Applications for Fall 2020 Bike Walk RVA Academy: Sidewalks Now Open
The greater Richmond region has been making some big strides over the last few years to become more walking and bicycling friendly. By focusing attention on plans, policies, and funding for active living projects, bikeways in the Richmond region have grown from 37 miles in 2013 to over 90 miles in 2020 – a 53 mile increase in bicycling infrastructure! Now, the Virginia Capital Trail is completed, the Ashland to Petersburg (ATP) Trail is underway, and biking and walking are surging with popularity as the COVID-19 pandemic has forced a significant portion of the population to spend more time at home.
At the beginning of the pandemic, we saw driving rates plummet, in some cases more than 50%. The air was clearer and cleaner than ever, once harrowing streets were quiet, and more people were finding themselves walking to get out and moving around. Open Streets programs, designed to temporarily provide pressure relief to people walking and biking by allowing more space for them to spread out, launched around the country and the world, and this drew immediate attention to the need for more sidewalks in many parts of Richmond and in the region. Meanwhile, proposed sidewalk budgets were slashed. Traffic is getting back to normal and the time for Open Streets has come and gone. But the need for sidewalks is higher than ever.
We need you to join our team of Champions to advocate for funding, plans, and policies for significant development of sidewalks in our region, especially in south Richmond where those who rely on walking the most often have the least access to safe walking infrastructure. Learn about what it takes to have more sidewalks built and how to advocate for them. Win funding in the budget, sidewalk planning efforts, and safer streets for walking.
New for 2020 (and our 8th Bike Walk RVA Academy), we are offering two scheduling options to try to best accommodate as many folks with varying backgrounds, work and family schedules, and availability. We will choose the option most accessible to our accepted applicants. We are unable to offer both a weekday and weekend option concurrently.
More information about the format and curriculum of the Bike Walk RVA Academy can be found here. New for this Academy, we will be offering a mix of virtual and in-person learning and team building. When and where we meet in person, we will adhere to strict social distancing and mask use, as well as any other safety requirements. This likely means we will be spending time together outside. We will work to accommodate your needs to make this new adjustment to our material accessible and useful to you.
Application schedule:
- September 1: Applications open (Use form below to apply. Acceptance is competitive.)
- September 14: Applications due by midnight
- September 21: Applicants notified by close of business
Weekend schedule (Saturdays), if chosen:
- October 31: First half-day session (9 AM to 1 PM)
- November 7: Second half-day session + graduation (9 AM to 1 PM)
Weekday schedule (Wednesdays), if chosen:
- October 21: First session (6 to 8 PM)
- October 28: Second session (6 to 8 PM)
- November 4: Third session (6 to 8 PM)
- November 11: Fourth session (6 to 8 PM)
- November 18: Fifth and final session + graduation (6 to 9 PM)
Applications are used to gauge level of interest only. Grammatical or spelling errors will not be weighed in the selection process.
Apply below.