For Immediate Release: April 3, 2025
Contact: Debra Kagan, Executive Director
New Jersey Bike & Walk Summit Sees Strongest Turnout in 16 Year History
NJDOT Commissioner O’Connor highlights Safety Initiatives
2025 NJBWC Advocate of the Year Awardees Announced
Princeton, NJ (April 3, 2025) – More than 275 people participated in the 2025 New Jersey Bike & Walk Summit on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at Princeton University–the New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition’s largest summit to date in its 16-year history.
Established in 2009, the New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition (NJBWC) was formed to advocate for the safety of people walking and cycling in New Jersey. New Jersey continues to rank as one of the most dangerous states in the nation for pedestrians, with 228 pedestrians and 23 cyclists killed in 2024. People walking and biking account for 1 in 3 traffic fatalities in NJ.
The New Jersey Bike & Walk Summit is New Jersey’s leading conference on active transportation bringing together bicycle and pedestrian advocates, transportation planners, elected representatives, and environmental activists. This year’s keynote speakers included Fran K. O’Connor, NJDOT Commissioner, and Charles Marohn, Founder and President of Strong Towns.
Commissioner O’Connor spoke to NJDOT’s commitment to prioritizing safety and lead the Target Zero Commission in setting action plans to achieve zero fatalities and serious injuries by 2040. He spoke to the need for design and infrastructure that make our streets safer as well as updating driver’s ed on new laws that offer protection for people walking and biking, and the need for retesting for current drivers.
“With Governor Murphy’s support, the New Jersey Department of Transportation and the Target Zero Commission are committed to achieving zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries by 2040. That means thinking big, making bold decisions, and transforming the way we design, plan, and prioritize safety so every person – whether they drive, bike, or walk – can get where they need to go safely.” – Fran O’Connor, NJDOT Commissioner
Strong Town Founder, Charles Marohn, spoke to the overwhelming cost benefits of infrastructure for biking and walking for local economies. Focusing on a path forward through local actions, he stressed finding the opportunities to change one thing that you can do now and then find another and repeat.
“It was an honor to speak at the New Jersey Bike Walk Summit and be part of such an energized, passionate group of local leaders and advocates. The conversations happening in that room gives me hope—people are thinking deeply, acting locally, and pushing for real change in their communities. In a time of uncertainty, gatherings like this are a powerful reminder that the future of our cities isn’t being written in Washington—it’s being built, one street and one neighborhood at a time, by people who care.” – Charles Marohn, Founder and President of Strong Towns.
In addition, a keynote panel, The Crossroads of Transportation Policy, featured Barbara McCann, former Senior Advisor to the Deputy Secretary of Transportation; Caron Whitaker, Deputy Executive Director for the League of American Bicyclists; Zoe Baldwin, Vice President of State Programs & NJ Director at Regional Plan Association; and Cathleen Lewis, Mercer County Commissioner.
Addressing the current major shift in national transportation policy, the esteemed panel discussed the halt in federal funding and pivot away from support for active transportation while recognizing there is still a great deal of uncertainty as to where this will all land. Despite the federal policy, they discussed the opportunities for states and municipalities to continue to move forward with changes that support safer streets and more access for people walking and biking.
“The Summit was a great reminder that it is the local advocates and experts who will be able to cut through the noise coming out of the Republican Administration in Washington,” said Barbara McCann, Former Senior Advisor to the Deputy Secretary, USDOT. “State and local governments have done so in the past and can continue progress even in the face of federal changes.”
“I left the Summit encouraged by the dedication of New Jersey’s advocates to moving us Towards Zero,” said Cathleen Lewis, Mercer County Commissioner. “It’s clear the attendees have stopped wringing their hands and on Saturday rolled up their sleeves to keep the state moving forward on advancing safety and health with improvements to walking and bicycling,”
Programs and panels explored Vision Zero policies, strategies for creating safer streets for biking and walking, identifying safe street infrastructure, funding opportunities, and developing NJ trail network projects. A session on Safe Routes to Schools was led by high school students from across the state and the Summit included an outdoor walk to observe traffic-calming infrastructure in Princeton.
“This year’s Summit showed the great passion and dedication of our diverse community of active transportation advocates, professionals, and enthusiasts from across the state. The energy we felt there, and our shared purpose, will sustain and inspire us as we take on the challenges we face, whether from new restrictive federal policy or existing barriers to progress,” said Debra Kagan, Executive Director New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition. “We have made real progress this year in moving the needle forward, prioritizing safety and building our movement for active and sustainable transportation. Through gatherings like this Summit, we continue to strengthen our community and forge ahead to make New Jersey a safer, more equitable and more livable place for everyone to walk, bike and roll.”
