Image from a breakout session Brenda Hernandez Torres attended at Vision Zero Cities 2018

The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia’s Policy Manager Randy LoBasso and Brenda Hernandez Torres traveled to New York City last week to attend the Vision Zero Cities Conference at Columbia University—and learned more about how to organize our emerging Families For Safe Streets program, among other things.

Woke up early to head to Vision Zero Cities with @ichtakiita #learning pic.twitter.com/0dpDQBiXlE

— Randy LoBasso (@RandyLoBasso) November 7, 2018

The conference, organized by Transportation Alternatives in New York City, is a multi-day conference focused on bringing best safety practices to cities all over the county. We heard from former former New York City Transportation Commissioner Jeannette Sadik-Kahn, Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender, and Columbia University professor Vishaan Chakrabarti, among many others. The conference was attended by advocates, engineers and planners from all over the country.

Families For Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia—made up of family members who’ve lost loved ones or been affected by traffic violence in some way— met on Saturday to discuss some of our policies going forward, and when we will make our issues public. Our organization, which has not publicized our work yet, is working on a series of policy issues we plan on advocating for in 2019 and beyond. The issues will focus on state and local laws, enforcement and law policies, and engaging with communities.

Families For Safe Steets Greater Philadelphia meets in October

The Bicycle Coalition is working with Transportation Alternatives to begin our chapter of Families For Safe Streets and intends to build upon our successes, including extending Pennsylvania’s red light camera law, getting speed cameras passed on Roosevelt Boulevard, and working for better bicycle infrastructure on Philadelphia’s streets.

Our group is made up of legislators, lawyers, parents, advocates and citizens, ready to make a difference.

Stay tuned for more information on Families For Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia’s activities, and more formal announcements in the new year.

Through advocacy and education, the Bicycle Coalition leads the movement to make bicycling a safe and fun way to get around for anyone in Greater Philadelphia. We’re a member-funded organization, and we can’t advocate for building out the region’s bicycle network without your support. Join or donate today to partner with us and make your ride better.