M.A.C. Project Spotlight:
Bicycle Coalition
of Greater Philadelphia
In Philly (like most cities) access to transportation often shapes opportunity. Our ability to get around dictates our ability to connect, to participate, to be in community. As such, the work of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia has become increasingly relevent, and visible. From protected bike lanes and safer intersections to education programs and policy advocacy, this organization has spent decades working toward a Philly where cycling is not a risk calculation, not even just a reliable option but an indispensable fabric to the quilt of our city culture.
This month (November ’25), the 15 subscribers of The M.A.C. Project voted to donate its monthly support to the Bicycle Coalition, recognizing both the urgency of street safety in Philadelphia and the Coalition’s long standing role in organizing healthy, eco-friendly, and enormously fun social activity.
Who They Are
Founded in 1972, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia began as a grassroots advocacy group pushing for the basic right to ride safely on city streets. Over time, it evolved into one of the region’s most influential transportation organizations, working at the intersection of public policy, community education, and infrastructure reform.
Today, the Coalition serves Philadelphia and the surrounding counties, advocating for people who bike, walk, and use public transit. Their work is rooted in a simple premise: streets should be designed for people first, not just vehicles. That premise has placed the organization at the center of conversations around Vision Zero, climate resilience, public health, and neighborhood equity.
What the Organization Does in Practice
Glimpse just a few of Bicycle Coalition's MANY programs. The content below has been pulled from their website.
Together with the William Penn Foundation and other partner organizations, we have helped secure tens of millions of dollars to build trails in our region.
Visit circuittrails.org for:
– an interactive map of trails, both currently built and under construction
– planning a trip with step-by-step directions
– the partner organizations in our region building trails
– information on how you can get involved.
When we connect the 800+ miles of the Circuit, we will have a trail network unlike any other in the country – connecting the urban, suburban and rural communities of the fifth largest metropolitan region in the US. The Circuit will make us stronger by providing a place for healthy transportation and recreation, connecting our communities to green space, and making our neighborhoods more attractive places to live and work.
Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia (FSSGP) is comprised of victims of traffic violence and families whose loved ones have been killed or severely injured by aggressive, reckless, or careless driving, behavior enabled by a dangerous street design. We represent the full range of greater Philadelphia’s rich diversity and collectively demand an end to traffic violence.
Mission
Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia confronts traffic violence and its epidemic of tragic injuries and deaths. We advocate for life-saving changes and provide support to those affected by deadly crashes in our communities.
Vision
Why it’s important
Among urban areas, the Philadelphia region has one of the highest per capita traffic fatality rates. However, this issue constantly gets overshadowed by gun violence and the opioid crisis, while on average 100 people are killed by traffic violence each year in Philadelphia alone. Although Philadelphia has adopted a Vision Zero Action Plan and a target goal to reduce traffic fatalities to zero by 2030, much remains to be done.
- Transit For All PA – Send a letter advocating for state transit funding to the Governor, your State Representative and State Senator using this letter tool.
- Philadelphia Transit Access Fund – Sign our petition to the Mayor and the Philadelphia City Council.
- Organizing for Transit Benefits at your school or workplace – do you wish you had free transit on the way to work or school? Check out our toolkit for how you can bring transit access to your community.
The Vision Zero Alliance encourages groups and individuals to join the cause by calling on the Mayor make Philadelphia safer and healthier through a comprehensive Vision Zero strategy.
The goal of Vision Zero is to dramatically reduce the number and severity of traffic crashes that occur in Philadelphia each year, with a long term goal of eventually eliminating all traffic deaths. Vision Zero policies aim to make all road users feel safe and comfortable using the street.
The Vision Zero Alliance believes traffic crashes must never be considered inevitable and offers to assist the Mayor in delivering on his campaign promise to set target goals and achieve substantive reductions in the number of deaths and severe crashes experienced on city streets.
The Alliance wants to encourage strategies that reduce impaired and aggressive driving as well as speeding using smart design and a robust education campaign that target all neighborhoods and road users. Whether someone is young or old, experienced or not or have a disability all streets must be safe and accessible.
