Community Organizations and Members

Your Voice, Your Streets.

Project Sidewalk gives local advocates the tools to identify access barriers, push for improvements, and make their neighborhoods safer for everyone. Whether you’re a grassroots group or just a neighbor who cares, this platform makes it easy to get involved and make a difference where it counts. Project Sidewalk empowers everyday people and organizations to assess sidewalk accessibility, advocate for change, and build safer, more inclusive communities, one block at a time.

Active Transportation Alliance x Project Sidewalk

Three interconnected logos for Project Sidewalk, UIC Applied Health Sciences, and Active Transportation Alliance.

In collaboration with the Active Transportation Alliance, Project Sidewalk has empowered residents throughout Chicagoland to improve their communities. This initiative encouraged community-driven change by enabling participants to identify and map barriers. Each community received training, with 9 communities receiving a $300 stipend to support their community recruitment efforts.

A key enhancement in this partnership was the inclusion of biking infrastructure in the mapping process. This innovation expanded Project Sidewalk’s initial focus beyond just pedestrian pathways, allowing community members to assess the conditions of bikeways and sidewalks effectively.

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This program has ended, but the movement continues. Stay connected for future opportunities!

Newberg, OR

Community advocates and local government officials joined forces to map the sidewalk infrastructure in this community of 25,000 people. After 230 users mapped 116 miles of sidewalk in Newberg, the city council established a new sidewalk renovation program, allocated $50,000 for immediate repairs on city property, and initiated two sidewalk accessibility grant programs for homeowners.

Screenshot of City of Newberg's Project Sidewalk webpage calling for public participation in sidewalk accessibility labeling.
City of Newberg Website

Time to Vote

Community members used Project Sidewalk Route Builder to map out their route to their polling location and audit its accessibility, ultimately contributing to the accessibility of future elections.

  • Poster promoting Project Sidewalk for accessible voting routes, featuring a wheelchair icon and UIC logo.
    Voting Route Accessibility
  • A digital map of Chicago from Project Sidewalk featuring various icons
    Route Builder Map Interface
  • Digital map interface showing a route on Project Sidewalk with overlay instructions for creating the route.
    Route Builder Interface

Get Involved

For communities not yet integrated into Project Sidewalk, consider the following questions:

  1. Identify Your Area of Interest: Determine which specific region in your community is of interest to you. This could be a neighborhood, a commercial district, or any area where sidewalk accessibility matters to you.
  2. Define Your Purpose: Clarify your goals for conducting sidewalk audits. What do you intend to achieve with the data you collect? Whether it’s advocating for improvements, fostering community awareness, or other objectives, having a clear purpose will guide your efforts.
  3. Explore Collaborative Opportunities: Investigate potential collaborations with community groups or leaders who share similar concerns. Partnering with others can amplify your impact and contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the community’s needs.

Once you’ve answered these questions, the Project Sidewalk team is ready to assist you in opening up your community. For active transportation groups (walking/wheeling/biking), the data can also prove useful for advocacy and planning efforts.

By joining this initiative, you not only contribute to positive changes in your neighborhood but also become an integral part of a collective effort to enhance the overall accessibility of urban spaces. Get involved by contacting [email protected].

Accessibility by WAH