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Honoring Juneteenth:
advocating for equitable transportation and dismantling racially biased traffic laws
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Juneteenth National Independence Day, or Juneteenth, is observed on June 19, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. It is a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle for racial equity and justice, including within our transportation system. Traffic laws, particularly those related to walking and biking, can often disproportionately target Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities, leading to higher risks of conflict with law enforcement.
After launching our “Taking on Traffic Laws” decriminalization guide, we created a companion advocacy resource offering additional strategies to repeal harmful traffic laws.
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By exploring the guide, advocates can learn how to tailor these approaches to improve public safety in their specific communities. Understanding that policy campaigns are not one-size-fits-all, the guide emphasizes the importance of customizing strategies to effectively address local challenges and promote equitable transportation solutions.
This comprehensive guide is designed for advocates and organizations aiming to start policy campaigns focused on addressing racially enforced traffic laws. These laws not only fail in their intended purpose of ensuring safety but also perpetuate racial disparities within our public safety systems.
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This Juneteenth, let’s continue actively working towards mobility justice. By advocating for the repeal of racially enforced traffic laws, we can help create safer, more just communities for everyone.
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Leading the way: Day 1 and Day 3
2024 Safe Routes to School National Conference keynote speakers
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Conference Day 1: Wes Marshall, PhD, PE
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Wes Marshall, PhD, PE, is a professor of civil engineering at the University of Colorado Denver, where he also holds a joint appointment in urban planning, Dr. Marshall directs the CU Denver Human-Centered Transportation program and the Transportation Research Center at CU Denver. He will discuss the current state of transportation research and engineering, highlighting safety concerns and opportunities for improvement, with a focus on youth mobility. Dr. Marshall is the author of the 2024 Island Press book Killed by a Traffic Engineer: Shattering the Delusion that Science Underlies Our Transportation System. He has published over 80 peer-reviewed works, secured millions in research funding, and received awards like the CU Denver Outstanding Faculty in Research Award and the Wootan Award. Dedicated to creating safer, sustainable transportation systems, Dr. Marshall is also passionate about teaching and mentoring, having won the CU Denver College of Engineering Outstanding Faculty in Teaching Award three times.
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Conference Day 3: Anna Zivartz
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 Anna Zivarts, a low-vision parent, nondriver, and author of When Driving Is Not an Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency (Island Press, 2024), will be our Day 3 featured speaker. Drawing upon her lived experience and leadership, Anna will highlight the importance of inclusive advocacy. Creator of the #WeekWithoutDriving challenge, Anna is committed to amplifying nondrivers' voices in planning and policymaking. She serves on the boards of the League of American Bicyclists, the Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium, and the Washington State Transportation Innovation Council, and is a member of TRB’s Committee on Public Health and Transportation (AME70) and the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center Coordinating Committee.
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Secure Your Spot at the 2024 Safe Routes to School National Conference – Early Bird Pricing Ends June 30, 2024!
Early bird ticketing for the 2024 Safe Routes to School National Conference ends on June 30, 2024. Register now to take advantage of discounted rates and ensure your place among the leading minds and advocates dedicated to creating safer, healthier routes for children to school.
Join us for inspiring keynotes, innovative sessions, and unparalleled networking opportunities. Act fast! Prices will increase after June 30.
Register today and be a part of the movement towards safer, more active communities!
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Safe Routes Partnership collaborates to create Washington D.C. area “Crash Tracker” tool
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Safe Routes Partnership’s Kori Johnson knows the D.C. area. Over the past six years, she has led projects and supported local initiatives to make it safer and easier for people travel around their neighborhoods. “People really care about improving traffic safety in the city," said Kori. "It’s not just the transportation advocates who are leading the way, it’s students, teachers, neighbors, librarians, community organizations. Everyone has a role to play in reducing serious injuries and fatalities on D.C. roadways.”
However, Washington D.C. and its surrounding areas are witnessing a worsening toll on traffic injuries and deaths, with majority-Black neighborhoods in Wards 7 and 8 being disproportionately impacted. “I have seen how passionate people in Wards 7 and 8 are about city initiatives like Vision Zero,” says Kori. “There is still a lot of work to be done, but there is a lot of energy and creativity around how to advance traffic safety initiatives in the areas that need it the most.”
Kori partnered with the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) and Howard University to create a reporting tool to assist road users report dangerous activities and conditions on roadways within D.C. and surrounding areas. The Crash Tracker was created after conducting focus groups and discussing the best approach for residents. The tool allows users to report incidents like near misses or dangerous locations for road users. In addition to the reporting, the tool also gives the user the opportunity to send an automated email to local elected officials and those in power.
“The Partnership was excited to play a part in developing the Crash Tracker, especially thinking about youth will benefit from the tool. Young people can report a traffic incident directly from their phones and know that the information goes directly to local decision-makers. This is just another way for youth to drive change in their communities.”
WABA plans to release an annual report to better illustrate the issues impacting road users, including hazardous intersections, inefficient processes, and unsafe infrastructure.
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Webinar Reminder:
Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A)
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On Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at 3 p.m. ET/noon PT, the Safe Routes Partnership presented “Creative, Accessible Federal Funding to Advance Safe, Active Travel for Kids and Communities.” The webinar focused on the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program, a federal funding opportunity for communities to develop plans and implement strategies that reduce roadway injuries and fatalities.
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Massachusetts celebrates Bike to School Day
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The Massachusetts Safe Routes to School program was proud to celebrate Bike to School Day last month with over 300 registered schools participating. This is one of the top five participation rates nationally, according to the National Center for Safe Routes to School.
Working to better meet the needs of communities, the Massachusetts program has expanded bike-friendly offerings to include opportunities that benefit students of all ages and abilities. Outreach Coordinator team includes LCI-certified instructors and weekend bike advocates. Massachusetts bike offerings include Bike Train Case Studies, Bike Train safety-themed yard signs, High School Ambassador Program, and many more materials.
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Sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and with funds from the Federal Highway Administration, the Massachusetts Safe Route to School Program promotes bridging the gap between health and student transportation by using the Six E’s foundation of Education, Encouragement, Evaluation, Engagement, Engineering, and Equity.
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Celebrating Local Success
Does your community have a success story about active transportation?
We would love to hear from you! What are your community plans for the summer months? Share what your community is doing this season, and we will feature your program in our upcoming July newsletter or on social media!
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Consulting Assistance Available!
We're here to help!
No two projects are the same. We are proud to offer customized solutions; schedule a discussion about your project today!
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Thank You for Supporting
the Safe Routes Partnership!
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Copyright © 2024 Safe Routes Partnership, All rights reserved.
You're receiving this message because you have expressed interest in improving walking, bicycling, and Safe Routes to School. If you no longer wish to receive emails like these, please unsubscribe.
Our mailing address is:
Safe Routes Partnership12587 Fair Lakes Circle #251 Fairfax, VA 22033
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