Safe Routes Matters, August/September 2007

In this Issue:

Walk to School Day 2007 Just Around the Corner

As another school year commences across the country, folks begin to think about transporting children to and from school and the options available to them - primarily, drop the kids at the school doors or have them take the bus? This year, think of another option for children and consider walking or bicycling to school.

The 2007 International Walk to School Day in the USA is set for October 3, 2007. Walk to School Day events are aimed at bringing forth permanent change to encourage a more walkable America - one community at a time. The day is a great way to get kids in your community interested in, and excited about, walking or bicycling to school on a regular basis and can jump start a healthier lifestyle by:

  • Increasing physical activity among both children and parents
  • Improving air quality and the environment by decreasing the number of cars taking kids to and from schools
  • Creating safer routes for walking and bicycling by teaching kids proper pedestrian and bicycling skills and encouraging drivers to be cautious and courteous of other road users

For some, getting an event started may seem to be too large an undertaking, but the Walk to School Day Web site offers a host of event ideas and tips on how to get an event started in your community. A variety of useful materials can also be viewed or downloaded on the site including ways to get partners such as law enforcement and public officials to aid in your Walk to School event, and information on how to go about planning an event.

As a registered Walk to School Day event, organizers have a chance to win prizes for students and gain access to a variety of downloadable items, including certificates, printable sticker templates, media materials and more. Registrants can also subscribe to a Walk to School e-newsletter with additional tips and resources for walk to school events.

To register a new event, or to sign up as a resource person for Walk to School events, please visit www.walktoschool.org/register. Registered events will be displayed on an interactive map on the Walk to School Web site, so that neighboring communities, media and other organizations will be able to view participating events.

For more information on planning and resources for Walk to School activities, please visit www.walktoschool.org. To see photos from last year's event, please visit www.iwalktoschool.org/photos/index.htm.

The National Center for Safe Routes to School at the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center serves as the national coordinating agency for International Walk to School events in the USA.

For more information, please visit www.walktoschool-usa.org.

Local Skills Training to be Future Offering of the National Center

Communities around the country continue to organize and enhance their Safe Routes to School programs, but for some, knowing the logistics of how to move forward can be confusing. The National Center for Safe Routes to School has a number of training programs and courses designed to bring success to every element of a Safe Routes to School program. Soon, the "Local Skills" training will be launched in a full-scale effort, adding to the host of Safe Routes training options.

The course, designed to provide participants with practical approaches, community-tested processes, and tools to develop and implement key non-infrastructure strategies for their Safe Routes to School programs, is planned to be offered as a one-day training. The training will include information related to the following:

  • SRTS 101: a general overview of SRTS programs and why they are important. It includes a review of the five E's that comprise a comprehensive SRTS program.
  • Getting Started — Building a SRTS Taskforce: provides information and resources to identify and recruit key stakeholders, and to conduct a successful SRTS kick off meeting.
  • Program Planning Phase One: The What, Where, How and Who of data collection for SRTS program planning and evaluation.
  • Education, Enforcement and Encouragement Strategies: highlights the important role that encouragement, education and enforcement play in a SRTS program and includes a review of effective, age-appropriate strategies for elementary and middle school children.
  • Program Planning Phase Two: offers continued discussion of basic steps in creating a comprehensive SRTS plan, focusing on the post-data collection processes.
  • Program Evaluation: outlines basics of evaluating SRTS programs, why evaluation is important, data to collect and the fundamentals of creating an evaluation plan.

The training has been successfully piloted in Boise, ID, and Trenton, NJ, and has begun to be presented into other markets. The local skills training team includes a pool of five individuals, all bringing personal, first-hand experience in implementing local programs. Designed to be a mix of presentations, group discussion and hands-on exercises, the training would be an effective information session for state SRTS fund recipients and program participants (including local coordinators, National taskforce members and consultants), regional SRTS coordinators and state SRTS coordinators.

