Philadelphians joining up at recent Streetfilms screening. Photo by Robin Urban Smith

Despite, or perhaps because of, the roller coaster we’ve been riding over the last few weeks, there’s a lot of interesting activity starting to take place in the Livable Streets Network online community. And you can join us.

Some activists are really starting to use the blogs, StreetsWiki and discussion groups, and we at LSN want to highlight these efforts and encourage more livable streets activists to get involved. By doing so, you can also help improve the available tools by making sure that what we’re putting out there is useful — that it helps activists get connected to information, resources and each other in a way that forwards your work in cities and towns across the US. With these new LSN Community News posts, we’ll be bringing you news of this exciting activity.

We’re seeing LSN members jump into action using Groups like PA Bikes and Walks — as LSN member Michelle Barrett says — to get "this virtual coalition [to] work for us so that we can collectively get more done, more efficiently, more quickly."

The Livable Streets Team met John Boyle of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia a few weeks ago when we went down to Philly for a Streetfilms screening in support of Bike Share Philadelphia. On the coldest night of the year, an impressive crowd of over 100 came together for sustainable transport in their city. John wasted no time starting up the PA Bikes and Walks group the next day, and has grown the group to 18 members in under three weeks.

PA Bikes and Walks has created an Issues Sandbox to share ideas about PENNDOT reform and public education. The group plans to collaboratively draft a complete streets policy for the state, and members have even started a mini-blog of their own. Michelle Barrett writes on the group’s discussion board:

I am inspired.  If my President can pick up a paintbrush or push a broom — I can roll up my sleeves and get to work. Please make it a point to enlist every single person in PA who you know supports Livable Streets . . . If you know a bike advocate or a neighbor who walks their dog all over your home town — that’s who we need.  Decide today that you are going to answer the new President’s call to action — and rally membership for your local bike/ped organization.

Take a tip from Michelle and do the same in your city or state today! And if you already have livable streets activities planned for the weekend, tell us about them in comments.