Much of the Bicycle Coalition’s impact is visible in the physical fabric of the city. Protected bike lanes, traffic calming measures, and safer street designs often trace back to years of advocacy led or supported by the organization. But their work extends well beyond infrastructure.
The Coalition runs education programs that teach children and adults how to ride safely in urban environments. They partner with schools, employers, and community groups to expand access to biking as a viable form of transportation. Through data analysis and policy research, they also help city officials understand where crashes happen, who is most affected, and how design changes can reduce injuries and fatalities.
Another key area of focus is equity. The Coalition has increasingly centered its work in neighborhoods that have historically been underserved by transportation investments. By supporting community led planning efforts, they help ensure that improvements benefit residents who rely on biking and walking out of necessity, not just choice.
Why M.A.C. Subscribers Elected BCGP
The M.A.C. Project exists to direct small but meaningful funds toward organizations doing tangible work in Philadelphia. Each month, supporters nominate and vote on local nonprofits they believe deserve immediate support.
For many voters this month, the Bicycle Coalition represented a clear alignment with the M.A.C. Project’s values. Their work addresses public safety, environmental sustainability, and access to opportunity. It also operates at a scale where additional funding directly supports ongoing advocacy and education efforts rather than disappearing into abstraction.
Street safety is not a niche issue. It affects seniors crossing busy corridors, service workers commuting early in the morning, children traveling to school, and families navigating neighborhoods without reliable transit options. Voters recognized that improving conditions for cyclists often improves conditions for everyone.
How We Anticipate the Funds Will Be Used
The M.A.C. micro-donation will support the Bicycle Coalition’s general mission of core programming and advocacy efforts. This includes continued community outreach, education initiatives, and policy work aimed at reducing traffic injuries and fatalities across the city.
While the monthly fund is modest still, its impact is immediate. Contributions help sustain staff time dedicated to neighborhood engagement, data collection, and coalition building with local partners. In practical terms, this means more capacity to respond to proposed street projects, more resources for safety education, and greater ability to advocate for equitable transportation investments. So never under value your contribution, they all add up.
Especially as the value lies not only in the dollar amount, but in the collective signal of support. Each contribution reinforces the public mandate for safer, more accessible streets and encourages those working hard to ensure that proper measures be met.
A Voice From The Work
The Bicycle Coalition has long emphasized that progress comes through persistence. Changes to street design and transportation policy often take years, requiring consistent advocacy and community backing. Support from local initiatives like the M.A.C. Project helps sustain that long view, especially at moments when public attention shifts elsewhere. We hope to not only continue to support them, but to encourage you to rally your own community should you have a positive, community amplifying idea.
How to Support
the Bicycle Coalition
Beyond This Month
Those interested in supporting the Bicycle Coalition can engage in several ways. Community members can attend public meetings on street projects, participate in safety workshops, volunteer at events, or contribute directly to the organization’s work. Simply staying informed and advocating for safer streets in one’s own neighborhood also plays a role.
Transportation systems reflect collective priorities. The more voices calling for people centered design, the more likely those priorities become policy.
Looking Ahead
The M.A.C. Project was created to demonstrate how small, consistent acts of collective support can strengthen Philadelphia’s nonprofit ecosystem. This month’s selection underscores how interconnected issues like mobility, safety, health, and equity truly are.
As Philadelphia continues to grow and change, organizations like the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia remain essential to shaping a city that works for the people who live here. Live CarePhilly is grateful to the M.A.C. Project community for recognizing that work and for helping keep it moving forward.
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Then add $5 for every subscriber.
Subscribers nominate Philly non-profits.
Subscribers vote for Philly non-profits.
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Live CarePhilly
The above editorial / article was written by Live CarePhilly Publishing, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
It is intended to respectfully highlight the work of the organization named above based on publicly available information and community context. Live CarePhilly welcomes correspondence from the featured organization or any individuals referenced herein regarding questions, clarifications, or concerns. We view these spotlights as part of an ongoing conversation and always look forward to what dialogue may come of them.