Trainings are currently being scheduled for early 2008 and beyond.

For more information on the launch of the local skills training, or to obtain a detailed outline of topics covered in the training, please contact the National Center for Safe Routes to School at info@saferoutesinfo.org or 919-962-2203.

1st Safe Routes to School National Conference to be Held in November

The National Center for Safe Routes to School and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership proudly present the 1st Safe Routes to School National Conference: Creating, Building and Sustaining Momentum. The conference will be held November 5-7, 2007, in Dearborn, Michigan and will be hosted by the Michigan Fitness Foundation.

The conference is a great opportunity for those interested in the health and safety of children to explore aspects of the Safe Routes to School program and other variables that can improve the wellness of schoolchildren. The conference will address needs among urban, suburban and rural settings, allowing for opportunity to address a variety of topics and interests among attendees.

In addition to support for the conference, the National Center for Safe Routes to School will also be providing a total of $10,000 in stipend funding to assist Safe Routes to School programs with travel expenses in order to attend the conference. The stipend is designed specifically to encourage local program champions who do not have other funding to support travel to the conference.

Qualified recipients include individuals who are active in local health, safety, or walking and bicycling activities benefiting schoolchildren and who are interested in developing or further developing Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs. The deadline for application is August 31, 2007. Stipend recipients will be announced in mid September 2007.

To apply for the stipend, please visit www.saferoutesinfo.org/news_room/stipend.cfm. To register for the conference, please visit www.saferoutesmichigan.org/nationalconference.htm.

Safe Routes Snapshots: Chula Vista, California

Safe Routes Snapshots provides a brief profile of a Safe Routes to School state or local program that highlights a particular success or issue the program faced. To submit your program for Safe Routes Snapshots, please email news@saferoutesinfo.org.

Chula Vista to use all E's for SRTS program

The City of Chula Vista was awarded a federal SRTS grant for $621,000 from California DOT for infrastructure improvements. The Chula Vista Elementary School District (CVESD) also received a grant for $499,000 in federal SRTS funds from California DOT that will be used for a coordinated non-infrastructure program.

Otay and Rice Elementary were the two schools selected to receive money from these grants because demonstration walking audits had been completed for the areas and the two schools had obvious needs for infrastructure improvements that could be enhanced with a non-infrastructure component. The non-infrastructure SRTS grant money will be used for a two-year project that will be directed at Otay and Rice Elementary Schools for the first year and expanded to an additional 15 schools the second year.

The non-infrastructure grant money will allow the CVESD to establish task forces at each school to organize events such as Walking School Buses and Walk to School Days. A bi-lingual campaign will begin in the 2007/2008 school year, where Community Health workers ("Promotoras") will take the message of SRTS programs, incentives, evaluations, and Parent Safety Patrols, into homes, parks, churches, laundromats, and other communal areas with the goal of increasing walking and biking to school by 10%.

The funds will also go towards walking and biking education programs that the teachers will integrate into their everyday lesson plans. Some example lessons that will be used are: learning how to calculate the number of steps they have walked in math class or the different transportation choices in social studies.

Enforcement improvements around the schools will include special enforcement efforts and the help of School Resource Officers to start and run Parent Safety Patrol program.

The infrastructure improvements around Otay and Rice Elementary Schools will occur within 1/4 mile buffers of the school. The improvements will include an offset median, curb extensions, setback limit lines, enhanced striping, prominent crosswalk zebra striping, ADA-complaint pedestrian ramps and non-slip sidewalk grating. Potential driver/pedestrian conflicts will be reduced with crosswalk enhancements and the addition of flashing yellow beacons and School Zone warning signs.

The Chula Vista Elementary School District anticipates that by the end of the 2 year grant period, walking and biking to school will increase from 10 percent at the two initial elementary schools and traffic volumes and childhood obesity will decreased at participating schools.

