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Local
Local Safe Routes to School Efforts
It is at the local level that the feet and tires of walkers and cyclists actually hit the pavement to make Safe Routes to School a healthy reality. Local SRTS efforts can start small with one individual or a small group of concerned parents who just want to offer their children healthy transportation alternatives. Or programs can involve entire school districts, city planners, and health officials united by the goals of the SRTS movement: improved health and reduced childhood obesity, decreased traffic congestion, better air quality, and enhanced neighborhood safety.
Your SRTS program may initially require more manpower than funding. But as your effort grows, you should look to your state Department of Transportation to apply for a grant to secure federal funding. In 2005, Congress approved $612 million to establish federal SRTS funding for SRTS programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Each State Department of Transportation (DOT) is receiving a minimum of $1 million per fiscal year through 2009 to fund local Safe Routes to School efforts.
Who to Contact
Find out if your community already has a SRTS program in place by contacting your local school, or your city or county government.
You should also contact your state’s SRTS program to find out where your state DOT stands in implementing the federal SRTS program, and to see if s/he has been contacted by anyone else in your community.
Getting Started
If your community or school doesn’t have a SRTS program, please see our Getting Started page that includes helpful links, a PowerPoint presentation, and specifics on how to use the 5Es of SRTS to build your program.
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