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State Policies: Best Practices
State policies have a profound impact on the safety, convenience, and ability of children to be able to walk and bicycle to schools. Our detailed briefs will help you assess how these important policies might be improved within your state as they relate to Safe Routes to School issues.
Application Guidelines
The federal funds for SRTS flow from the Federal Highway Administration to the State Department of Transportation (DOT). How the state DOTs set up their programs have a profound impacts on the quality of local SRTS programs and the overall number of students that are being served within the state.
Complete Streets
The planning, design, construction, and maintenance of all roadway and transit facilities, as well as developments and new schools, should consider and include the needs of bicyclists and pedestrians from the inception of the project.
Curriculum and Training Programs
Statewide curriculum and training programs provide for opportunities to integrate SRTS into school studies and other municipal activities.
Fine-Based Mechanisms
Some states have successfully funded local SRTS programs through fine-based mechanisms such as double-fine zones, and/or additional fees for red-light runners.
Joint Use Agreements
As a strategy for addressing childhood obesity and physical inactivity, school districts can share their recreational facilities after school hours through joint use agreements with their local governments.
Legislation
Advocates can successfully work with state legislators to introduce legislation to create more funding and/or improved policies for SRTS at the state level.
Low Income Communities
This resource will help state advocates to better work with their State DOTs to develop proactive policies that will assist the most vulnerable communities in planning for, applying for, and implementing Safe Routes to School grants.
Personal Safety
Although personal safety has steadily improved over the years, many parents are still too worried about the personal safety of their children to allow them to walk or bicycle to school. This resource provides parents and SRTS advocates with techniques for addressing various personal safety concerns.
School Bus Cuts
School districts all across the country are struggling to balance budgets and save money. When school districts face financial challenges, a common target for cuts are the school transportation system by cutting back bus routes, trimming the number of bus stops, or widening the walk radius around a school.
School Siting
Only about 35% of students in the United States live within two miles of their school. Statewide policies on school siting, acreage requirements, joint-use, and renovations can profoundly impact the percentage of students who live within walking or bicycling distance of their school.
Strategic Highway Safety Plans
Each state DOT is required to develop a data-driven Strategic Highway Safety Plan for programming their Highway Safety Improvement fund. Some of this funding can be spent on bicycle and pedestrian safety for school children.
Wellness Policies
Federal policies mandate that each school receiving federal aide for school lunches develop a wellness policy that focuses on nutrition and physical activity. Some states have developed sample wellness policies; this provides an important avenue for promoting Safe Routes to School and institutionalizing the program at state and local levels.
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