Problem Statement & Target Group

Like many communities in the United States, residents of Lancaster, Pennsylvania are heavily reliant on personal vehicles for transportation. Personal vehicles greatly contribute to elevated carbon emissions and environmental pollution. A 2020 report of greenhouse gas inventory of the 2018 calendar year conducted by ICLEI and RegenAll determined that the transportation sector composed the second-highest source of Lancaster County’s emissions in 2018 at 2,182,779 MTCO2e (metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent). Members of our hub have also observed how reliance on personal vehicles for transportation serves to further marginalize vulnerable road users and residents, including recently arrived refugee and immigrant populations, who cannot easily access or choose not to have a personal vehicle. Ride Roll & Stroll Lancaster was focused on engaging community members to promote awareness and usage of sustainable and active transit options. Community members and local leaders must adjust their behaviors and budgets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure transportation safety and equity for our community.

Proposed Solution & Hub activities

The goal of the campaign was to encourage individuals to adopt alternative modes of travel to mitigate carbon emissions. By increasing the number of individuals who feel comfortable cycling or utilizing public transit, we aimed to effectively decrease our community's carbon footprint. By bringing the topic to the attention of local leaders, media, business owners, and residents, we demonstrated that there is interest and a need for more robust and safe active transportation options for Lancaster County residents.

Ride, Roll & Stroll Lancaster was a month-long campaign that occurred May 1-31, 2023. The project encouraged our community to bike, ride transit, roll, and walk to destinations throughout Lancaster County during National Bike Month (May). Participants received a free pocket-sized passport and visited community-minded destinations (like cafes, libraries, and bike shops) to get stamps on their passports. At the end of the month, participants turned in their passports for the chance to win prizes. We hosted several events, including a launch and wrap-up event, group bicycle rides for beginners, and a group bus excursion. At our launch event, we worked with our local bus authority to provide a bus so that community members could practice adding a bicycle to the front rack.

Short & Long-term Goals/Results

Our focus was to obtain data on the number of first-time users and the percent change in bike-to-work month participants. We hoped to measure the number of people participating and the number of trips taken during the month. We planned to survey participants regarding self-reported changes in perception and awareness of sustainable transit options in the community. At the conclusion of the project, we distributed 610+ passports and record 75 car-free rides at our wrap-up party. Participants reported an increase in understanding of and excitement for transit options in Lancaster. The project improved participants' sense of community, encouraged outdoor activity, and engaged participants with local businesses. We developed a number of strong partnerships, with 15 businesses serving as passport locations.

Collaborators

Our project is aligned with the City of Lancaster’s active transportation priorities, which allowed us to engage them as a partner early in the process. We launched the project when the local bus authority Red Rose Transit Authority (RRTA) was conducting its Transit Development Plan (TDP) planning process, and this solidified their engagement with our work. Lancaster Bicycle Club was also a key partner, leading a campaign-related group bike ride and providing the hub with a $900 grant in support. Lancaster is home to a significant population of refugees and immigrants. Our partnership with Church World Service (CWS) Lancaster ensures that our passport is appropriately translated and accessible in multiple (8+) languages.