Walktober 2025 Is Here!

Join the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the Maryland Department of Planning (MDP) this October, when we will celebrate YOU, a pedestrian! MDOT and other partnering agencies will host events and webinars spotlighting walking, Maryland's official state exercise. Throughout the month you can learn about MDOT’s programs and initiatives that focus on Maryland pedestrians' safety, health, community connections, infrastructure, and commuting options.

WALKTOBER has four goals:

• Create a culture of safety, by addressing safety as a system and using  the Safe System Approach for Safer People, Vehicles, Roads, Speeds, and Post Crash Care
• Demonstrate leadership and share best practices for achieving walkability through investments
• Coordinate with other Maryland State agencies to align policies and programs. Engage with stakeholder groups such as local governments, non-profits, and social organizations
• Educate Marylanders about walkability while providing outlets to participate in civic processes and local events

Join us every Thursday during October from 10:30 a.m. to noon for one of our five free Walkinars:

• October 2 – National and Local Impact: Walking, Health, and Communities -Register
• October 9 – Safety: Designing Walkable Communities for All - Register 
• October 16 – Accessibility: How Transportation Trails Improve Community Access - Register 
• October 23 - Education: Teaching Walking Safety from a Young Age - Register 
• October 30 - Agency: Walking Across Maryland with the State        Secretaries Roundtable - Register

In addition to the Walkinars, don’t forget:

• October 1 is Walk Maryland Day, where more than 50 partners host community walks, workplace walks, and walking tours. Register to lead or join a walk!
• October 8 is Walk to School Day, where any school or group can register their walk to teach safety to students. Register here!

We have opportunities for everyone, of all ages and abilities, whether you walk or roll. We hope to engage you in learning more about Maryland’s safety and accessibility programs such as Complete Streets, Vulnerable Roadway Users, Safe Routes to Schools, Sidewalk Data Collaboration, Transportation Trails, and more. Everyone is a pedestrian and we look forward to celebrating you!

New this Walktober: MDOT in Motion Step Challenge

This year, MDOT is excited to introduce the MDOT in Motion Step Challenge, a fun and friendly competition designed to encourage Marylanders to get moving while helping us reach a collective walking goal across the state. Launching with Walktober, the challenge inspires individuals and communities to come together, promote healthier lifestyles, and highlight the importance of safe, accessible walking routes. This year, the challenge will establish a baseline to help us set future goals for walking. Over the course of the year, we’ll see which county takes the most steps and recognize your hard work during our 2026 MDOT in Motion series!

How It Works:

Starting in October, Marylanders can participate by logging their steps using MDOT’s new Step Calculator, which allows users to anonymously record how far Marylanders are walking across the state. The Step Calculator will be used to log all official walks, starting on Walk Maryland Day and continuing through the year. MDOT will share a scoreboard to show which county has walked the furthest at each of the monthly MDOT in Motion events. By October 2026, we will announce a winner for the county which logged the most steps per resident.

The process of entering your walk is simple. Click the Step Calculator box and follow the instructions. Consider entering your walks on a weekly or monthly basis. In the future, we will expand this program and announce the rewards and challenges.

Why It Matters:

The Step Calculator provides real data about walking activity, giving MDOT and its partners a clearer picture of how people move through Maryland’s communities and transportation network. This data will help identify where accessible sidewalks and trails exist and establish a baseline for future walking goals.

By participating, walkers not only contribute to this important effort but also join a statewide movement celebrating walking as Maryland’s official state exercise. Ultimately, the Step Challenge emphasizes motivation, recognition, and community. Our goal is to design a challenge that recognizes participation and builds momentum for safer, more active communities during Walktober and beyond. This calculator will be available 365 days so that you can log your walks long after Walktober is over. Track your progress and help us keep MDOT and Marylanders in motion!

Stay In Touch

After Walk Maryland Day, let's all keep walking! There will be walk-related events and educational opportunities across Maryland throughout October. As Maryland celebrates Walktober, it reminds us we are all pedestrians during our day and strengthens awareness of key resources, needs, and opportunities to support and encourage safe walking. Be sure to check the Walktober website early and often, as registered walks, events, and programs will be added. You can also subscribe to for ongoing updates from the Office of Active Transportation and Micromobility by adding your email here.

MDOT thanks its state agency partners at the Maryland Department of Planning and Maryland Department of Health to bring the Walktober program to Marylanders and countless local partners who host events. Walktober is a month-long series of web-based and in-person events organized by Maryland's departments of Transportation, Planning, and Health. For more information and a full list of partners, visit www.mdot.maryland.gov/walktober