Pedal for Peace Strengthens Neighborhood Relations in Philadelphia

A partnership between Indego bike share and Town Watch Integrated Services builds community relationships through bike share.

Philadelphia’s Indego is a national leader in the shared micromobility space for its equitable approach to bike share growth and operation, which has been very intentional since their launch in 2015.

Through creative and varied programming, Indego ensures equity and access to bike share in all communities across Philadelphia, a fundamental part of their mission.  

Indego’s partnership with Town Watch Integrated Services is one of these programs. Town Watch works to promote safety and support quality of life through community policing and other neighborhood programs. Together, the groups host Pedal for Peace rides to promote peace, positivity, and community relationships.  

“Pedal for Peace rides are put together to bring adults, young people, as well as law enforcement and other supportive people together to ride and see their neighborhood through a different lens,” says Anthony Murphy, Town Watch executive director.

Community organizations, government officials, or police officers can request a Pedal for Peace ride. Once approved, the requester plans and promotes the ride and Indego provides support with bikes and helmets. Each ride revolves around a theme — community gardens, murals, or locations where people lost their lives to gun violence. As Murphy puts it, these rides “give some exposure so that folks can understand that there’s real life here.”

“In the years since the pandemic, a lot of our connecting pieces have been focused on some of the things that are not so comfortable in the community,” says Stephanie Ridgeway, Indego’s community engagement coordinator. “Philadelphia experiences some violence as many cities have, and what we’re hoping to do with these rides is to highlight the good.”

These rides allow folks to connect directly with their council members or state representatives as well as the police officers in their neighborhood. Town Watch connects adults and youth and highlights the power of their neighborhood while recognizing its tragedies. 

“It’s a way of helping to improve those connections,” says Murphy. “When you’re riding through a community and you have police officers that are supportive, young people get a chance to have interaction and conversation.”

Community relationships are the foundation of the Pedal for Peace rides. In the future, Ridgeway hopes Indego will continue to keep neighborhood relationship-building at the forefront of its programming.

“I’d like to see community members understand the value of connecting and having these relationships and meeting each other where we are,” says Ridgeway. “You know, it’s common ground if I’m riding my bike and you’re riding your bike.”