District of Columbia
DC SRTS State Network The District of Columbia is one of twenty jurisdictions participating in the SRTS National Partnership Network Project. This initiative creates state networks that bring together advocacy groups, government agencies, and other leaders.
DC SRTS Program Managed by the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), DC’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.
Other Statewide and Regional Programs
DC Partner Affiliates Find out which organizations in your state have pledged their support as partner affiliates of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership.
DC SRTS State Network
DC is one of the twenty jurisdictions participating in the SRTS National Partnership State Network Project. The DC SRTS State Network Organizer works for a sponsoring organization, which is under contract with the SRTS National Partnership.
DC State Network Policy Achievements:
This promotional piece highlights DC's state network policy achievements.
DC SRTS State Network Chairs
Tommy Wells, Ward 6 Councilmember
Anne Phelps, Mr. Well’s Transportation Advisor
Muriel Bowser, Ward 4 Councilmember
DC SRTS State Network Partners
ASPIRA- Latino Association
Coalition for Smarter Growth
DC Action for Healthy Kids
DC Bicycle Advisory Council
DC Department of Health, Policy, Planning, and Research
DC Department of Health, Nutrition, and Physical Activity Programs
District Department of Transportation
District Office of Planning
DCPS, PE and Health
DCPS, Special Education
Howard University, Civil Engineering
Injury Free Coalition for Kids
Metropolitan Police Department
Public Charter School Board
Transportation/WMATA Liaison, DC Committee on Public Works and the Environment
DC SRTS Program
DC’s Safe Routes to School program is managed by the District Department of Transportation (DDOT).
In the News
Safe Routes to School is on a roll in Washington, DC! The District of Columbia Safe Routes to School program continues to offer Safe Routes to School planning assistance to any school that requests it. Eight schools are currently receiving this assistance, for a total of 30 schools since the start of the program. DC schools are also able to request in-classroom pedestrian safety education for students in grades K-2 and bicycle safety education for students in grades 3-8. This past summer, the DC Safe Routes to School program completed construction on a $2.2 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) project to fill sidewalk gaps and make other safety improvements near schools.
The DC Safe Routes to School program is partnering with Kidical Mass DC and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association for a one day event this spring called, “The ABC’s of Family Bicycling.” This exciting event helped prepare families for the first National Bike to School Day. The event included training for how to ride in a bike train, information on the types of bikes and gear available for bicycling with children, an emergency bike repair clinic, a bicycle skills clinic and fun activities such as a bicycle decorating station. A number of local bike shops and non-profits attended the event.
“Concrete” SRTS Improvements in Washington, DC
20 schools receiving infrastructure safety upgrades through ARRA funding
The DC Safe Routes to School program assists schools with the creation of Safe Routes to School action plans on a first-come, first-served basis. As of fall of 2010, fifteen schools completed the program, and twelve additional schools are in the process of enrolling. Each participating school creates an action plan including recommendations for all five “E’s.” The DC Safe Routes to School program offers support to assist schools in the implementation of each “E.” For example, many schools are participating in the popular District Department of Transportation, “Walk & Roll Club,” a frequent walker/bicyclist reward program. The DC Safe Routes to School program provides all the necessary supplies for the program.
The DC Safe Routes to School program secured roughly $2 million of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding to construct safety improvements near schools, thanks in part to advocacy by the DC state network. The project includes the construction of missing sidewalks, signs, high visibility crosswalk markings and other enhancements aimed to improve the safety of walking and bicycling to school. After a busy summer of construction, improvements at nearly 20 schools have already been completed, with more on the way. At least one school has established a new walking school bus to take advantage of the recently constructed sidewalks.
As this school year begins, personal safety is on everyone’s minds; particularly those parents who live in high-crime areas and want to allow their children to walk to school. In response, the DC Safe Routes to School state network has promoted the idea of expanding the District of Columbia’s current Safe Passage program with the Chicago model. The Chicago Police Department’s Safe Passage program includes elements of extensive community canvassing in order to recruit volunteers to be "Eyes on the Street", "Corner Captains" and other more traditional in-school volunteers. Through the networks efforts, the Metropolitan Police Department has agreed to work with them to expand their Safe Passages program, and a pilot school for this project will be sought for this school year.
DC SRTS Federal Funding
DC’s SRTS funding from FY2005-2009* totals $4,990,000 and includes the following annual apportionments:
| 2005 Actual | 2006 Actual | 2007 Actual | 2008 Actual | 2009 Actual |
| $1,000,000 | $990,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
* Funding for SRTS is being continued into FY2010 at FY2009 levels.
Application Guidelines
DC’s SRTS program has finished the first round of comprehensive Safe Routes to School Planning Assistance. Twelve schools completed Safe Routes to School Action Plan and began implementing Safe Routes to School Activities, such as International Walk to School Day, the DDOT Walk & Roll Club, the institution of Walking School Buses, and beginning School Safety Patrol Programs. DDOT is currently accepting schools for SRTS Planning Assistance on a first come, first served basis.
State Advisory Committee
DC’s SRTS Advisory Committee is made up of the members of the SRTS National Partnership’s DC State Network.
State Outreach Programs
Developed and implemented by the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA), Bike and Pedestrian Safety is a free safety education program that brings training to schools. For more information, please see http://www.waba.org/education/youth.php .
DDOT is also partnering with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to provide enforcement of traffic laws in school zones. School zone enforcement will occur throughout the school year.
DDOT provides small prizes to schools that register International Walk to School events on the www.walktoschool.org website. In addition, DDOT is running a Walk & Roll Club during Fall 2009. Any eligible school can participate and receives all the supplies necessary to implement a frequent walker/bicyclist rewards program.
In addition to the projects that are being implemented using Federal SRTS funding, DDOT is conducting a School Area Assessment project to improve signs, signals, and marking maintenance around schools and to create a GIS inventory of these improvements.
Evaluation Methods
Current evaluation methods of the education program involve pre- and post student testing and participant skills evaluation. Schools participating in SRTS Planning Assistance are required to complete the Student In-Class Travel Tally and the Parent Survey provided by the National Center for Safe Routes to School, both before and after implementation of the SRTS program. A local University is also partnering with the DC SRTS program to measure changes in physical activity as a result of the SRTS program.
Other Statewide and Regional SRTS Programs
The Washington Area Bicyclist Association has developed several safe biking and walking programs and events for children.
Legislation and Policies
Key educational opportunities exist in priority issues relating to biking and walking in the District, such as Implementing the Federal and State SRTS Program, School Siting and Co-location (especially regarding Public Charter Schools), and Complete Streets.
Other important SRTS issues include: Crossing Guard Assessment District, Strategic Highway Safety Implementation Plans, DCPS Wellness Policy, SRTS Evaluation Tools and Policies and Bicycle and Pedestrian Curriculum development.
DC’s recently completed Pedestrian Master Plan focused on arterial streets that present crossing challenges for all people on foot as well as policy review and training on pedestrian-friendly design principles.