MOTHER LEADS FOUR DAY -- 75 Mile -- WALK FROM EARTH DAY TO PA STATE CAPITOL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
MOTHER LEADS FOUR DAY WALK FROM EARTH DAY TO PA STATE CAPITOL

Contact: Michele Barrett, mbarrett@walkbikeberks.org, 610-323-2999, 484-638-1391

Berks County, PA: 8:30 AM Saturday, April 30: From Earth Day to the Stairs of the Pennsylvania State Capitol Building, a suburban housewife and mother of two is beginning a four day journey (75 Miles) to bring attention to transportation needs of those who do not drive a car for every trip they make.

Founder of WalkBikeBerks, and now Safe Routes To School Coordinator for the organization, Michele Barrett will be walking to Harrisburg to draw awareness to the importance and the needs of those that bicycle and walk for transportation and recreation. " I am walking for Freedom, Mobility and Safety -- because the loss of even one more life on our transportation system is not acceptable. Recently, a news reporter asked me if we are doing enough to provide safety on our streets. I could only answer, 'When a person dies on the streets we pay for and build -- no -- we obviously have not done all that we can do.' Too often, we blame the victim of the collision, without ever asking: Was there any responsibility in the design of the street?"

In an effort to build a better transportation system that meets the needs of all road users, WalkBikeBerks was formed to bring Complete Streets and Safe Routes to School to Berks County PA. Now, Michele hopes to bring the message from Transportation for America's recent publication: Dangerous by Design, which can be found here: http://t4america.org/docs/dangerousbydesign/dangerous_by_design.pdf.

This walk to the PA State Capitol Building will end at the PA Walks & Bikes Summit. Along the Schuylkill River Trail: Thun Trail from Pottstown to RACC, other people will be joining Michele at various locations. She will be stopping in Birdsboro, PA on April 30th on her way to the Wyomissing Earth Day where WalkBikeBerks will be a presenter. Michele will stop in Birdsboro to highlight one of several Transportation Enhancements projects that will make locations in Berks County safer for pedestrians and all road users. Michele plans to be in Birdsboro mid-morning.

Participants in the walk are only asked to do one thing: please carry your own message for why walking -- Freedom, Mobility and Safety -- is important to you. Bring the whole family? Berks County has some beautiful trails. The weather forecast calls for a high of 69 degrees and sun.

Click here[http://www.schuylkillrivertrail.com/index.php?/trail/overview/pottstown_to_reading/] for Route Map, a total of about 20 miles from Pottstown to the location of the Wyomissing Earth Day event.

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