Safe Routes to School Program Tracking Brief: Summer 2007

The National Center for Safe Routes to School has released the Summer 2007 Program Tracking Brief. This quarterly report is prepared by the National Center for Safe Routes to School to provide information about state Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs. Each quarter, a different snapshot and brief analysis of one key trend across all state programs is presented.

Highlights from the Summer 2007 report include:

  • 29 states (59%) have announced funding for local and/or statewide SRTS programs.
  • At least 686 schools are participating in state-funded SRTS programs.
  • All 51 states (including D.C.) have SRTS programs in various stages of progress.

To access the complete report, please visit www.saferoutesinfo.org/resources/tracking-reports.cfm

Featured Resource: "Safe Routes to School: Improving Health, Safety and Transportation" PowerPoint presentation

The National Center for Safe Routes to School has developed a new PowerPoint presentation entitled "Safe Routes to School: Improving Health, Safety and Transportation." NCSRTS developed the presentation as a tool to promote safe walking and bicycling to school and to give an overview of the basics of Safe Routes to School. The presentation reviews the reasons why walking and bicycling to school has decreased in the US, the consequences of this decrease and the ways Safe Routes to School are a part of the solution.

To access the PowerPoint file, please visit www.saferoutesinfo.org/resources/marketing_presentations.cfm

News Briefs

"Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities" resource available for local governments

The Local Government Commission and Active Living Leadership has released a new fact sheet that highlights how cities, counties and school districts can work together to address childhood obesity. From Safe Routes to School programs to community gardens, it offers tactics, tools and inspiration for local officials to leverage community resources.

The document provides examples of cities, counties and school districts working together to address childhood obesity. It offers ideas and guidance that will help local government officials leverage community resources and identify opportunities for collaboration. It also provides resources and references to assist policy-makers in developing and implementing new initiatives.

To access the resource, please visit www.lgc.org/freepub/land_use/factsheets/healthy_kids_communities.html.

EPA provides Smart Growth assistance in six States

Communities in six states will receive customized technical assistance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help them put the principles of more efficient, affordable, and environmentally sensitive growth into action.

The communities were selected under a competitive, nationwide application process that drew 67 submissions from 30 states. Under a federal contract, each community will receive approximately $45,000 in direct assistance from a team of national experts organized by EPA and other partners to work with local leaders. Team members will have expertise in disciplines relevant to each community's unique needs.

EPA developed the Smart Growth Implementation Assistance (SGIA) program in response to communities' requests for help in achieving their development goals. Through this program, EPA provides technical assistance from private-sector experts to help communities find the best tools and resources to plan for growth in ways that sustain environmental and economic progress and create a high quality of life.

For more information on the six programs and the SGIA program, please visit www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/sgia2007.htm.

Rhode Island cities and towns want safe routes to school

Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the country, but their residents have a loud voice when it comes to Safe Routes to School.

Upon the closing of the first round of project solicitation, nearly 50 percent of Rhode Island's 39 cities and towns responded with applications for funding. Eighteen cities submitted 32 applications for various Safe Routes to School funding, ranging from infrastructure requests to requests for education programs.

Requirements were set forth for SRTS program applicants; programs needed to be school-based, and town officials (including law enforcement and public works or engineering) must be on the SRTS team. The school, at a minimum, must include the principal with parents, teachers, and school nurse to develop the program recommended. Lastly, the chief executive of the municipality, the superintendent of schools and the principal of the school applying must sign the application.

It is the goal of the Rhode Island Safe Routes to School Coordinator that those awarded funding will be announced in early fall with project agreements and implementation to follow.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center launches redesigned Web site for walking information

The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, in its continued effort to disseminate information and technical assistance on pedestrian and bicycle safety, has launched its redesigned pedestrian Web site at www.walkinginfo.org.

New features of the site include:

  • A centralized, Web-based Library of pedestrian and bicycling-related materials and documents compiled by practitioners and researchers.
  • A searchable database of Frequently Asked Questions pertaining to walking and pedestrian safety. If users do not find their answer within the database, there is a mechanism for them to submit a question to the PBIC.
  • A searchable database of upcoming pedestrian events and training opportunities.
  • A News Room with PBIC press releases, resources for the media and recent news articles. Users can also sign up to received email updates and news from the Center.

