Colorful and bright painting depicting three small Black children with their backpacks walking away from the camera.

View Photographs from the Safe Routes StoryWalk® Project

Libraries have long been cherished as more than just a place to check out books. They are community hubs offering essential services at no cost. But for many, getting to the library safely is just as crucial as the services it provides.

Inspired by a growing movement to improve safety and access to public libraries, the Safe Routes StoryWalk® takes the familiar StoryWalk® concept and adds a powerful twist: traffic safety education. By blending literacy, art, and public safety, the Safe Routes StoryWalk® encourages walking, biking, and rolling to the library while promoting safe road behaviors for all.

This innovative project, supported by a grant from the District of Columbia Highway Safety Office, is believed to be the first of its kind. The Safe Routes Partnership saw an opportunity to bring attention to traffic safety while also uplifting the role of libraries as essential community destinations. With a focus on equitable approaches to Vision Zero, the project centers on libraries in Wards 7 and 8 of Washington, DC — predominantly Black neighborhoods disproportionately affected by traffic fatalities and serious injuries, according to the city’s Vision Zero data.

A Collaborative Effort

Creating the Safe Routes StoryWalk® was no small task. From the start, the team posed essential questions:

  • How can we collaborate with libraries to engage the public?
  • What would a traffic safety story look and sound like?
  • How can we create a StoryWalk® that reflects the local community and honors the importance of public libraries?

To answer these questions, the Safe Routes Partnership turned to the experts — library staff, local artists, and community members. Over a year of collaborative planning, community engagement, and partnership-building culminated in the launch of two StoryWalk® installations at Benning Library in Ward 7 and Bellevue Library in Ward 8.

Each StoryWalk® installation features colorful, community-inspired artwork accompanied by traffic safety messages written in verse. The messages offer simple yet impactful lessons on safe walking, biking, rolling, driving, and taking transit. The whimsical nature of the displays makes them approachable for people of all ages, blending fun with education. Local artist Rebecca Crouch created artwork that reflects the local community and the various ways people travel to the library. Visitors to the StoryWalk® will be able to see themselves, their family, and their friends represented in each panel, while also receiving an important safety message.

The Safe Routes StoryWalk® project is a model for how public spaces can be transformed to serve a larger purpose. It’s a reminder that safe access to libraries is essential to advancing equity within the Safe Routes movement. As more communities recognize the role of libraries in traffic safety efforts, the potential for similar projects will only grow.

By combining art, literacy, and traffic safety education, the Safe Routes StoryWalk® is doing more than encouraging safe access to libraries — it’s building a culture of safety for the entire community.

As libraries continue to evolve to meet the needs of their communities, projects like the Safe Routes StoryWalk® ensure that everyone — no matter how they travel — can get there safely. This initiative is proof that with creativity, collaboration, and community input, we can reimagine public spaces, learning, and joy. 

View Photographs from the Safe Routes StoryWalk® Project

Interested in partnering? Email us: info@saferoutespartnership.org

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