Safe Routes Matters, March/April 2009

In this Issue:

Search New Online List of Projects

Search nationwide projects on the National Center's new online database.

The National Center for Safe Routes to School compiles and reports on Federal funds awarded by State SRTS programs throughout the year. Now, a new searchable database provides easier access to state-by-state reporting on Federal SRTS funds awarded. You can search projects by state, by type of project (infrastructure activities such as sidewalks built, versus non-infrastructure initiatives such as education programs), and also by the year the funds were awarded. Go to www.saferoutesinfo.org/project_list to access the searchable database.

 

National Review Group Meets

Forty national leaders convened on March 10 in support of the work of the National Center for Safe Routes to School at the first NCSRTS National Review Group meeting.

The National Center for Safe Routes to School convened a national group of stakeholders and experts to advise and provide support for the work of the National Center. The first meeting of the National Review Group was March 10, during the National Bike Summit in Washington D.C.

"We are impressed by the breadth of perspective as well the input the group provided us," said Lauren Marchetti, Director, National Center for Safe Routes to School. Forty national leaders in a variety of fields from safety to health to environment to education discussed how the Safe Routes to School program benefits communities nationwide and how it can continue to expand and serve more schoolchildren. The group provided insight into local needs and identified ways in which member's programs and activities can both benefit from and help advance SRTS initiatives. The group will meet twice per year. Go to www.saferoutesinfo.org/nrg for a list of members and future updates.

Congressman Jim Oberstar presents Oberstar Safe Routes to School Award to Bear Creek Elementary School

Bear Creek Elementary students, parents and administrators received the Oberstar Award from Congressman Oberstar at the National Bike Summit on March 10.

Congressman James L. Oberstar (D-Minn.) presented the Oberstar SRTS Award to a delegation from Bear Creek Elementary in Boulder, Colo., at the National Bike Summit in Washington, D.C. on March 10. The National Center for Safe Routes to School and Congressman Oberstar presented the national award to Principal Kent Cruger, parent volunteers Vivian Kennedy and Jim Kornish, Boulder Valley School District SRTS administrator Landon Hilliard, and three students. The award is named for Congressman Oberstar, chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, for his dedication to this program.

Bear Creek Elementary School's Safe Routes to School program involves 70 percent of students in walking and bicycling activities throughout the year. The school is one of the first in the country to have walking school buses throughout the school year. Principal Kent Cruger challenges students daily with his own examples of car-free travel and creative modes of alternative transportation.

"We are grateful for the support of district personnel, the Safe Routes Program, the City of Boulder, and especially our parent community at Bear Creek," said Cruger. "This team effort has had an incredibly positive impact on our students."

Register for SRTS National Conference

Register online for the 2009 Safe Routes to School National Conference by visiting www.saferoutesconference.org. The conference will be in Portland, Oregon, August 19–21, 2009, with a pre-conference health workshop on August 18. Early registration is $300 (through May 15, $350 after May 15, 2009). The theme of the 2nd SRTS National Conference is Two Steps Ahead, signaling the advancements made by more than 4,500 schools participating in the Federal SRTS program and by many others who initiated Safe Routes to School activities before Federal funding was available.

Blane Lyon donates songs to SRTS National Partnership

SRTS now has a soundtrack! San Francisco Bay Area musician Blane Lyon recently produced two SRTS songs titled "I Want to Walk" and "Ride My Bike." The songs were originally created for the SRTS program in Santa Rosa, Calif. Now Blane has donated them for use on the SRTS National Partnership Web site. Listen to the songs here: http://www.saferoutespartnership.org/mediacenter/221176

Free Webinar April 21

Register for the next free webinar from America Walks and the National Center for Safe Routes to School. The webinar will be Tuesday, April 21 at 2 p.m. EDT and will cover Engineering Treatments and Strategies for Safe Routes to School (Part II). Presenters are David Parisi, PE, TE, from Parisi Associates Transportation Consulting and Michael Cynecki, PE, Traffic Engineering Supervisor for the Phoenix Street Transportation Department.

This webinar will concentrate on effective engineering tools to create safer street crossings and successful ways to calm traffic along school routes through various means including crosswalks, crossing islands, curb extensions, state of the art traffic controls, and various traffic calming techniques. Register here.

This free webinar is part of the Safe Routes Coaching Action Network Webinar Series, developed by America Walks and the National Center for Safe Routes to School.

The first part of this two-part series is archived here: http://www.americawalks.org/advocates/safe-routes-action/webinars/.

Funding available for neighborhoods to improve pedestrian safety

The Highway Safety Research Center (HSRC), at the University of North Carolina — Chapel Hill, is seeking proposals from up to 10 communities or neighborhoods to pilot-test a newly developed guidebook on how to improve pedestrian safety in neighborhoods. Each selected site will be provided $2,000 as well as technical assistance from pedestrian safety experts. To download the RFP, please visit http://www.walkinginfo.org/res_guide/index.cfm.

Only government agencies and other not-for-profit organizations and neighborhood groups (such as PTAs, homeowner's associations, advocacy groups, etc.) are eligible to apply. Project funds are not payable to individuals. HSRC will conduct a pre-award conference call on Friday, May 1, 2009 at 1 PM ET to offer applicants an overview of the RFP as well as answer questions from applicants. To register for the call, please visit http://www.walkinginfo.org/res_guide/call.cfm.

Completed proposals are due Friday May 29, 2009 by 5 PM ET. Applicants should use the Web-based submission process available at http://www.walkinginfo.org/res_guide/RFP.cfm. HSRC anticipates selecting the awarded communities in mid-July 2009.

Policy Report from SRTSNP

The Safe Routes to School National Partnership published a 2009 Policy Report in March. The SRTS National Partnership is a network of more than 400 organizations supporting Safe Routes to School across the country. To view the report, go to www.saferoutespartnership.org/mediacenter/31472.

Safe Routes Snapshots: Smyrna, Delaware

Safety is for everyone

The Smyrna School District and the Town of Smyrna identified the goal of improving safety for children who already were walking and bicycling to school. Community members also wanted to promote physical activity among children.

Smyrna has a small school district with eight schools. Three elementary schools currently participate in SRTS: North Smyrna Elementary School, (with 42 percent of students in low income bracket), Smyrna Elementary School and Clayton Elementary School.

Students from North Smyrna Elementary helped former Governor Ruth Ann Minner cut the ribbon on the new sidewalk and crosswalk that now lead to their school.

The schools received a SRTS award through Delaware DOT of $523,000 (2007 to 2008) for new sidewalks, crosswalks and curb construction, plus education programs at the three schools. The focus is on improving the safety of students who regularly walk or ride bicycles to school.

For each of the schools, marked crossings did not exist on some of the primary school walking routes and existing marked crossings were faded, not wide enough, and/or not ADA compliant, explains Sarah Coakley, SRTS State Coordinator for Delaware.

Thanks to collaboration between the school district, Town of Smyrna and Delaware DOT, the improvements adjacent to North Smyrna Elementary were completed in six weeks, with most of the work completed before school began in August 2008. This fast-tracking has allowed the town to make walking and bicycling safer for schoolchildren, and to make effective use of local and Federal SRTS funding.

"These improvements enhance safety for students who walk or bicycle by encouraging them to use safer crossings where traffic control devices are located, by completing gaps in the routes to school, by making routes accessible and by increasing driver awareness of school routes and the presence of children," said Deborah Wicks, Superintendent, Smyrna School District.

In addition to the physical improvements, the schools reinforce walking and bicycling safely to school through classroom lessons, positive behavior support, posting rules for students and communicating rules to parents via newsletter and orientations. In addition, the Physical Education teachers involve students in "All Children Exercising Simultaneously" initiative, walks around the schools, International Walk to School Day, instruction on how to use a pedometer, and lessons on the health benefits of walking and bicycling.

Download a PDF version of the full case study: http://www.saferoutesinfo.org/case_studies/pdfs/DE.smyrna.pdf

Contact

Sarah Coakley
Delaware SRTS State Coordinator
Phone: (302) 760-2236
Email: sarah.coakley@state.de.us

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.

Students Give Up Wheels for Their Own Two Feet
NY Times, Europe
3/26/09
Lexington's Community Fitness Initiative Release Report
Nebraska ABC-TV
3/26/2009
Possible Trail Gaining Momentum: HARBOR, Inc. brings focus through 'Safe Routes to School' initiative
Harbor Springs, MI — Harbor Light (newspaper)
3/25/2009
Asking for Complete Streets (and other things) for New Jersey
Morristown, NJ (Blog on NJ.com)
3/24/2009
Valparaiso considers funding for sidewalks
Sun-Times, Indiana
3/24/2009
Kidical Masses bring message for more money to City Hall
BikePortland.org (Portland, OR)
3/23/2009

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.