Safe Routes Matters, May/June 2008

Introduce yourself to other Safe Routes contacts

Use the new Safe Routes Forums to introduce yourself to others involved in Safe Routes to School at www.saferoutesinfo.org/forums. Share your Safe Routes experience!

In this Issue:

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Connect with other programs at the Safe Routes Forums

The National Center for Safe Routes to School has launched the Safe Routes Forums, a Web-based community aimed at connecting Safe Routes to School programs from across the country at www.saferoutesinfo.org/forums. Using the Safe Routes Forums, programs can announce their successes as well as seek out information from other local programs. Users can find out what others have done to launch their programs or who they partnered with to promote walking and bicycling.

"We see a great need for Safe Routes to School programs to connect and learn from one another," said Lauren Marchetti, director of the National Center for Safe Routes to School. "We decided to help address this need by offering programs the ability to connect online with the Safe Routes Forums."

To minimize spam entries on the Safe Routes Forums, all users will need to register an account and confirm their email address before beginning to post to the Forums. To register an account, please visit www.saferoutesinfo.org/forums, click on "Log In" and use the form on the right of the page. Users should also review the Forums Guidelines prior to posting at www.saferoutesinfo.org/forums/guidelines.cfm.

Are you new to posting on Web Forums? You can read through the Frequently Asked Questions on how to get started at www.saferoutesinfo.org/forums/faq.cfm.

NCSRTS sponsors national PTA convention

The National Center for Safe Routes to School is sponsoring the 112th Annual PTA National Convention & Exhibition that will take place in San Diego, California June 20 – June 23, 2008. NCSRTS will also have an exhibit booth at the conference to distribute information and materials to PTA members on Safe Routes to School and International Walk to School Month.

The Center is also a sponsor of the 4th Annual Walk for Healthy Kids that will take place on the morning of Sunday, June 22. Proceeds from the event support programs in PTAs and schools across the country, including wellness events, PE equipment, and educational activities.

The Annual PTA National Convention will bring together thousands of parents, teachers, students, and leaders to enhance their skills, connections, and success. Conference speakers include poet Dr. Maya Angelou and CNN's chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

For more information on the convention, please visit www.pta.org/ne_conference_details_1116942630843.html.

Local host sought for the 2nd Safe Routes to School National Conference

The National Center for Safe Routes to School and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership are now seeking proposals from potential host agencies to organize the 2nd Safe Routes to School National Conference which will take place during the summer or autumn of 2009. The deadline for proposal submissions is July 1, 2008. To download the complete request, please visit www.saferoutesinfo.org/conference/RFP.cfm.

The Safe Routes to School National Conference provides an opportunity for individuals and organizations interested and involved with Safe Routes to School to network, engage in educational opportunities and form partnerships to enhance their Safe Routes to School work. The intent of the request is to identify and select an experienced organization that will be responsible for conference and event support, planning, coordinating, fundraising and implementing all aspects related to a three day national meeting of 300-600 program representatives, state DOTs, planners, elected officials, and community members.

The 1st Safe Routes to School National Conference, held in Dearborn, Michigan, in November 2007, was hosted by the Michigan Fitness Foundation in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Transportation. The conference exceeded expectations for registration and is considered to have been a resounding success. For more information on the first conference, please visit www.saferoutesmichigan.org/nationalconference.htm.

State SRTS Coordinators gather for 3rd Annual Meeting

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) State Coordinators gathered in Minneapolis, MN from May 13 – May 14 for the 3rd Annual Safe Routes to School State Coordinators National Meeting. Representatives from forty-five states were in attendance at the meeting hosted by the National Center for Safe Routes to School (NCSRTS) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

The meeting was officially kicked off with opening remarks from City of Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and Minnesota Department of Transportation Commissioner Tom Sorel. The meeting also included keynote presentations from Tim Torma, Acting Director of the U.S. EPA Smart Growth Program; Dr. Howard Frumkin, Director of the CDC National Center for Environmental Health; and Dr. Arthur Chris Nelson, Director of the Virginia Tech Metropolitan Institute. To view these presentations from the annual meeting, please visit www.saferoutesinfo.org/resources/webinars_srts2008.cfm.

