern Virginia Regional Commission’s Share Va Roads with support from America Walks, and funded by a federal highway safety grant from Virginia DMV.
NVRC, state and local staff, and safety advocates developed a pocket guide for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists. The seventh edition of the pocket guide,"Share VA Road" is in print and available in English and Spanish. NVRC has a website associated with the guide, www.sharevaroads.org as well as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook campaigns @sharevaroads . To order bulk numbers of the guide (in excess of 350 copies) at a discounted rate or for more information please contact by email.