In Fall 2024, BikeWalkKC offered its first Community Transportation Academy open to metro residents of Clay, Jackson, Johnson, Platte, and Wyandotte counties. For this initial, limited-capacity program, we received 41 applications for 15 openings.
Over the course of ten weeks, participants are:
- Learning how the bi-state Greater KC transportation system is planned, designed, funded, and built (and who is responsible for what!)
- Understanding how transportation insecurity impacts access to jobs, training, health care, groceries, and other essential services
- Gaining a deeper awareness about how transportation relates to equity, health, housing, climate protection, and more
- Exploring the impact of systemic racism and historic redlining on today’s built environment and how they impact residents’ ability to move around the region
- Learning how “regular” folks can advocate for changes and improvements in your community
- Having “homework” assigned between each meeting, for example a piece of writing to read or a video to watch. (Don’t worry, it isn't too much!)
View the academy schedule and topics for more detailed information.
Location: We are hosting a mix of in-person meetings at a central regional location and virtual meetings over Zoom. Each session is either in-person or Zoom-only; sessions are not be hybrid.
Schedule: The academy is taking place every Tuesday evening 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm from August 20 through October 29 (NOTE: No class will be held on September 17). Light refreshments are provided.
Stipends: We are not able to provide onsite childcare services, but we are able to offer stipends to help participants with things like babysitters/childcare, transportation, internet access, and other possible expenses that may cause a burden for someone to attend. The amount will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Applicants noted if they needed a stipend to attend the academy.
Language: As a pilot program, this first academy is being delivered in English. If successful, we will plan to provide other language options for future academies.
Feedback: We will ask participants for honest and thoughtful feedback on their experience in the academy. Help us make future academies better and more useful!
BikeWalkKC's Community Transportation Academy is supported by RE-AMP Network Administrative Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation.