James L. Oberstar Safe Routes to School Award

News Release

Michigan Department of Transportation receives James L. Oberstar Safe Routes to School Award (PDF, 31KB)

Mike Eberling with Award Michigan DOT group with Congressman Oberstar

Video Greeting

View Chairman Oberstar's greeting to the National Safe Routes to School Conference and congratulations to MDOT.

About the James L. Oberstar Safe Routes to School Award

The award is named for Congressman and current Chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, James Oberstar to honor his dedication to America's school children. During his 33 years as a member of Congress, he has shaped the nation's surface transportation policies to support and encourage walking and bicycling as important transportation alternatives to motorized travel. He championed the SRTS program and built bipartisan support to secure its inclusion in the federal transportation bill which was signed into law in 2005. The law included $612 million over five years for the 50 States and District of Columbia to use toward developing their SRTS Programs.

2007 Award Eligibility Criteria

The Oberstar Award is given annually by the National Center for Safe Routes to School (NCSRTS) to an exemplary Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program in the United States.

  • This year's Oberstar Award will go to a State Department of Transportation that has publicly announced and awarded Federal SRTS funds by June 30, 2007. This includes one or more of the following:
    • Direct funding to schools, communities or local governments to start or sustain programs
    • Funding for planning grants
    • Funding to an entity or other public agency that centrally administers the SRTS program to schools or communities and has begun working with schools or communities to start or sustain local programs.
  • Applications for nominating a State Department of Transportation for the Oberstar Award can be submitted by individuals or organizations such as State SRTS Coordinators, State Departments of Transportation, Governor's Highway Safety Offices, FHWA Division representatives, NHTSA Regional Offices, SRTS advocates, and community organizations.

Applications for the award are reviewed by an Award Committee comprised of representatives from a number of invited organizations.

Nominated State Departments of Transportation

  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Kansas
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Nebraska
  • New Jersey
  • Vermont
  • Washington
  • West Virginia