Louisiana

Louisiana SRTS State Network
Louisiana 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.

Louisiana SRTS Program
Managed by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), Louisiana’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.

Louisiana Partner Affiliates
Find out which organizations in your state have pledged their support as partner affiliates of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership.

Louisiana SRTS State Network

Louisiana is one of the twenty jurisdictions participating in the SRTS National Partnership State Network Project. The Louisiana SRTS State Network Organizer works for a sponsoring organization, which is under contract with the SRTS National Partnership. Learn more at: http://www.planning.uno.edu/BikePed/saferoutes.html

Louisiana State Network Policy Achievements:

This promotional piece highlights Louisiana's state network policy achievements.

Louisiana SRTS State Network Partners

Action for Healthy Kids Program
Center for Planning Excellence
Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
KidsWalk Coalition
Laboratory of Preventive Medicine Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Louisiana AARP
Louisiana Department of Education
Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
Louisiana SAFE KIDS, Inc.
Louisiana State Senate
New Orleans Children's Hospital
New Orleans Metropolitan Bicycle Coalition (BikeEasy)
New Orleans Recovery School District
New Orleans Regional Planning Commission Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety Program
Office of Public Health
Steps to a Healthier New Orleans (affiliate of the Louisiana Public Health Institute)
Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
University of New Orleans Department of Planning and Urban Studies

Louisiana SRTS Program

Louisiana’s Safe Routes to School program is managed by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD).

Louisiana SRTS Federal Funding

Louisiana’s SRTS funding from FY2005-2009* totals $8,963,736 and includes the following annual apportionments:

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

Application Guidelines

The Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program has successfully executed a funding cycle each year since 2006, and has opened its 6th round of funding. Eligible applicants include parish, municipal and local agencies whose vision is to create safer routes for kids to walk and bike to school. Acceptance of proposals will open sometime in early January 2012 and close in March 2012. Exact dates will be announced on LADOTD’s webpage.

To date, 59 projects have been approved between 2007 and 2011 — 11 non-infrastructure and 48 infrastructure projects — which approximately cost $11.3 million in total. As of October 4, 2011, six infrastructure projects have been completed, including Napoleonville Middle School in Assumption Parish. Two other schools in the South Central Region have been approved for funding: LaPlace Elementary in St. John Parish and Lockport Elementary School in Lafourche Parish. SCPDC assisted the Parishes in completing the grant paperwork.. The quality of applications has elevated each cycle with more comprehensive proposals and innovative ideas. This is due in large part to the statewide training that has been offered each year since 2007. In an effort to be sensitive to shrinking travel budgets, the statewide meeting was replaced with five regional trainings in 2010, creating an opportunity for dialog regarding local needs and concerns. More than 100 potential partners were trained.

SRTS funds are made available for two different types of projects (infrastructure and noninfrastructure), with not less than 10 percent and not more than 30 percent of available funds required to be spent on noninfrastructure activities. Approved projects will be funded at a 100% level by the FHWA through the La DOTD. No matching funds are required. Applicants are encouraged, however, to leverage funds available from other sources in order to maximize the efficient use of SRTS funds where possible. The leveraging of funds will not be considered as a factor in evaluating applications, however. The maximum funding for any project cannot exceed $250,000 for infrastructure and $50,000 for noninfrastructure activities for a total maximum of $300,000 per project.

All construction projects will be advertised and bid by DOTD and engineering firms will be advertised and selected by DOTD. Take this into consideration when preparing project costs. Applicants with projects in an area served by one of the metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) must attach a letter of endorsement for their project from the MPO. Please find more information at http://www.dotd.louisiana.gov/planning/highway_safety/safe_routes/.

State Advisory Committee

Louisiana’s SRTS board was formed in July 2006 and serves as steering committee for all SRTS activities in the state. The group meets quarterly.

State Outreach Programs

Louisiana is in the process of developing statewide education, encouragement, and outreach programs.

The Louisiana Safe Routes to School State Network is building relationships with key partners across the state and offering technical assistance to help ensure that the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) sees high demand for the current funding cycle. The network is also working with National Partnership staff and the LADOTD Safe Routes Coordinator to identify and disseminate national best practices for utilizing non-infrastructure funds, in hopes to catalyze stronger and more effective non-infrastructure proposals from organizations across Louisiana.

Evaluation Methods

The first round of applicants developed and provided their own evaluations. The Louisiana SRTS program also encourages the use of evaluation materials and methods from the National Center for SRTS and Tulane University.