Walking is one of the healthiest and most sustainable forms of transportation, and having a safe walking environment can significantly boost a community’s livability.
Improving pedestrian safety in a community can help increase a municipality’s walkability, which can have a positive effect on a community’s health, economy, and overall livability. One way a municipality can improve pedestrian safety is by conducting a Street Smart campaign.
What is Street Smart?
Street Smart NJ is a public awareness and behavioral change pedestrian safety campaign. Since its creation in 2013, more than 100 communities have participated in Street Smart NJ.
Street Smart NJ emphasizes educating drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists through mass media, as well as targeted enforcement. Police officers focus on engaging and educating, rather than simply issuing citations. Street Smart NJ complements, but doesn’t replace, other state and local efforts to build safer streets and sidewalks, enforce laws and train better roadway users.
Street Smart NJ was developed by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA). Local campaigns for Somerset County municipalities are coordinated by RideWise.
How does a municipality implement a campaign?
Communities that are interested in conducting a Street Smart campaign are encouraged to contact RideWise at (908) 704-1011. RideWise serves as the lead organization in Somerset County for the campaign, working with a variety of stakeholders such as the police, public health workers, schools, pedestrian/bicycle groups, and elected officials.