State SRTS Coordinators gathered to network and share information about SRTS programs in their states. Coordinators discussed Federal Aid project implementation, school site design, training needs and program sustainability among other topics.

Safe Routes Snapshots: Billings, Montana

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.

"Go Play" has new meaning in Billings. The city with a population of 100,000 and 23 elementary schools utilizes a "Go Play Billings Trails" program to encourage children and their families to walk and bicycle safely to schools and throughout the community through a collaborative effort of many community partners.

Community Health Advocate Kathy Aragon said that Billings is fortunate because many students live close enough to walk and bicycle to school, and some neighborhoods have nearby bike paths and trails that provide direct routes to school without crossing major roadways. The "Go Play Billings Trails" program seeks to build upon that strength.

"It's all about community awareness," Aragon said. "We have an enormous amount of collaboration."

The "Go Play Billings Trails" program is a non-infrastructure program that began when St. Vincent Healthcare donated $5,000 in 2006, which enabled students from Montana State University-Billings to develop a brochure of information to encourage safe walking and bicycling in Billings. In March 2007, Aragon received a $10,000 SRTS grant from the Montana Department of Transportation (MtDOT) to fund events, as well as billboards that are located near schools. Billings held the 6-mile-long Magic City Trail Trek, followed by a barbecue lunch in late spring 2007, and in the fall Aragon held a Saturday Live Fun Run/Walk, which is a two-mile long School District fundraiser. At each event, volunteers distributed information about safe walking and bicycling to children and parents.

This non-infrastructure program complements a $25,000 SRTS infrastructure grant that Billings received from the MtDOT's state SRTS program in 2006 for the Chandelier Crossing for children going to Arrowhead Elementary School. The crossing was built as part of the Big Ditch Trail, Phase 2, according to Darlene Tussing, Alternate Modes Coordinator for the City-County Planning Office. The sidewalk connected a residential area to a bike trail, which provided direct access to Arrowhead Elementary for students.

Aragon believes that by educating students, parents and other community members and increasing their participation in walking and bicycling, they will be more aware of pedestrians and bicyclists, and that awareness will increase safety for everyone.

Future planned projects include a $25,000 SRTS infrastructure grant from MtDOT that will make the sidewalks at Highland Elementary contiguous, connecting a pedestrian-only entrance at the back of the school, as well as a $49,495 grant from MtDOT to McKinley Elementary for "bulb outs' and other safety improvements at intersections. In addition, Aragon plans to seek funds that will provide mini-grants to enable all 23 elementary schools in Billings to hold International Walk To School Day events. Additionally, the city of Billings has applied for a SRTS grant to create a district-wide safety plan.

Featured Resource: Spring 2008 Program Tracking Report

The National Center for Safe Routes to School has released the Spring 2008 Program Tracking Report. 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. The national Safe Routes to School program again grew at an impressive rate during the first quarter (January to March) of 2008, with total committed spending jumping nearly 21 percent from $183.7 million at the end of 2007 to approximately $221.7 million at the end of March 2008. This increase of $38 million is the second largest quarterly increase in announced SRTS spending since the program began in 2006.

Highlights from the Spring 2008 report include:

  • Approximately $221 million has been spent or committed for SRTS programs.
  • 42 states (82%) have announced funding for local SRTS programs.
  • 46 states (90%) have announced funding for local and/or statewide SRTS programs.
  • At least 2665 schools are participating in state-funded SRTS programs.

