Safe Routes to School

crossing street

Safe Routes to School is an initiative that works to make it safe, convenient, and fun for children to walk and bicycle to and from schools. The goal is to get more children walking and bicycling to school,  improve kids' safety, and increase health and physical activity.

As the stats bear out, kids today have become less active, less independent, and less healthy. In 1969, nearly 50 percent of all children in the United States (and nearly 90 percent of those within a mile of school) walked or bicycled to school. Today, that number has plummeted to fewer than 15 percent. During the morning commute, driving to school represents 10-14 percent of traffic on the road.

Studies show that Safe Routes to School programs are effective at increasing rates of bicycling and walking to school and decreasing injuries.

Concerned by the long-term health and traffic consequences of this trend, in 2005 Congress approved funding for implementation of Safe Routes to School programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Though there have been policy shifts, Safe Routes to School is still eligible for funding under the current federal transportation bill. Communities use funds to construct new bicycle lanes, pathways, and sidewalks, and launch Safe Routes to School education, promotion, and enforcement campaigns.

At the local level, Safe Routes to School practitioners run education and encouragement programs with families and schools and push for strong municipal and district policies to support safe walking and bicycling.  The most successful Safe Routes to School programs incorporate the Six E’s: evaluation, education, encouragement, engineering, engagement, and equity. At the regional and state level, Safe Routes to School practitioners work to find new funding and ensure proper spending of existing funding for Safe Routes to School.  And at the federal level, the Safe Routes Partnership and its allies maintain a steady voice for policy and funding support and provide a source of expert help, ideas, and resources for leaders at all levels.

featured resources

Webinar
Plotting Our Partnerships: Community Engagement Capacity Building Strategies

On Wednesday, October 11th from 11 am to noon Mountain, the Colorado Department of Transportation is hosting a free webinar presented by the Safe Routes Partnership. 

Webinar
A Safer System for Student Travel: Enhancing Safe Routes to School Through Vision Zero

Wednesday, September 20th from 2 pm - 3 pm ET

Vision Zero is an international movement to eliminate all traffic fatalities and serious injuries. We still have a long way to go, but new approaches to Vision Zero are offering more opportunities for Safe Routes to School integration. Learn how the Vision Zero Safe System approach can be applied to school settings and explore tips for partnering with Vision Zero staff. Achieving Vision Zero will take cooperation from everyone, so let’s find ways to work better together!

Fact Sheet
Dedicated Staff Power up State-Level Safe Routes to School Programs

This factsheet is meant for staff at state departments of transportation (DOTs) and other walking and rolling champions to understand how other states currently staff their Safe Routes to School programs and what supportive activities they manage to achieve with that support.

Fact Sheet
Action Steps for Champions to Boost Your State’s Score – New Opportunities from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

This resource provides recommendations for how champions and stakeholders who care about their state’s support for active transportation and physical activity, can emphasize new opportunities within the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to influence decision-makers in their state to strengthen state policies and practices for improving walking and rolling and raise their state report card scores.  
 

Fact Sheet
Boost Your State’s Score – Action Steps for State Departments of Transportation Using New Opportunities in Federal Law

This resource provides recommendations for how state departments of transportation (DOTs) can respond to new opportunities within the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support walking, bicycling, and Safe Routes to School -- and maintain and raise report card scores.