ALERT: Nationwide Mayors Challenge for safer streets for people who walk and bike - Invite your mayor!

[UPDATE:  The initial deadline to participate in the Mayor's Conference was March 12th, 2015, but  U.S. DOT officials have recently assured us that they are continuing to encourage mayors and cities to join the challenge.  Enrollment is still open and mayors can enroll any time they are ready to do so at the Challenge website.]

U.S. Secretary of Transportation--and former Charlotte, NC, Mayor--Anthony Foxx is challenging cities and mayors across Missouri and the United State to take positive steps to improve their communities for bicycling and walking.

Secretary Foxx, former mayor of Charlotte, NC, announces the Mayors Challenge

We hope communities across Missouri will sign up for the Mayor's Challenge by March 12th, in time for the nationwide announcement.  We know that some Missouri mayors are planning to be in Washington, DC, for the nationwide announcement--having a group of Missouri mayors there would be amazing!

Invite your mayor and city officials to join the Challenge by sending them to the Challenge web site.

We know that several cities across Missouri have already signed up for the Challenge.  If your city has already joined the challenge, please thank your Mayor for doing a great job!  If your mayor hasn't joined the Challenge, please copy & paste the information on this page and forward it to your mayor and city officials, along with a personal note.

Secretary Foxx's Mayor's Challenge for Safer People, Safer Streets

Secretary Foxx is challenging mayors and local elected officials to take significant action to improve safety for bicycle riders and pedestrians of all ages and abilities over the next year. Mayors' Challenge participants will be invited to attend the Mayors' Summit for Safer People, Safer Streets in March, and their cities will spend a year helping their communities undertake seven activities to improve safety. The challenge is based on the 2010 USDOT Policy Statement on Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodation.

Cities can join the challenge here or by emailing their Team Leader’s contact information to pedbikesafety@dot.gov

Mayors and other elected city officials can participate by leading a call to action and helping their cities take on the Challenge activities outlined below.

Call to Action

• Issue a public statement about the importance of bicycle and pedestrian safety
• Form a local action team to advance safety and accessibility goals
• Take local action through the Challenge activities, listed below

Mayors' Challenge Activities

• Take a Complete Streets approach
• Identify and address barriers to make streets safe and convenient for all road users, including people of all ages and abilities and those using assistive mobility devices
• Gather and track biking and walking data
• Use designs that are appropriate to the context of the street and its uses
• Take advantage of opportunities to create and complete ped-bike networks through maintenance
• Improve walking and biking safety laws and regulations
• Educate and enforce proper road use behavior by all

Only mayors or their designated representatives can sign up for the Challenge. But please encourage your Mayor to join the Challenge--and contact your city council representative and ask him or her to encourage the Mayor to join the Challenge.

Ask you Mayor to visit the Mayor's Challenge website for more information or to sign up for the Challenge.