Here in the Sacramento region, WALKSacramento has been involved in bringing Safe Routes to local schools through policy advocacy, community organizing and assessing local conditions. Our work has helped lead to over $4,800,000 in Safe Routes infrastructure and planning funding around the Sacramento region, improving conditions for many students and their families.
What is Safe Routes to School?
Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a national and international movement to create safe, convenient, and fun opportunities for children to bicycle and walk to and from schools. The program has been designed to reverse the decline in children walking and bicycling to schools. Safe Routes to School can also play a critical role in reversing the alarming nationwide trend toward childhood obesity and inactivity.
In 1969, approximately 50% of children walked or bicycled to school, with approximately 87% of children living within one mile of school walking or bicycling. Today, fewer than 15% of schoolchildren walk or bicycle to school.
As a result, kids today are less active, less independent, and less healthy. As much as 20 to 30% of morning traffic can be generated by parents driving their children to schools, and traffic-related crashes are the top cause of death and major injury for children in the U.S. ages 1 to 17.
Safe Routes to School programs are built on collaborative partnerships among many stakeholders that should include educators, parent, students, elected officials, engineers, city planners and engineers, business and community leaders, health officials, and bicycle and pedestrian advocates.
What Does Safe Routes Do?
SRTS programs examine conditions around schools and conduct projects and activities that work to improve safety and accessibility, and reduce traffic and air pollution in the vicinity of schools. As a result, these programs help make bicycling and walking to school safer and more appealing transportation choices, encouraging a healthier and more active lifestyle from an early age, while promoting social connections and responsibility.
Our Current Work
Our current work includes a partnership with the Sacramento County Department of Transportation, funded by a Safe Routes planning grant, to conduct walk assessments around 15 elementary or middle schools.
- Go here to see the walk assessment reports.
Hold three regional conferences promoting walking and bicycling to school
- Go here to see more about our 2011 Safe Routes to School Conference.
and provide technical assistance to schools wishing to encourage more active travel to school.
- Go here for Safe Routes Resources,
We are also partnering with the City of Citrus Heights and San Juan Unified School District on a three year project to conduct walk assessments at all 11 District K through 8 grades in the City, help develop Walk/Bike to School education and encouragement programs and draft a Safe Routes Master Plan.
For additional information:
Contact us: Terry Preston, Complete Streets Coordinator, at 916-446-9255 or tpreston@walksacramento.org.
