Public streets have to serve a lot of functions. They provide transportation for people and goods, parking for residents, loading zones for bus stops and delivery vehicles, and public resources like benches and fire hydrants. They provide tree cover for the neighborhood and sometimes even serve as basketball courts and front yards for local youth. Too often, our streets are designed for a very narrow focus – transporting people and goods in motor vehicles – at the expense of the other functions and of human safety. This becomes especially dangerous in a place like Wilmington, where 20% of residents do not own cars. This means 1 in 5 people living in Wilmington have to get where they need to go using buses, bikes, scooters, wheelchairs, or their feet.
The Open Streets Wilmington team believes that all residents deserve to get where they need to go safely and with dignity, and that mobility is a fundamental human right. We’re working to harness the power of local voices to promote safer streets that meet the needs of ALL residents.
This slideshow was presented to the Transportation Research Board Transportation Equity Summit on July 17, 2024 by members of the Open Streets team Amanda August (Executive Director, Jefferson Street Center) and Laura Wilburn (Executive Director, Urban Bike Project)
The Open Streets to Safe Streets Model
Step 1: Select A Corridor
Community members nominate streets in their neighborhood to host Open Streets events. Nominations are reviewed by the Open Streets steering committee, and priority is given to major roads with serious safety concerns.
Step 2: Gather Feedback
Open Streets events provide a unique opportunity to reach a large audience of diverse residents through interactive, on-site activities. Residents share their concerns and transportation needs with our team.
Step 3: Follow Up
Work with residents to develop feedback into design ideas through a series of DelDOT workshops, hosted by a neighborhood anchor organization with strong community ties.
Step 4: Test Ideas
Work with DelDOT to install interim improvements to test out the new design ideas. Conduct follow up surveys to understand resident experience, and before and after speed and traffic studies to understand the impact of the new design.
Step 5: Fund Permanent Improvements
Apply for funding through one of several funding sources, such as Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) or Bicycle and Pedestrian Funding Pools, to make improvements permanent
Step 6: Solve Problems and Refine the Design
Continue to work with the community to address concerns in the final permanent design plans. Are everyone’s transportation needs being met? Is the street safer? Can municipal functions like plowing and sweeping be fulfilled?
Open Streets to Safe Streets Teams
The Open Streets to Safe Streets model relies on a coalition of community members, organizations, and agencies to effect community-driven change. Every project team includes:
1. Open Streets Wilmington Leadership Team – staff representatives from Urban Bike Project, West Side Grows Together, and Partnership for Delaware Estuary work together to organize Open Streets events and coordinate the efforts of the entire team.
2. Open Streets Wilmington Steering Committee – representatives from communities and stakeholders across Wilmington meet monthly to guide the vision and direction of the initiative.
3. Community Anchor Organization – each Open Streets to Safe Streets project team includes a community partner who provides resources and support vital to the success of the project, including local relationships with residents and community institutions, knowledge of community needs, welcoming meeting space for public workshops, staff and volunteer labor, and material/financial support.
4. Transportation Agencies and Institutions – including Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT), City of Wilmington, Wilmapco, and University of Delaware Living Labs.
Get Involved!
Would you like to be part of the solution for safer streets in Wilmington? There’s lots of ways you can stay informed and get involved!
Read Up
Learn more about the current state of safety in Wilmington, and what plans exist to improve our streets:
Citywide Comprehensive Plan
Wilmington Bike Plan
Wilmington Pedestrian Safety Audit
Stay Informed
Learn about project updates, opportunities for public comment, and upcoming public workshops.
DelDOT’s Project Portal
DelDOT Facebook Page
Wilmapco’s Facebook Page
Wilmington Initiatives Project Page
Take Action
1. Attend Committee Meetings: Wilmapco’s Public Advisory Committee and Non-motorized Transportation Working Group
2. Contact your local civic association leader or Neighborhood Planning Council president to discuss your concerns and ideas
3. Nominate a location for Open Streets
4. Volunteer for Open Streets
5. Join the Open Streets Wilmington steering committee – If interested please contact Vanity Constance for more information: vconstance@westsidegrows.org