Encouragement

Introduction

Broad Street Elementary School is located in the borough of Mechanicsburg, an older section of town where the traditional pattern of the blocks make it a great place to walk. Many of the school’s students already walked to school, but there was no formal Safe Routes to School program or an annual Walk to School Day until 2005.

Introduction

Since its inception in February 2006, the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s (ConnDOT) Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program has awarded approximately $1.6 million in federal funding for promotion, training and infrastructure projects. Approximately $1.3 million of this amount went to fund infrastructure projects, such as installing pedestrian signals, creating dedicated bicycle lanes and filling in gaps in discontinuous sidewalk networks.

Introduction

Eldorado K-8 School in Superior, CO has more than 1,000 students, and more than 950 of them living within two miles of the school. The number of students living in close proximity to school creates the potential for a large number of them to walk and bicycle to school.

The area around the school already has many important infrastructure components, such as sidewalks and street signs, but many of the parents perceive the area as dangerous for their children to walk or bicycle to school, or the parents are accustomed to driving their children.

Introduction

In less than a year, a nearly 40 percent reduction in motor vehicle traffic resulted at Eagle Crest Elementary School when students and parents embraced the school’s Safe Routes to School program and chose to SOAR or Step Often and Ride to school.

“There are no cars waiting to drop students off,” says Physical Education Teacher Jason Goldsberry, who is the school’s SRTS coordinator. “It almost seems like a ghost town.”

Introduction

Foothill Elementary School in Boulder, CO, had been participating in International Walk to School Day for several years before a group of parents joined forces to increase pedestrian and bicycle efforts using Safe Routes to School (SRTS) principles. Although the parents had different motivations, from a desire to build the community to a wish to outgrow the car culture, the group’s work increased the numbers of students walking and bicycling to Foothill Elementary.

Introduction

More than 4,000 Portland metro area students from 30 schools signed up to compete against Portland State University (PSU) students in the Portland May 2008 Walk + Bike Challenge Month.

Introduction

Roosevelt Middle School and the surrounding community of Eugene, Oregon, have successfully developed a team of community organizations committed to providing Safe Routes to School (SRTS) for children.

Introduction

Eugene, OR, is home to Roosevelt Middle School, which was constructed in 1942. The combination of the school’s small parking lot and high volume of car traffic created safety hazards for student pedestrians and bicyclists. Parents and teachers at Roosevelt recognized that promoting bicycle and pedestrian safety must occur alongside addressing car traffic concerns.

Introduction

Introduction