Safe Routes to School

1
Safe Routes to School

• Safe Routes to School
• Getting Started Locally
• A resource provided by the Safe Routes to School
  National Partnership
• Initial funding has been provided by
  Bikes Belong Coalition

2
Safe Routes to School

• Safe Routes to School programs seek to make it
  safe, convenient and fun for children to walk and
  bike to school.

3
The Need for Safe Routes

• In 1969 roughly half of all children walked or
  biked to school. Today, only about 15 percent
  walk or bike.
• There are more than three times as many
  overweight children today as there were 25 years
  ago.
• As much as 20 to 30 of morning rush hour traffic
  can be parents driving children to schools.

4
Educational Benefits

• Studies have shown that increased physical
  activity for children
• Increases concentration
• Improves mood and ability to be alert
• Improves memory and learning
• Enhances creativity

5
Forming a Team

• Its important to involve diverse
  stakeholders to create and implement your local
  Safe Routes to School Program including
• Parents and children
• School staff and PTAs
• Government staff (the road authority, law
  enforcement and health professionals)
• Elected officials
• Neighbors and businesses
• Non-profit organizations

6
The 5 Es

• The most successful Safe Routes to School
  Programs focus on all 5 Es through the creation
  of a Safe Routes to School Transportation Program
  that includes
• Evaluation
• Encouragement
• Education
• Engineering
• Enforcement

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Evaluation

• Its important throughout the process to monitor
  and research trends and outcomes through the
  collection of data related to travel modes,
  attitudes, distance from school, collision data,
  etc.

8
Encouragement

• Special events (such as Walk and Roll to School
  Days)
• Contests
• Newsletters
• Banners
• Posters
• Media attention
• Walking School Buses and Bike Trains

9
Education

• Traffic safety skills
• Health education
• Environmental education
• On-the-bike trainings
• Safe driving campaigns

10
Engineering

• Use community feedback and work with city
  engineers to create plans to improve and build
• Sidewalks
• Bike lanes and paths
• Trails
• Traffic calming
• Safer crossings

11
Enforcement

• Partner with local law enforcement to ensure that
  drivers obey traffic laws.
• Initiate community enforcement such as crossing
  guard programs.

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Funding for Your Program

• The federal transportation bill, SAFETEA-LU,
  guarantees that each state has at least 1
  million/year for Safe Routes to School programs
  through 2009.
• Contact your State Department of Transportation
  for details.

13
Important Links

• Safe Routes to School National Partnership
• http//saferoutespartnership.org
• National Center for Safe Routes to School
• http//saferoutesinfo.org

14
How-To Guidebook

• Download a copy of the Safe Routes to School
  Toolkit so that your Team can get started
  developing your local program
  http//www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/bi
  ke/Safe-Routes-2002/

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Good Luck!

• Safe Routes to School makes transportation
  fun, and can improve traffic congestion, air
  quality, childrens health and the livability of
  your community.
• You can do it!