Walk Audits and Bike Audits
In a walk audit, community members go for a walk together, noting what makes their streets feel comfortable for walking and what is missing. A walk audit is a great way to focus on the details of a street or intersection, to observe and understand the safety challenges facing walkers, and to brainstorm some effective design changes to address those issues.
NLS has led walk audits on several streets in Newburyport:
• Toppans Lane, March 2023
• Low Street from Toppans Lane to Route One, December 2023
• Low Street from Storey Avenue to Port Plaza, June 2024
• Storey Avenue from Daniel Lucy Drive to Artichoke Terrace, May 2025
• Merrimac Street at Kent Street, June 2025
• Ferry Road, September 2025
NLS members have also participated in walk audits led by staff of the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission in Newbury and Amesbury.
A bike audit is similar to a walk audit but focuses on the safety and comfort of a street or intersection. In a bike audit, participants observe and evaluate the bikeability of a location to identify and document if and how cyclists can safely travel along a street, navigate an intersection and get from point A to B and C and so on. The bike audit can be either a riding audit along a route, or an off-bike audit of an intersection or other location.
In 2025, NLS received a Capacity Building Minigrant from AARP’s Livable Communities Program to conduct several bike audits on Low Street and at several intersections on High Street.
We will continue to do walk audits and bike audits at locations around the City where safety concerns have been raised.
Walk Audit — Toppans Lane, March 2023
NLS members conducted a walk audit of Toppans Lane on Friday, March 3, 2023, from 2:00 to 3:00 pm. This time period was chosen because it overlapped with the dismissal time for Middle School students, as well as after-school activities for the High School. The findings and recommendations from the walk audit were compiled during the summer and were shared with the City’s Director of Public Services in August 2023.
Toppans Lane Walk Audit Summary
Toppans Lane Walk Audit Photos 1
Toppans Lane Walk Audit Photos 2
Walk Audit — Low Street – Toppans Lane to Rail Trail, December 2023
On December 12, 2023, NLS conducted a walk audit along Low Street between Toppans Lane and the Clipper City Rail Trail entrance, starting at 2:30 pm. We looked at this stretch of road because it serves the Middle School, the River Valley Charter School, the Fuller Field recreation area, the Graf Skating Rink, and the Rail Trail.
Walk Audit Summary
Walk Audit Maps
Walk Audit — Low Street – Port Plaza to Storey Avenue, June 2024
Walk Audit Summary
Walk Audit Maps
Walk Audit — Storey Avenue, West of I-95, May 2025
Report coming soon
Walk Audit — Merrimac Street at Kent Street, June 2025
Report coming soon
Bike Audit — Low Street, September 2025
NLS led riding bike audits along the length of Low Street on September 9 and 10, 2025, covering about half of the road length each day. Both audits started at 3:00 pm to capture conditions around dismissal times at the Middle School and River Valley Charter School, as well as the shift change at Anna Jaques Hospital.
Low Street Bike Audit Report
Low Street Bike Audit Segment Maps
Walk Audit — Ferry Road, September 2025
NLS and neighborhood residents participated in a walk audit along Ferry Road between Spofford Street and Moulton Street on September 26, 2025.
Report coming soon
Bike Audit — High Street, October 2025
NLS led off-bike audits along High Street on October 20 and 21, 2025, starting at 7:30 pm each evening. The purpose of these audits was to observe nighttime conditions for cycling and walking at six intersections:
• Bresnahan School / Senior Community Center driveway
• Ashland Street / North Atkinson Street
• Woodland Street / Rawson Avenue
• Market Street / Auburn Street
• Fruit Street
• Federal Street
Report coming soon
High Street Bike Audit Location Maps
More Information
AARP Walk Audit Tool Kit
WalkMassachusetts “Walk Audit Academy” video series
Newburyport Livable Streets 