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Connecticut
Connecticut SRTS Program
Managed by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT), Connecticut’s federally funded Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program is the source for state coordinator contact details, federal SRTS funding amounts, SRTS applications and guidelines, and state SRTS program information.
Connecticut DOT SRTS Coordinator
Sharon Okoye
(860) 594-2367
Sharon.Okoye@po.state.ct.us
http://www.ctsaferoutes.org/
Click on any of the menu items below for more information.
Connecticut SRTS Federal Funding
Application Guidelines
State Advisory Committee
State Outreach Programs
Evaluation Methods
Success Story
Other Statewide and Regional Programs
Connecticut Partner Affiliates
Connecticut SRTS Federal Funding
Connecticut’s SRTS funding totals $6,971,079 and includes the following annual apportionments:
| 2005 Actual |
2006 Actual |
2007 Actual |
2008 Actual |
2009 Projected |
| $1,000,000 |
$998,325 |
$1,332,573 |
$1,617,319 |
$2,022,862 |
Application Guidelines
Connecticut closed its second funding cycle for the infrastructure applications on July 16, 2007. Awards will be announced in December 2007. A SRTS School Plan was required to apply for infrastructure grants. Funding thresholds of $50,000 minimum to $250,000 maximum were set for this funding cycle. An open call for applications from local communities began in March 2007. Applicants submitted applications to their respective Regional Planning Organizations (RPO’s) for prescreening by May 31, 2007. The RPO’s submitted their top three applications to the State SRTS Coordinator by July 16, 2007. Top applications were assigned a rating and ranking by a Department of Transportation’s (Department) review panel for final project selections by the Department’s Bureau Chief of Policy and Planning. For more information, please see the CT SRTS website under Funding.
Guidelines have not yet been set up for non-infrastructure grants, but the State has initiated a pilot non-infrastructure program. Fourteen RPO’s will receive non-infrastructure funds for providing technical assistance for SRTS program and plan development to schools in their respective regions. The University of Connecticut’s Technology Transfer Center will receive non-infrastructure funding to provide assistance to RPO’s with educational, encouragement and evaluation for the pilot program.
State Advisory Committee
The first Statewide SRTS Advisory Committee meeting took place on October 23, 2007. The SRTS Advisory Committee plans to meet on a monthly basis. The SRTS Advisory Committee will assist in the development and implementation of the SRTS program; seek other opportunities to expand SRTS funding and policies to achieve the goals of more children walking and bicycling to schools safely; and provide collaborative opportunities through its representative organizations. The Committee is made up of volunteers from Department of Public Health Obesity and Injury Prevention Programs, Department of Education; Board of Education and Services for the Blind; Forest and Park Association; State Department of Environmental Protection’s No Child Left Inside Program; Governor’s Council on Fitness; Safe Kids Coalition; Kids Walk Safe; Regional Planning Organizations and University of Connecticut’s Technology Transfer Center.
Other supporting State and local organizations include: Connecticut Bicycle Coalition; Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance; Connecticut Greenways; state and local law enforcement.
State Outreach Programs
Connecticut will have several one-day SRTS training workshops in the Spring of 2008 on SRTS program and plan development. Check the State’s website for details as Spring approaches. These sessions will be hosted by University of Connecticut’s Technology Transfer Center. The University will also host bicycle and pedestrian training workshops for public works departments throughout Connecticut in early 2008, through a Transportation Enhancement grant.
Evaluation Methods
For infrastructure grant applications, it is required that grantees submit existing parental surveys and student travel mode data prior to and one year after the completion of SRTS infrastructure projects.
Success Story
Vernon, Connecticut: "Walking Wednesday" Program
Skinner Road School has been organizing walking event twice a month since October 4, 2006. Neighborhood students walk to school and “bus students” are dropped off about .7 miles from the school and walk the rest of the way with teachers and parent volunteers through walking school buses. They started with about 150 of 315 students (48%) participating in these events, and ended the year with 289 of 306 (94%) of the students participating! The organizers at Skinner Road School give each student a bracelet that identifies they are “walkers” that day. When it rains they begin the day with exercise in the gymnasium, and two students read their essays about why they like the “Walking Wednesday” program.
Contact:
Patricia Buell
Skinner Road School
(860) 870-6180
Patricia.Buell@vernonct.org
Other Statewide and Regional Programs
Board of Education and Services for the Blind
Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance
Connecticut Bicycle Coalition
Connecticut Greenways Council
Department of Education
Department of Environmental Protection, No Child Left Inside
Department of Public Health
Department of Public Health, Injury Prevention
Department of Public Health, Obesity Program
Department of Public Health, Eastern Health District
Forest and Park Association
Safe Kids Coalition
T2 Center
Connecticut Partner Affiliates
Find out which organizations in your state have pledged their support for the Safe Routes to School movement.
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