Launched in 1991, Oregon Walks* did more than pioneer the concept of pedestrian action, an idea that has since spread to many other cities, including Seattle and Atlanta. Over the past decade, as the region has implemented new alternative transportation policies, Oregon Walks has brought pedestrians forward as a constituency that needs to be taken seriously. Smart, unpretentious and passionate about the cause, the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition has left footprints around the city and state (in some cases, around the nation), all in an effort to bring walking into the multi-modal 21st century.

As Portland's transit, bicycle and pedestrian network continues to expand, Oregon Walks faces new challenges: how to remain sustainable as an organization, and how to address the impact of new technologies.