Open Streets Macon FAQ’s
WHAT IS OPEN STREETS MACON?
Open Streets Macon is shifting Macon’s culture to become a more liveable city – building community and highlighting neighborhood pride, providing healthy activities for Macon residents and visitors, and educating the masses on transportation options to get where you work, live, and play. Open Streets Macon does all these things by removing cars temporarily and opening it up for people. It creates public spaces for all and helps people think differently about streets in their communities.
Mike Young
WHERE DID THE IDEA ORIGINATE?
Open Streets Macon was inspired by the ciclovia in Bogotá, Colombia, where city streets are closed to car traffic to allow people to participate in all kinds of free health and community-oriented events. Thirty years after the first program, the concept has spread around the world from Tokyo, Japan to Kiev, Ukraine. Now we are bringing it to Macon for the 6th year in a row!
IS THERE A FEE TO PARTICIPATE?
It’s absolutely free to all!
Mike Young
WHAT SHOULD I BRING?
Water bottle + sunscreen + a friend
WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Bring your bike, skates, or just your feet. You can enjoy the open streets route by biking, strolling, skating, or people watching. You can also take part in free activities like dance, yoga, hula hooping, story time and more, clustered in “activity hubs” along the route. Information on these activities will be posted as the date draws nearer.
Mike Young
WHO IS INVITED?
Everyone! Open Streets Macon is free and open to people of all ages and abilities.
WHERE IS THE START/END?
There’s no beginning or end. Start and end anywhere along the route!
Mike Young
HOW DOES OPEN STREETS IMPACT TRAFFIC?
Open Streets Macon is held on a Sunday afternoon, a time of the week with relatively low motorized traffic. We carefully selected this time to avoid overlap with other large events going on throughout the city, and to allow those who attend religious services on Sunday to participate.
Additionally, there will be “soft closures” with through traffic allowed at most intersections along the route and auto access for residents and businesses located within the closed route. This type of closure has worked very well in other cities around the world. Traffic will be monitored and future events will reflect any needed changes.
WHO BENEFITS FROM OPEN STREETS MACON?
Everyone! It offers free and fun activities for Macon residents and visitors, turns streets into temporary parks in areas without many parks and that are not always people-friendly. Local businesses benefit from increased pedestrian and bicycle traffic along commercial corridors. Open Streets events model how cities can provide healthy, environmental-friendly outdoor activities for their residents.
Parneeta Mohapatra
HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?
volunteer
If you are interested in volunteering with this project, please fill out the Volunteer Sign-Up Form.
For questions, please email volunteer@bikewalkmacon.com.
Host an Activity
Visit the activity partner page for more details on hosting an activity during Open Streets Macon. If you have specific questions, email kaylee@bikewalkmacon.com.