Marty Epstein Advocacy Award Winners Announced
NJBWC announced the 2025 winners of the annual Marty Epstein Advocacy Award, recognizing outstanding achievements in advancing the goals and mission of NJBWC. The awards went to:
- Sangeeta Badlani – Founder, Nikhil Badlani Foundation & NJ Families for Safe Streets
- Leigh Ann Von Hagen, AICP, PP – Executive Director of the Voorhees Transportation Center
- Union County Connects – Advocacy organization for safer trail networks in Union County
“I am honored to receive the Advocates of the Year Award at the NJBW Summit—an incredible and inspiring event that brings together passionate individuals committed to creating safer, more accessible streets for all,” said Sangeeta Badlani, Founder, Nikhil Badlani Foundation & NJ Families for Safe Streets. “This gathering unites bicycle and pedestrian advocates, community leaders, planners, business owners, and families – including those who have lost loved ones to traffic crashes. Their stories and dedication remind us why this work matters, and I am proud to stand alongside so many changemakers in this effort.”
“Real progress happens when advocates, researchers, agencies, and local leaders work together to create policies and infrastructure that support active transportation and healthier communities. The NJ Bike & Walk Summit is a vital space for sharing ideas, building partnerships, and advancing efforts to make our state a better place to live, work, and travel,” said Leigh Ann Von Hagen, Executive Director, Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center.
“Union County Connects was thrilled to be part of the NJBWC Summit and honored to receive the Marty Epstein Advocate of the Year Award. The Summit was engaging and informative. Meeting other advocates and professionals energized our team to continue the never-ending work of advancing safe streets and trail development in Union County and throughout the state,” said Stephen Dunn, President, Union County Connects.
Participants and supporters shared their responses to this year’s Summit.
“We are proud supporters of the New Jersey Bike and Walk Coalition. Your 2025 Summit and the tremendous turnout remind us how many people in our state share the road with motor vehicles, and that we must remain vigilant in protecting the lives of those vulnerable road users.” – Michael J. Rizol, Jr., Director of the Division of Highway Traffic Safety.
“As an Essex County Commissioner, it was an honor to participate in this year’s New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition Conference. This event continues to be a vital space for advancing safer, more accessible streets for all. I’m grateful for the opportunity to engage with advocates and leaders committed to making our communities more walkable and bike-friendly.” – Brendan Gill, Essex County Commissioner.
“The rare opportunity to come together in a supportive environment to discuss how we perpetuate traffic violence by stigmatizing its victims as personal grievants, rather than recognizing them as champions of driver accountability, street justice, and safer streets for all.” – Steve Vaccaro, crash victim rights attorney, Vaccaro Law.
“When people passionate about making New Jersey more walkable and bikeable, gather together, in person to learn, connect, and exchange ideas, it moves the entire state forward. This year, I was happy to share our vision of the East Coast Greenway as a major spine of the future Garden State Greenway network and to hear participants’ ideas about how to grow that network.” – Sofia Barandiaran, New Jersey & New York Greenway Manager.
“At New Jersey’s Bike & Walk Summit, I made connections, gained valuable insights, and left inspired – not only by the speakers and panelists, but by a shared purpose and resolve that, collectively, we can make our streets safer. Thank you, NJ Bike & Walk Coalition, for bringing us all together.” – Amy Veach, Montclair’s Vision Zero Task Force.
“Presenting at the NJ Bike & Walk Coalition was a really meaningful experience. Getting to share the story of Antwan Timbers Jr. and the fight for safer school zones made me realize just how powerful student advocacy can be. It felt good to raise awareness and highlight the impact young people can have when they come together for a cause. Seeing how dedicated everyone was to making real change was truly inspiring to me.” – Subaita Izam, Burlington City High School student
“While listening and seeing the different presentations I realized we all had something in common. We all started our mission after a tragedy of a person we loved, cared, and admired. We need to not to stop having tragedies in order to spark our voice. Our voices should be heard without anyone being harmed or leaving this world.” – Mustafa Aziz, Burlington City High School student
“The 2025 NJ Bike & Walk Summit was possibly one of the biggest gathering of friends, advocates, planners, and leaders committed to creating safe, accessible streets for all. Despite, and maybe because of significant federal funding cuts to bike and pedestrian grants, the event inspired us and reinforced our shared determination to keep pushing locally for walkable, rollable communities.” – Poli Schlidge, Asbury Park Complete Streets.
For more information about the summit visit: https://njbwc.org/summit-2025/
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About the New Jersey Bike Walk Coalition
The New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition is New Jersey’s only state-wide organization for bicyclists and pedestrians, and acts as a collective voice for everyone who believes that a safer, more rideable and walkable New Jersey means a more livable, equitable, and sustainable New Jersey. It is recognized by both the League of American Bicyclists and the Alliance for Biking & Walking as the state bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organization for New Jersey.
NJBWC’s projects and initiatives include the Streets Are For Everyone (SAFE) Network; the passage of New Jersey’s Safe Passing law and the Safe Passing Resource Center; the establishment of public bicycle depots in Montclair, Bloomfield, Elizabeth and Summit; the development and expansion of multi-use trails, including the (Essex-Hudson) Greenway and the North Jersey Trail Network Initiative; and safe bicycling education.
The NJBWC is dedicated to protecting the rights and safety of new jersey bicyclists and walkers; promoting bicycling and walking for fun, fitness, and transportation; educating bicyclists, walkers, and drivers about our rights and responsibilities; and connecting our communities with a smarter transportation system.
Follow the NJ Bike & Walk Coalition: www.njbwc.org
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