EdMundo Martinez honored with East Coast Greenway’s first Roger Herz Greenway and Active Mobility Award

NEW YORK CITY - EdMundo Martinez, a veteran micromobility and active transportation advocate from The Bronx, New York, is the recipient of the East Coast Greenway Alliance’s first Roger Herz Greenway and Active Mobility Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to promoting sustainable transportation and active mobility.

Honoring longtime New York City bicycle advocate Roger Herz, the award was presented to Martinez on Saturday, Sept. 21 at the HI NYC Ballroom, the site of the East Coast Greenway founding in 1991.

“If you enjoy biking in New York City, you have Roger to thank. He worked tirelessly over many decades to make biking safer for all,” East Coast Greenway Executive Director Dennis Markatos-Soriano said. “We are delighted to present EdMundo with the inaugural Herz Award to honor that same tenacity and dedication evident in his efforts to transform the Greenway experience in the Bronx.”

“It is a tremendous honor to be associated with Roger Herz and the East Coast Greenway Alliance. Similarly to Roger, it was the purchase of my first adult bike that led me to eventually demand more from city officials for the people of New York City,” Martinez said. “I am very humbled and proud to be playing a role in the work that he started. I truly believe that if we all do a little bit, no one has to do a lot and the world will be a place for everyone."

Described as “a community builder and connector,” Martinez is a lifelong resident of The Bronx who plays an active role in advocating for and leading activities in Concrete Plant Park, a vibrant public park on the Bronx River Greenway and the East Coast Greenway.

He was a founding member of Concrete Friends, a local community group leading community outreach and activities in Concrete Plant Park. Martinez helped establish a pop-up library, supported public movie screenings and workshops as part of the Community Friday events at Concrete Plant Park. He has organized various community-focused rides in The Bronx to highlight the area as a safe place for biking. These include the annual Bronx Cranksgiving, a biking food drive where volunteers collect food for local residents in need, and other rides that raise awareness about important issues and community spaces.

“Edmundo brings people into the work and shines a light on equity in greenway infrastructure and improvements. He wants to ensure The Bronx gets the same love and attention that other communities receive,” said Anna Berlanga, Bronx River Alliance greenway coordinator. “He always is willing to hear you out and share a smile on his face.”

This award honors Herz, who passed away on August 24, 2022, at age 88 after a life well-lived as an activist and advocate for bicycle transportation, city planning and other important issues. 

As detailed in his obituary, “Roger’s interest in biking began in 1966 when he purchased his first adult bike to use as transportation during the transit strike. This led him to founding and acting as executive director of Bicycle Transportation Action as well as being one of five founders of Transportation Alternatives. His motto, ‘better futile than passive,’ led Roger to accomplish what others would not even attempt. He almost single-handedly compelled the City Council to pass a non-binding resolution against Mayor Koch's 1987 Midtown Manhattan Bicycle Ban, which eventually led to its repeal. He was a municipal gadfly.”