America Walks

America Walks is a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to promoting walkable communities, pedestrian safety, and active transportation across the United States. Founded to connect local advocacy groups, municipal planners, and national policymakers, it works to advance policies, best practices, and funding strategies that support pedestrian infrastructure and equitable access to walking. The organization interacts with civic institutions, professional networks, and community groups to influence planning, public health, and transportation outcomes.

History

America Walks emerged in the early 21st century as part of a growing movement linking safe routes to school advocates, urban planners associated with the American Planning Association, and public health leaders from organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Early collaborators included local pedestrian coalitions in cities like New York City, Portland, Oregon, San Francisco, and Chicago, and national groups such as the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and the American Heart Association. The organization formalized networks that had roots in campaigns like Walk to School Day and policy efforts such as the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program. Over time it broadened ties to federal agencies like the Federal Highway Administration and legislative initiatives such as the Transportation Equity Act. Leadership and advisory members have included advocates, planners, and researchers formerly affiliated with institutions like Georgetown University, Harvard University, and the University of California, Berkeley.

Mission and Programs

America Walks’ mission centers on advancing walking as a fundamental mode of transportation and public life through advocacy, capacity building, and resource development. Programs have targeted pedestrian safety, complete streets implementation, and equitable access in historically underserved communities including neighborhoods in Detroit, Baltimore, and New Orleans. Training and technical assistance have engaged professionals from the National Association of City Transportation Officials and the Institute of Transportation Engineers, while community-facing initiatives have partnered with groups like Playable City organizers and local chapters of the League of American Bicyclists. Educational programming has drawn on research from centers such as the Transportation Research Board and the National Institutes of Health to promote evidence-based design, tactical urbanism, and public health interventions.

Advocacy and Policy Initiatives

America Walks has supported policy campaigns at municipal, state, and federal levels, advocating for legislation and funding streams that enable sidewalk repair, pedestrian crossings, and traffic calming. It has engaged with the rulemaking processes of the Federal Transit Administration and the Department of Transportation (United States), and contributed to debates over infrastructure packages similar to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The organization has promoted model policies such as Complete Streets policies adopted by cities like Seattle, Minneapolis, and Boston, and has supported Vision Zero campaigns associated with Sweden’s traffic-safety model adapted in U.S. cities. Partnerships with advocacy coalitions such as Smart Growth America and Transportation for America have amplified campaigns addressing equity concerns connected to programs like Community Development Block Grant spending and metropolitan planning organization priorities.

Partnerships and Funding

To expand capacity, America Walks has partnered with national foundations, municipal governments, academic centers, and private sponsors. Funders and collaborators have included philanthropic bodies such as the Kresge Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Ford Foundation as well as academic partners at institutions like Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Collaborative projects have linked municipal departments including New York City Department of Transportation and Los Angeles Department of Transportation with community organizations such as WalkDenver and Walk Boston. The organization has also engaged corporate partners in fields represented by firms like WSP Global and Arup (company) for technical assistance while leveraging grant programs administered by agencies like the Federal Highway Administration.

Impact and Publications

America Walks has influenced local policy adoptions, capacity building for grassroots organizations, and dissemination of best practices through reports, toolkits, and convenings. Publications and resources have reflected research from the Urban Institute, the Brookings Institution, and the RAND Corporation, and have offered case studies from cities including Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Atlanta. Its conferences and webinars have brought together speakers from the National Complete Streets Coalition, the Institute of Medicine, and municipal leaders such as mayors from Cincinnati and San Jose. Measured impacts include contributions to pedestrian-friendly zoning revisions, increased funding allocations tracked in municipal budgets, and heightened visibility for walkability in metropolitan planning documents used by Metropolitan Planning Organizations. America Walks’ materials are frequently cited by community groups, planning studios, and academic courses in urban design and public health.

Category:Non-profit organizations based in the United States Category:Pedestrian advocacy