About Us

Bike Walk Oak Park (BWOP) is a volunteer advocacy group of Oak Park residents who work toward the fair and safe use of friendly streets by all our neighbors who walk, roll, ride and drive.

Launched in 2018 with roughly 10 volunteers and supporters, we have since grown to 1,000 supporters!

We want biking and walking initiatives to thrive, individual projects to build or improve cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, and improved public transit access.

Our history

  • January 2018: Oak Park’s Divvy program is eliminated through a vote by Village Trustees. Bike Walk Oak Park is relaunched driven by the motivation to keep active transportation front and center in public discourse. Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/bikewalkoakpark) is launched.

  • Fall 2018: advocacy begins around the Madison Street Road Conversion, which would eliminate two lanes of traffic and add bike/pedestrian infrastructure. BWOP representatives provide numerous public comments in support, and funding was approved in November.

  • March 2019: BWOP shares Candidate Surveys from candidates running for Oak Park Village Trustee.

  • Summer 2019: BWOP launches campaign to fund the Oak Park Greenways network, focusing on a section around Oak Park River Forest High School. BWOP circulates a petition in support of the OPRF High School Greenways, which received 400 signatures of support! Volunteers attend Finance Committee and Village Board meetings to share public comment in support.

  • Fall 2019: Village Board votes to approve funding for the OPRF Greenways out of the Sustainability Fund, not the Capital Improvement Plan. Groundbreaking scheduled to begin in the summer of 2020.

  • Spring 2020: due to the COVID-19 pandemic, funding for the OPRF Greenways is placed on hold.

  • Summer 2020: in collaboration with the Transportation Commission and following similar projects in other municipalities, BWOP launches the campaign for Oak Park Slow Streets. A petition in support of Slow Streets gathers almost 400 signatures and Oak Park residents provide public comment during virtual Village Board Meetings.

  • July 2020: The Village Board approves funding for Oak Park Slow Streets, which runs August – October 2020. Results of the Village’s Slow Streets survey can be found here.

  • March 2021: BWOP shares Candidate Surveys from candidates running for Oak Park Village President, Trustee and Clerk.

  • May 2021: Bike Walk Oak Park website launched.

  • Summer/Fall 2021: current advocacy projects include funding the Greenways network from the Oak Park Capital Improvement Plan, another round of Slow Streets, and planning for an Oak Park Community Bike Library.

  • Summer 2023: Bike Walk Oak Park completed all necessary paperwork and is now an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.