The 2025 New Jersey Bike & Walk Summit hosted by the NJ Bike and Walk Coalition was a resounding success, uniting nearly 300 attendees from across the state who are passionate about enhancing bicycle and pedestrian safety. This diverse gathering of elected officials, urban planners, community advocates, and researchers converged to explore innovative strategies aimed at creating more walkable and secure environments. A standout moment was NJDOT Commissioner Fran O’Connor’s compelling morning address, reaffirming New Jersey’s commitment to pedestrian and bicyclist safety. His call to action, amidst the state’s ambitious Target Zero goals, underscored the collaborative efforts needed to eliminate traffic fatalities by 2040.

Central to the Summit is the NJDOT Safe Routes Academy, which attracts a diverse audience eager to empower their communities through practical workshops on Safe Routes to School topics held throughout the day. From conducting effective walk audits to engaging communities in active transportation initiatives, participants gained invaluable tools and firsthand knowledge. Sessions also spotlighted the pivotal role of students and school officials in enhancing school zone safety, illustrating impactful strategies that can be replicated elsewhere.

Sessions provided participants with tools, policies, and success stories they could apply to their own communities. The following is a brief recap of each session:

Taking it to the Streets – Conducting Walkability Audits: Participants received information on walk audit best practices, followed by an interactive walk audit to put their new skills into practice.

How to Engage Your Community to Build Better Streets: Local elected officials joined the Safe Routes staff to share their experiences and insights in implementing active transportation initiatives, including strategies to make successful changes.

School Zone Safety Takes a Team: High school students and school officials from the City of Burlington shared their personal experiences and key takeaways as youth advocates working to make critical improvements in the city’s school zones.

If you were unable to attend the Safe Routes Academy, you can access the presentations here. Be sure to catch us at next year’s NJ Bike & Walk Summit. We look forward to seeing you there!

For more information about this year’s NJ Bike & Walk Summit, please visit the NJ Bike & Walk Coalition website.