The new site was developed with input from site users and PBIC stakeholders. Revised and new content on the site was developed in conjunction with pedestrian safety experts from across the country. New and updated content includes more detailed discussion of plans and policies that support walking, information on overcoming barriers to walking, information on how to find pedestrian data and statistics, detailed education and enforcement messages and strategies as well as guidance to assist communities in making pedestrian improvements.

The redesign of the site was funded through renewal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center is maintained by the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center with funding from FHWA.

For more information regarding the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center or walkinginfo.org, please email pbic@pedbikeinfo.org.

Chicagoland Bicycle Federation teams with US Environmental Protection Agency to provide options for companies committing environmental violations

As efforts increase to reduce carbon emissions and negative environmental impacts, a new collaboration between Chicagoland Bicycle Federation and the US EPA will allow for companies out of compliance with EPA standards to pay their fines by giving back to the community and the environment.

The Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) is an environmentally-focused project that a company agrees to undertake when settling an enforcement action. Beginning October 1, The Chicagoland Bicycle Federation will have four new project ideas added to the EPA's menu of options from which a company can choose to fund in response to the company's violation.

The Chicagoland Bicycle Federation options, ranging in cost from $200 (for a new bike rack) to $200,000 (for a 26-mile bicycle trail), were chosen because they met SEP standards that state a project idea must "improve, restore, protect, or reduce risks to public health and/or the environment beyond that achieved by compliance with applicable laws."

EPA enforcement teams have the authority to incorporate a SEP into the settlement agreement in addition to requirements to correct the violation. In some case, the company could receive some penalty offset for participation in a SEP.

For more information, please contact Arline Welty at Chicagoland Bicycle Federation at 312-427-3325 or arline@biketraffic.org, or visit www.epa.gov/compliance/civil/seps/.

SRTS in the News

The following is a brief compilation of Safe Routes to School-related news stories from across the country. Web links to the following news stories are time sensitive, so some stories may not be accessible after the initial publication date or may require registration.

Town of Joyce getting its first-ever sidewalk
www.peninsuladailynews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070728/NEWS/70728003
Peninsula Daily News
August 27, 2007
VTrans grants schools $25,000 toward bike racks
www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070730/NEWS/70730028/-1/NEWS05
Burlington Free Press
August 27, 2007
Routes to School are getting safer
www.bonnercountydailybee.com/articles/2007/08/19/news/news03.txt
Bonner County Daily Bee
August 19, 2007
Grant to help fill gaps in sidewalk
www.pennlive.com/news/expresstimes/index.ssf?/base/news-5/1186372944218070.xml&coll=2
The Express-Times
August 6, 2007
Forum: Safe Routes Athens has positive enviro, health implications
www.onlineathens.com/stories/072407/opinion_20070724002.shtml
Athens Banner-Herald
July 23, 2007
Grants to boost school safety
www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20070713-9999-1mi13smgrant.html
San Diego Union-Tribune
July 13, 2007
'Bye-bye' bus
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/couriernews/news/459982,3_1_EL08_A1WALKERS_S1.article
The Courier News
July 8, 2007
Schools want closer relationship with neighbors
www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/06/30/ddn070107skulsinside.html
Dayton Daily News
July 1, 2007
'We're talking about the safety of our kids'
www.dailysouthtown.com/news/449881,012NWS6.article
Daily Southtown
July 1, 2007

For more news stories relating to Safe Routes to School, please visit the NCSRTS News Room at www.saferoutesinfo.org/news_room/

Safe Routes Matters is a free, online publication of the National Center for Safe Routes to School. No permission is needed to reprint from articles, but attribution is requested. To submit article ideas to Safe Routes Matters, please email news@saferoutesinfo.org.