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

News Brief

Register for the next Safe Routes Coaching Action Network Webinar

America Walks and the National Center for Safe Routes to School present the next Safe Routes Coaching Action Network Webinar. The next topic will be:

Sidewalk Safety Smarts WalkBoston's Guide to Safety Training for Second Graders
Presented by Karen Hartke, Walk Boston
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

To register for the Webinar, please visit www.saferoutesinfo.org/training/can_webinars.cfm.

The Safe Routes Coaching Action Network Webinars are designed to educate individuals and organizations on topics that will assist with successful outreach efforts. The Network will also offer Webinar participants the option to receive a coaching session from America Walks for assistance with their local outreach efforts. By offering follow-up coaching and education, the Network aims to increase the priority of and resources dedicated towards improving Safe Routes to School efforts.

America Walks is a national coalition of local advocacy groups dedicated to promoting walkable communities. Its members are autonomous grassroots organizations from across the country, each working to improve conditions for walking in their area. The mission of America Walks is to foster the development of community-based pedestrian advocacy groups, to educate the public about the benefits of walking, and, when appropriate, to act as a collective voice for walking advocates.

Pedestrian Road Safety Audit Guidelines and Prompt Lists

The Federal Highway Administration Office of Safety has released Pedestrian Road Safety Audit Guidelines and Prompt Lists. A Road Safety Audit (RSA) is a formal safety examination of a future roadway plan or project or an in-service facility that is conducted by an independent, experienced multidisciplinary RSA team. All RSAs should include a review of pedestrian safety; however, some RSAs may be conducted to improve an identified pedestrian safety problem. The Pedestrian Road Safety Audit Guidelines and Prompt Lists provides transportation agencies and teams conducting an RSA with a tool to better understand pedestrian needs, identify concerns, and address safety problems.

The Guide has two primary sections: Knowledge Base and the Field Manual. The Knowledge Base section discusses the use of the Guide and basic concepts that RSA team should understand before conducting an RSA, such as characteristics of pedestrians, pedestrian crash data analysis tools, and pedestrian components in the eight-step RSA process. The Field Manual section includes the prompt lists and guidelines for their use. The guidelines provide detailed descriptions of potential pedestrian safety issues while the prompt lists identify potential pedestrian safety issues that should be considered during a RSA. The guidelines and prompt lists will help familiarize RSA teams with potential pedestrian issues and help them identify specific safety concerns throughout the RSA process.

To access the document, please visit www.walkinginfo.org/library/details.cfm?id=3955.

Safe Routes to School program recognized for innovation in government

The Auburn School District Transportation Department's "Partnership Approach to Safe Routes to School" program in Auburn, Washington has been declared a Top 50 Program of the 2008 Innovations in American Government Awards competition, administered by the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard Kennedy School.

Selected from a pool of nearly 1,000 applicants, the "Partnership Approach to Safe Routes to School" program represents the best in government innovation and will be competing for a $100,000 award.

On June 12, 2008, finalist programs will make presentations on their initiatives before the National Selection Committee, chaired by David Gergen. The event is free and open to the public. The winners of the 2008 Innovations in American Government Awards will be announced and honored at an awards gala and reception in September of 2008.

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.

Walk this Way
Weekly Reader
May/June 2008
WNC cities receive Safe Routes to School funds
Asheville Citizen-Times
5/17/2008
Lake Elmo Elementary exploring 'Safe Routes' for students
Lake Elmo Leader
5/14/2008
Charlottesville Receives "Safe Routes To School" Grant
WCAV-TV
5/13/2008
Kids' transportation program earns award
Times Herald
5/03/2008
Safe Routes takes first steps
New Canaan Advertiser
5/01/2008
Walk to School Day is fun
The Georgetown Times
4/24/2008
City urges students to bike to school
The Examiner
4/21/2008
Walk-to-school program makes huge strides
St. Petersburg Times
4/16/2008
More than just look both ways
Record Bee
4/16/2008
Kids gather at YMCA, walk to Carver Elementary
Montgomery Advertiser
4/15/2008

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.