About PATHS
Remembrance shaped into prevention.
PATHS began with grief and a shared conviction: traffic deaths and serious injuries are not inevitable. Evidence, partnership, and public action can save lives.
Our story
Built by people who cared for Barbara—and for Philadelphia.
PATHS for Barbara was formed by CHOP employees, Penn colleagues, friends, and community members after Dr. Barbara Friedes was killed while bicycling home on July 17, 2024.
What began as a community response has become an advocacy coalition grounded in public health. PATHS brings people together to advance street safety, support practical injury prevention, and help make walking and cycling safer choices for everyday transportation.
PATHS for Barbara is an advocacy coalition. Its exact legal and institutional relationship is still being confirmed. PATHS should not be understood as an independent nonprofit, and references to CHOP or Penn colleagues do not imply that either institution endorses every PATHS position.
Vision and mission
Streets designed to protect human life.
Our vision
Philadelphia communities where everyone can travel safely and where zero traffic deaths and serious injuries is a shared, achievable public-health goal.
Our mission
To prevent traffic deaths and serious injuries through evidence-based advocacy, education, partnerships, and direct community programs—with attention to children, families, and communities carrying the greatest burden of traffic harm.
What guides us
Our principles
- Every life matters.
- Traffic violence is preventable.
- Evidence should lead to action.
- Safety is an equity issue.
- Children deserve freedom and protection.
- Partnership makes change possible.
- Remembrance should lead to prevention.
Who participates
A coalition strengthened by different perspectives.
PATHS includes healthcare professionals and trainees, CHOP and Penn colleagues, researchers, advocates, and community members.
Team profiles coming soon
Names, roles, biographies, headshots, and affiliations will appear here only after they have been approved for publication.
Bring your experience to the path ahead.
Whether you work in healthcare, research, education, advocacy, government, or your neighborhood, there is a way to contribute.