Walk [Wayne State] will be returning to campus and the Midtown neighborhood this spring. One of several placemaking initiatives coordinated by the Office of Economic Development, Walk [Wayne State] features quirky but practical temporary signs directing pedestrians and cyclists to nearby destinations of interest. The aim of the campaign is to encourage walking and biking as sustainable and healthy forms of transportation and to contribute to a vibrant Midtown.

The inaugural Walk [Wayne State] campaign, in April through September 2015, featured 70 signs across one square mile. More than 500 students, employees, alumni and neighbors responded to a survey about about their experiences with the signs: two-thirds of survey respondents said they noticed the signs and found them informative, and three out of four respondents said they would like to see more of these signs in the future. Wayne State even was mentioned in CityLab as one of several universities taking creative approaches to encourage active transportation in cities.

This year, the signs will be Warrior green and Wayne State is crowdsourcing the featured destinations and sign locations. Students, staff, alumni and community members are invited to share ideas online or via social media using the hashtag #walkwaynestate by Friday, April 8.

All are welcome to also attend an open house on Thursday, March 31 from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. at Civilla (map). Guests will learn more about this campaign, share ideas for sign content and locations, and meet some of our student PlaceMakers. Pizza will be provided. View the event on Facebook.

There will also be an opporutnity to provide input on Monday, April 4 from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the North Commons Literature Table within the Student Center Building.

Please contact Jeri Stroupe (jeri.stroupe@wayne.edu or 313-577-9778) if you would like to work with our student PlaceMakers on Walk [Wayne State] or other placemaking activities. And join our mailing list to stay informed of campus placemaking activities.

Wayne State University's Placemaking Initiative engages our campus community and neighbors in enhancing public spaces in and around campus. We continue to seek locally generated ideas about ways to better integrate Wayne State and our neighborhood. This university-wide effort is coordinated by Wayne State's Office of Economic Development.