MKE Walks is fortunate to work with a host of other groups, organizations, and governmental departments who are also committed to making our streets safer.
If you are interested in the work that we do, we encourage you to see what else is happening in Milwaukee County (and beyond)! Nothing can be accomplished if we work in a silo, so collaboration and partnership are the real keys to change.
Local Partners
*This is by no means a comprehensive list! If you know of an organization or group that we should add to this list, please contact rachelg@wisconsinbikefed.org.
Coalition for Safe Driving MKE
The Coalition for Safe Driving MKE (CFSDMKE) is a grass-roots group of community members, leaders and residents who are concerned with making the city of Milwaukee’s streets and roads safe for both pedestrians and drivers.
1000 Friends of Wisconsin
Through education, coalitions, policy, planning, and projects, 1K Friends help Wisconsin communities, governments, and people make land use and transportation decisions that both achieve healthy, thriving, equitable, and climate-friendly and resilient communities and protect our natural environment.
City of Milwaukee Vision Zero
The City of Milwaukee has adopted The Vision Zero Action Plan, a roadmap to eliminating traffic deaths by 2037.
Milwaukee County Vision Zero
Milwaukee County’s Complete Communities Transportation Planning Project has an ambitious goal of zero fatalities and serious injuries on all roadways in Milwaukee County by 2037.
Enough is Enough – A Legacy for Erin
Enough is Enough ~ A Legacy for Erin works to eliminate reckless driving that results in injury and loss of innocent life throughout the State of Wisconsin, advocating for stronger measures to protect our communities and make Wisconsin’s roads safer for all.
Children’s WI Teen Driving Program
Learning to drive is exciting. But it can also be stressful for teens and their parents. Teaching teens safe driving helps them build good habits. It also supports parents and other adults in guiding them. It can help keep everyone safer on the road.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committees (BPACs)
A BPAC provides guidance to elected officials and others who are making decisions that impact bicycle and pedestrians and an ongoing process for resident input.
Local Strong Towns Groups
Strong Towns advocates for cities of all sizes to be safe, livable and inviting. This includes advocating for change with our current transportation system. Milwaukee County has several active Strong Towns groups that you can search here: Strong Towns Local Conversations.
WI Bike Fed Youth Education Programs
The Bike Fed has educated more than 50,000 students about walking and biking through our Safe Routes to School programming in communities across Wisconsin, including Madison, Milwaukee, Kenosha, Union Grove, Appleton, Sturgeon Bay, Oregon, Waterford, Marshall, Sheboygan, Brookfield, and West Allis.
Resources from Other Organizations
There are lots of amazing resources available for anyone interested in pedestrian safety. Check out the resources below, and feel free to incorporate them into your education and advocacy journey.
America Walks
Through programs, resources, and advocacy, America Walks promotes walkability in all types of communities, for people of all ages and abilities. Check out their How to Make Change page for inspiration.
AARP Livable Communities
AARP has a great library of articles, toolkits, and worksheets geared towards making communities safe places to walk and roll, no matter what age you are. All of their resources are free to download. Here a few of the worksheets that are great resources if you want to plan a walk audit:
- AARP Walk Audit Toolkit
- Sidewalks, Streets, and Crossings
- Public Transit Access
- Winter Weather
- All of these worksheets are also available in Spanish!
Safe Routes Partnership
Safe Routes Partnership is a national nonprofit organization working to improve the walking and rolling experience to and from schools (and more!) for people of all ages and abilities. They provide resources for promoting active and healthy communities.
- Check out their extensive, searchable resource library.
Inclusive Walk Audit Facilitator’s Guide by the Minnesota Department of Health
This pdf is a fantastic resource for planning a walk audit that is accessible and inclusive to people with disabilities. They provide examples of inclusive language, accessible communication, and a great timeline for planning your event.
- The MN Department of Health says “People with disabilities are more likely to rely on walking for daily trips, including connections to transit, and may be more aware of and impacted by problems in the transportation network… When a street is accessible for people with disabilities, it is accessible for all people.”
Walk Audit Academy by Walk Massachusetts
Walk Massachusetts has created this Walk Audit Academy video series to share the steps of planning a successful walk/roll event. There are eight short videos (most are less than three minutes!) ranging from “Why is walkability important?” to “Moving to action”.
Book Recommendations
The following books are available to borrow from the MilWALKee Walks library. Let us know if you would like to borrow one! All of these books are also available to borrow from the Milwaukee Public Library.
WALK: Slow Down, Wake Up, and Connect at 1-3 Miles Per Hour
– by Jonathon Stalls
“A transformative collection of essays on the power of walking to connect with ourselves, each other, and nature itself.” – from publisher
Right of way: race, class, and the silent epidemic of pedestrian deaths in America
– by Angie Schmitt
“Right of Way unveils a crisis that is rooted in both inequality and the undeterred reign of the automobile in our cities. It challenges us to imagine and demand safer and more equitable cities, where no one is expendable.” – from publisher
There are no accidents: the deadly rise of injury and disaster–who profits and who pays the price
– by Jessie Singer
“A journalist recounts the surprising history of accidents and reveals how they’ve come to define all that’s wrong with America.” – from publisher
When driving is not an option: steering away from car dependency
– by Anna Letitia Zivarts
“In When Driving is Not an Option disability advocate Anna Letitia Zivarts shines a light on the number of people in the US who cannot drive and explains how improving our transportation system with nondrivers in mind will create a better quality of life for everyone.” – from publisher