Last week, I had the pleasure of returning to the Growing Sustainable Communities Conference in Dubuque for the second year in a row—and once again, it was an inspiring and energizing experience! Though the attitude this year was slightly more melancholy than last year, there were still great talks and lots to learn from experts around the country about what is happening in their community.
This year, I presented on walk audits as a powerful tool for building more sustainable, connected communities. Walk audits are simple but eye-opening: they involve walking through a neighborhood or school area and observing what helps or hinders safe, comfortable travel by foot or bike. From cracked sidewalks to missing crosswalks—or even a general lack of shade or lighting—what we notice on foot tells us a lot about equity, accessibility, and environmental impact.
My session focused on how communities can use walk audits to spark action. We talked about:
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Engaging youth, parents, and residents in identifying barriers.
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Using audits as a foundation for Safe Routes to School and Complete Streets efforts.
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Turning small wins into long-term systems change.
There’s something incredibly powerful about walking side-by-side with neighbors, listening to stories, and seeing the built environment from a human level. The walk audit must be conducted by a diverse group of individuals because we are focused on making safe routes to school for everybody.
Huge thanks to the City of Dubuque and the amazing team behind the conference. It’s always an honor to learn and share alongside folks doing such impactful work across Iowa and beyond.
Iowa Safe Routes to School is funded through a matching grant, help us raise our 20% of the grant right here to continue our efforts to expand active transportation opportunities across the state. Thank you.