Salem's Safe Walking Advocacy Group

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Salem’s Safe Walking Advocacy Group (SWAG)

We are a grassroots organization dedicated to enhancing safe transit for pedestrians and all vulnerable road users in Salem, Massachusetts. For updates, add your e-mail to our private mailing list at http://bit.ly/SWAG-Emails.

Want to know what we’ve been doing? You can read and download PDFs of all of our general meeting minutes here.

  • Next General Meeting – Saturday 5/4/2024, 10:00 am – Lafayette Park
    SWAG will host our next general meeting in Lafayette Park (the triangle-shaped park between Washington, Harbor, and Lafayette Streets near Daily Table and Habanero Cycles). Assuming the weather is amenable, please bring a portable chair so we can (hopefully) meet outdoors in the fresh air! In case of inclement weather, we will hold the meeting indoors at Habanero Cycles instead (264 Washington Street). At this meeting, we will be planning our next Crosswalk Accenting Demonstration (targeting the first weekend in July) and are hoping to have details about the city’s crosswalk painting meetups, which are typically in preparation for Pride Month/June. We will also discuss current… Read more: Next General Meeting – Saturday 5/4/2024, 10:00 am – Lafayette Park
  • 9/16/2023 General Meeting Wrap-Up
    Our 9/16/2023 general meeting was a success! We had eleven attendees, including many representatives from City Hall and other civic organizations. You can find a copy of the meeting minutes here; a copy will also be emailed to everyone on our listserv.
  • Meeting Minutes Archive
    Want to know what we’ve been doing? You can read minutes from each of our general meetings, posted below. Our meetings are public – all are welcome to attend and contribute!
  • LOCATION CHANGE – 9/16 General Meeting – MBTA Garage Waiting Area
    Due to the impending storm, we will be moving the location for tomorrow’s SWAG meeting (Saturday 9/16, 10:00 am) to the indoor waiting area of the MBTA garage.  The irony of co-opting a car-centric structure for a pedestrian advocacy meeting is not lost on us.  🙂
  • September General Meeting Date Announced
    Quick update – we’ve set a date for our next general meeting! Join us Saturday 9/16/2023 at 10:00 am at the Salem Common Gazebo. We will be planning for an October crosswalk event and discussing member social nights and T-shirts. Bring a portable chair if desired. All are welcome – see you then!
Contact Us

We are SWAG, Salem’s Safe Walking Advocacy Group. In November 2022, a group of concerned residents of Salem, Massachusetts created a grassroots organization to increase and promote pedestrian safety in our city. We were frustrated with feeling unsafe during walking, cycling, and other non-vehicular transit activities and wanted to try to improve safe transit for all of our city’s vulnerable road users. SWAG was originally created with pedestrian safety in mind, but our activities and events strive to increase safe travel for cyclists, scooter users, and everyone who uses our roadways and sidewalks without the privilege of using a motor vehicle. Ultimately, safer pedestrian transit will make our city more accessible and more sustainable for all residents and visitors, giving our people viable ways to experience our unique city while reducing reliance on private motor vehicles, parking, and fossil fuels.