Many organizations that promote healthy lifestyles through biking and walking have unique and creative ideas about changing their surrounding communities. However, these organizations often are not able to extend their idea into their community, and all of their hard work and efforts go wasted. The SmartTrips organization based in Portland, OR, found a simple and successful way of getting their message to the Portland area. The PBIC, in conjunction with the TravelSmart marketing organization, created SmartTrips.

SmartTrips is an comprehensive approach to reducing automotive-commuter traffic and increase biking and walking throughout the greater Portland area. Their marketing strategy was simple: find a community (usually ~20,000 residents) that was in need of decreased automotive traffic, mail flyers to residents about the SmartTrips Program (including order forms for walking or biking kits), and hand deliver these walking and biking kits to all interested individuals.

These walking and biking kits contained some goodies, such as pedometers and leg straps for bikers, but the heart of the kits was information about local biking and walking events in the area as well as general information about alternative methods of commuting.

The SmartTrips initiative reduced automotive traffic by 9% to 13% in areas where the project was implemented. This success rate has earned SmartTrips the Association for Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) Award for best long term-cased study.

If you are interested in reading about the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC) or learning more about the SmartTrips program, click here.