Although it’s something we often take for granted, planning a community is no small feat. To build a community which empowers its residents to thriving involves planning, strategy, and a fundamental understanding of which resources will best serve the greatest number of individuals. Here in Trenton, there has been a concerted effort to assure that our streets serve us all. Whether you’re a driver, a biker, a walker, or more, community leaders have worked tirelessly to assure that we all have the ability to traverse through our city safely and effectively. And now this hard work is paying off, as the City of Trenton and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) have officially been awarded the 2023 Complete Streets Excellence Award.
This incredible feat comes after months of efforts on Trenton’s innovative new plan, “Our Streets: A Trenton Bike Plan for All”. The Our Streets plan was designed to assure that whether you walk, drive, or ride around the city, all Trentonians will have access to a safer, more efficient route. The plan has been a shared labor amongst a number of community stakeholders, including the Trenton Cycling Revolution, East Trenton Collaborative, ArtWorks, and the Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund.
From day one, the Our Streets initiative has been tuned in to the needs of its community, hosting multiple feedback sessions to assure that any plans would have the wants and needs of city residents were at the center of these efforts. In gratitude for their feedback, participating community members were then rewarded with a number of perks, including free bike tuneups, family-friendly activities, free ice cream, and more. A win for every resident of Trenton, this plan will no doubt continue to serve our community for generations to come.
Per Mayor Gusciora, “I’m thrilled that the City received recognition for its partnership with the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) for community engagement on our bike paths and trail plans. The Complete Streets Excellence Award is a feather in our cap for urban streetscape designs. It reaffirms that our work is responsive to public needs and in making our streets, bike paths, and trails accessible and safe for our residents.”
The City of Trenton and the DVRPC weren’t the only Trenton representatives awarded at the 2023 Complete Streets Summit. Shereyl Snider and the East Trenton Collaborative were also awarded the Complete Streets Champion award for their neighborhood traffic safety audit, which led to the development of the Inspired Safe Streets – East Trenton Neighborhood project. This project will be instrumental in addressing some of the issues identified in the audit.
For more information on the “Our Streets: A Trenton Bike Plan for All” initiative, please visit the DVRPC website, linked here: Our Streets. Likewise, to read more about other honorees for this year’s Complete Streets Summit, you can visit their website here: Complete Streets Summit. Please join us in extending a well-deserved congratulations to all who were involved in the earning of this incredible achievement!
