This is going to be a big year for Bike Walk Savannah!

All indicators point to 2019 as a pivotal and productive year for Bike Walk Savannah as we continue making Savannah a safer, friendlier, and more accessible city for people who walk and ride bikes, both for transportation and recreation. Consider:

• Although there was a temporary pause due to bad weather and equipment malfunctions, work has resumed on the Lincoln Street bike lane improvements, which include a green resin surface and additional buffer zone.
• Chatham County has issued a notice to proceed on construction of the Lake Mayer to DeRenne Avenue section of the long-awaited Truman Linear Park Trail.
  Installation of the Wheaton Street bike lane is expected to begin later this year.
• New Standard Cycles Program Manager Henry Rocha and his volunteers are providing even more refurbished bicycles — along with important safety equipment — to deserving people in our community with the assistance of an ever-increasing roster of social service agencies.
• We are strengthening our relationships with government agencies, civic organizations, neighborhood associations, and other nonprofits to cooperate on street safety improvements and other efforts.

I look forward to making progress on these projects and other initiatives this year, but in a different role. On Feb. 15 I will be stepping down as executive director of Bike Walk Savannah. I’m happy to announce Caila Brown, a longtime member and current chair of our board, has agreed to serve as interim executive director. She has the experience, expertise, and enthusiasm to move BWS forward and I have complete confidence in her.

It’s been a pleasure and privilege to serve as executive director of our organization for almost six years and I’m grateful for the support and guidance I’ve received from the Bike Walk Savannah Board of Directors. My belief in our mission is as strong as ever as is my expectation that we will be successful. That’s why, although I am stepping down, I am not stepping away. I intend to continue my involvement as a Bike Walk Savannah member, volunteer, and donor. And I hope you will join me. We have much work still to do, but together we can make Savannah’s streets safer and expand mobility options for people of all ages, abilities, and incomes.

Sincerely,
John Bennett
Executive Director

This fall, Zendrive launched a new program to support local solutions to local traffic safety programs called #FundMyStreets. The company invited communities across the country to send in their innovative and impactful proposals for making change where they live, and apply for up to $50,000 to make streets safe in their neighborhoods. Bike Walk Savannah partnered with the Charles Ellis Montessori Academy School Council to apply for the grant. We’ve learned we are one of 23 finalists nationwide.

One of the criteria for final selection is community support, which is gauged by the number of times this short video about our application is retweeted:

 

We need to improve safety around three Savannah schools and we have a plan to do it. Retweet to help us secure a @ZenDrive grant so we can put our plan into action! #FundMyStreets #bikeSAV #WalkSAV #SavannahGA pic.twitter.com/jCmdcySLfa

— Bike Walk Savannah (@BikeWalk_Sav) January 7, 2019

We are asking all Twitter users who support safer streets around Charles Ellis Montessori Academy, Savannah Arts Academy, and J.G. Smith Elementary to like and retweet before 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 13. Include the hashtag #FundMyStreets and the @zendrive in your retweet.