Delaware

Delaware SRTS Program

Managed by the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT), Delaware’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.

Quick Links

Delaware SRTS Federal Funding  |  Application Guidelines
State Advisory Committee  |  State Outreach Programs
Evaluation Methods  |  Success Stories
Other Statewide & Regional Programs
Delaware Partner Affiliates  |  Legislation and Policies

In the News

As of March 31, 2012, 37 elementary and middle schools in Delaware have ongoing school-level Safe Routes to School programs. This represents about 20 percent of Safe Routes to School-eligible Delaware public schools, including charter schools. Private schools serving students in grades K-8 are also eligible. Six schools in Delaware were awarded consultant planning assistance in January 2012 using federal Safe Routes to School program funding. Planning of infrastructure projects is currently underway at these schools, three of which are in New Castle County, two in Kent County and one in Sussex County. The most commonly requested infrastructure improvements requested in Delaware are bike racks, school zone signage, sidewalks, ADA curb ramps and crosswalk striping.

An additional 24 Delaware schools have participated in statewide Safe Routes to School-sponsored activities, such as International Walk to School Month and bicycle safety poster contests.Non-infrastructure activities are already taking place at these schools and others and include activities such as bike rodeos, bicycle and pedestrian safety assemblies and in-class instruction, walking incentive programs and school-level bicycle safety art contests.

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) Safe Routes to School program will be hosting walking school bus workshops, provided through a partnership between the National Center for Safe Routes to School and the Missouri-based PedNet Coalition in May. DelDOT has also been busy gearing up for the inaugural National Bike to School Day.  DelDOT Secretary of Transportation, Shailen Bhatt and state and local dignitaries will be participating in events on Wednesday, May 9. Bicyclists in Delaware’s annual Legislators’ Ride traveling from New Castle County will be stopping for a press event with students at Townsend Elementary School, on their way to Legislative Mall in Dover. At Legislative Mall, these riders and bicyclists riding from Kent and Sussex counties will be greeted by students from nearby South Dover Elementary School, and brief speeches will be conducted in honor of bicycling in Delaware.

Delaware SRTS Federal Funding

Delaware’s funding from FY2005-2009* totals $4,990,000 and includes the following annual apportionments:

* Funding for SRTS is being continued into FY2010 at FY2009 levels.

Application Guidelines

Instead of application cycles for SRTS funding, the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) has a rolling application process for funding where applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Delaware’s program guidelines for both infrastructure and non-infrastructure funding require that schools form a SRTS committee of diverse stakeholders and develop a SRTS plan before applying. Up to $10,000 per school is available for planning assistance, once schools have established SRTS committees. Individual SRTS projects may be funded up to $125,000. DelDOT uses on-call state contractors for the construction of all SRTS infrastructure projects and provides non-infrastructure programs and materials directly to participating schools. On-call planning, design, and engineering consultants provide planning assistance to schools. This greatly reduces the administrative burden of the program on the schools and allows them to focus on the implementation of program elements.

For more information, please see Delaware DOT SRTS.

State Advisory Committee

The initial Delaware SRTS program included a SRTS Advisory Committee that assisted with developing and refining application guidelines, creating programmatic structure and conducting outreach to local community applicants. The Committee is no longer intact.

Applications for funding are reviewed by the SRTS Coordinator, with assistance from additional internal DOT staff as needed.

State Outreach Programs

DelDOT is using statewide contracts for education, encouragement, and enforcement activities, which may include contests/incentive programs, marketing programs, media campaigns, and crossing guard training.

Evaluation Methods

As part of its annual research program, University of Delaware completed a statewide student travel mode and parental attitudes survey in Spring 2010. The survey questions were based on those on the National Center for SRTS forms. It is the intent of the SRTS Program to perform another statewide survey after a sufficient number of SRTS projects have been completed.

Success Stories

Christina School District, DE

The school wellness policy for Christina School District in Delaware states that all schools will work toward 150 minutes of physical activity per week. Safe Routes to School is a program they use to help meet this goal. The physical education teacher at one of the local elementary schools reports that all the infrastructure improvements and encouragement activities have really paid off, revealed in a noticeable decrease in the number of students being driven to school.

Newark, DE

Prior to the federal SRTS legislation, DelDOT sponsored a pilot program that provided up to $15,000 in state funds and consultant support to each of four schools through the creation of comprehensive SRTS plans. One of the schools, Downes Elementary School in Newark, already had an ongoing tradition of participating in International Walk to School Day. The school also had major congestion issues, access problems during school pick-up/drop-off, and lack of traffic awareness.

With state funds, Downes Elementary School developed a plan that included Walker/Biker Punch Cards, a walk at recess program, pedestrian safety education, and a walking school bus program. The SRTS committee coordinated with local police for enforcement of traffic laws near the school, and buses were separated from cars during arrival and dismissal by designating one parking lot for buses only. Changes in the pick-up and drop-off patterns have significantly reduced conflicts between students and buses. As a result of their efforts, over 500 students participated in the International Walk to School Day in 2006.

Other Statewide and Regional Programs

Organizations throughout the State are involved with initiatives relating to bicycle and pedestrian safety, and the health and fitness of children. DelDOT is currently working with the following agencies to integrate existing activities into the SRTS program and to encourage schools to take advantage of their programs as part of their SRTS plans.

Delaware Bicycle Council
Office of Highway Safety
University of Delaware Cooperative Extension
Nemours Health and Prevention Services

Delaware Partner Affiliates

Find out which organizations in your state have pledged their support for the Safe Routes to School movement.

Legislation and Policies

In 2002, three years before the federal SRTS program was created, Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner established a state Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program. As directed by Senate Bill 353 of the 141st General Assembly of Delaware (73 Del. Laws, c. 435), DelDOT developed a program that enabled the organization to work with schools in encouraging students to walk and bicycle to schools safely.

DelDOT made SRTS grants available for pilot programs at four schools in addition to a statewide Walk to School Day in 2006. Since the federal SRTS legislation was passed and federal funds made available, Delaware has not made additional state funds available for SRTS activities. Instead, DelDOT now has a single SRTS program that meets the requirements of both the state and federal legislation and is funded by the federal SRTS program.