Rutgers–Camden Student Helps Collingswood Get Bike-Friendly

Read more about Bonaparte's efforts in Collingswood on Streetsblog

CAMDEN --  For Stella Bonaparte, the wheels were put in motion for a research topic and community project when she herself was in motion in her hometown, Collingswood. While bicycling to her local PATCO train station en route to Rutgers University—Camden, where she majors in urban studies, Stella realized that her town has plenty of bikers, but not exactly the best resources for them.

“We have bicyclists in town, but there are no real facilities for us. It’s just not easy to get around safely right now,” says the Rutgers–Camden senior. She points to a lack of room on roads for bikers, areas to lock or stow bikes, and traffic flow challenges. Through an independent study at Rutgers–Camden, Bonaparte is earning credit, while researching how to best respond to these concerns.

The Borough of Collingswood has welcomed Bonaparte’s efforts by naming her a member of the Collingswood Green Committee and chair of the Subcommittee on Bicycle and Pedestrian Advocacy.  By the end of August she aims to complete a feasibility study that will assess current safety conditions for cyclists; identify funding sources for recommendations; and determine any impact on potential bike lanes on traffic and parking.

“We’re working on a complete streets concept that is designed thoughtfully with everybody in mind, from the person in a wheelchair crossing the street to a very young child unsteady on a bike,” points out the 1995 Haddon Township High School graduate.

A second independent study in the fall will allow her to develop an action plan. Bonaparte conducts her research under the guidance of international transportation expert James Dunn, a professor of political science at Rutgers–Camden.

“Stella wants to bring the insights from her political science and urban studies work at Rutgers–Camden to bear on a real-world project of making her town more bicycle and pedestrian-friendly. Collingswood is the perfect place for this, and her project is another example of how Rutgers and its students benefit the entire South Jersey region,” notes Dunn, the author of the books Forces: The Automobile, Its Enemies and the Politics of Mobility and Miles to Go: European and American Transportation Policies.

Making Collingswood more bike and pedestrian friendly could also benefit local businesses, Bonaparte suggests. “Bike lanes could not only free up coveted parking spaces, but slow down traffic and increase safety. More people walking means more people shopping.”

The benefits transcend Collingswood, too:  the Rutgers–Camden student researcher notes that “besides the obvious health benefits, encouraging people to make some trips by bike instead of car is a great way to be good stewards of the Earth.  It improves our air quality and reduces our dependence on fossil fuels.”

Read more about Bonaparte's efforts in Collingswood on Streetsblog.

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