Go Green Wilmette participates with Bike Walk Wilmette to make Wilmette a better place to bike and walk. We work with residents, schools, the Park District and the Village to improve the safety and accessibility of active transportation in our community. You are invited to participate by sending feedback and/or volunteering. To learn more, visit Bike Walk Wilmette. You may also join your school’s Civics and Safety Committee by contacting your PTO.
In 2013, the Village of Wilmette agreed to participate in the League of American Bicyclists’ Bike Friendly Community (BFC) program. In order to become a bike friendly community, our Village must show initiative in each of the League of American Bicyclists’ “Five E’s:”
- Engineering – “creating safe and convenient places to ride and park”
- Education – “giving people of all ages and abilities the skills and confidence to ride”
- Encouragement – “creating a strong bike culture that welcomes and celebrates bicycling”
- Enforcement – “ensuring safe roads for all users”
- Evaluation and Planning – “planning for bicycling as a safe and viable transportation options“
In October 2016, nationally recognized active transportation expert Mark Fenton presented to 100 representatives from 16 northern suburbs on the human health and environmental benefits of smart planning that promotes walking and biking. He also conducted five community walk audits with 80 participants in Wilmette, Skokie, Park Ridge, Glencoe and Highland Park during the three day Active By Design Summit sponsored by Illinois Bone and Joint Institute and Go Green Wilmette.
We also collaborate with North Shore Cycling Advocates (NSCA). The purpose of NSCA is to mobilize cyclists of all stripes — competitive, recreational and local — in order to bring the cyclist’s perspective to governmental decision-makers across the north suburbs of Chicago.
Want to help make your community a better place to walk and bike? Start considering walk and bike safety as you drive around town and let your elected officials know active transportation is important to you. See the Village of Wilmette’s information about biking and walking in Wilmette.
