Community Spotlight - Moving to Mobility

Published on June 03, 2024

BikeWalk Winchester and City Working Together to Increase Transit Options 

Did you know Winchester offers an increasing number of alternative transportation options? In March, the City launched a new rideshare service, WinReady On Demand. Through WinReady On Demand, residents can get from point A to point B anywhere in the City in about 30 minutes. 

In addition, a group of citizens has started a biking and pedestrian advocacy group called ‘BikeWalk Winchester,’ with the mission of making biking and walking safer and more fun. 

The two initiatives mean more flexibility and increased mobility for City residents who may currently depend on driving a car to get around. Many studies, including recent studies from Harvard and the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, have shown that increased mobility leads to positive outcomes and economic empowerment, not to mention positive outcomes for tourism and travel. 

“Our long-term vision is to make Winchester a safer community for biking and walking, with a robust community of people who choose biking and walking as a primary form of transportation,” says Bike/Walk Winchester member Steve Policastro. 

BikeWalk Winchester is working closely with the City and the regional planning board, to build upon goals and initiatives already in place while providing a collective voice representing bicyclists and pedestrians. 

A key goal of the group is to get people together and show them that biking and walking can be fun and safe. Go to BikeWalkWinchester.org/Events to learn more and join an event. 

For example, on National Bike to Work Day on May 17, the group collaborated with the Economic Development Authority and the City of Winchester to host a welcome table at Big L’s Bagels, on Picadilly Street. They provided bagels and refreshments to bike commuters who stopped by. 

Citizens can participate in BikeWalk Winchester in various ways, such as attending a meeting, volunteering, or participating in an event. 

Kara adds: “Ultimately, we want BikeWalk Winchester to be shaped by the people of this City, and we’re excited to see the group evolve. We’d like to thank the City for their continued support as we all work collaboratively to make Winchester a more bike-walk-friendly city!”