Description

This report evaluates the Viva CalleSJ event held in San Jose, California, on September 8, 2024. As a celebrated open-streets initiative, Viva CalleSJ temporarily transformed six miles of city streets into car-free zones to encourage active transportation, foster community engagement, and support local businesses. This assessment employed a mixed-methods approach, including participant surveys, interviews with stakeholders, and observational analysis. Key findings highlighted the event’s success in attracting a diverse audience, promoting physical activity, and driving economic benefits. Over 50% of attendees arrived by bicycle, and 77.7% planned to spend money at the event, averaging $54.23 per participant. Community-building impacts were significant, with 76% of participants feeling more connected to their community and 80.4% discovering local businesses. The report concludes with actionable recommendations to maximize the social, economic, and environmental benefits of future Viva CalleSJ events while advancing San Jose’s mobility and community goals.

Publication Date

Fall 12-2024

Publication Type

Report

Topic

Active Transportation

Digital Object Identifier

10.31979/mti.2024.2464

MTI Project

2464

Keywords

Active transportation, Community engagement, Economic impacts, Viva CalleSJ, Open streets initiatives

Disciplines

Transportation

Download

Additional files available below

Share

COinS