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Texas
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Pflugerville, Texas, Bike Crossing | Texas SRTS State Network
Texas is one of ten jurisdictions participating in the SRTS National Partnership Network Project. This initiative creates state networks that bring together advocacy groups, government agencies, and other leaders.
Texas SRTS Program
Managed by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Texas’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.
Success Stories and Best Practices
Other Statewide and Regional Programs
Texas Partner Affiliates
Find out which organizations in your state have pledged their support as partner affiliates of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership.
Legislation and Policies
Texas SRTS State Network
Texas is one of the ten jurisdictions participating in the SRTS National Partnership State Network Project. The Texas SRTS State Network Organizer works for a sponsoring organization, which is under contract with the SRTS National Partnership.
Texas State Network Organizer
Michelle Hoelscher, Senior Administrative Coordinator
Texas Transportation Institute
(979) 847-8724
michelle@saferoutespartnership.org
http://tti.tamu.edu/
Texas State Network Chair
To be announced.
Texas SRTS State Network Members
To be announced.
Texas SRTS Program
Texas’s Safe Routes to School program is managed by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).
Texas DOT SRTS Coordinator
Tonna Marcyes
(512) 416-3207
tmarcye@dot.state.tx.us
www.dot.state.tx.us/services/traffic_operations/safe_routes_to_school/default.htm
Texas SRTS Federal Funding
Texas’s SRTS funding totals $44,684,980 and includes the following annual apportionments:
| 2005 Actual |
2006 Actual |
2007 Actual |
2008 Actual |
2009 Projected |
| $1,000,000 |
$7,009,094 |
$9,408,067 |
$12,114,991 |
$15,152,828 |
Application Guidelines
The program call for project proposals ended in May 2007 and projects were awarded September 27, 2007. The Texas Transportation Commission approved approximately $24.7 million in projects. Click here to view the press release. Statewide, 244 projects in more than 66 communities were approved. The timing of the next call will be determined after this cycle is completed.
There are four different types of applications: Non-Infrastructure Program and Plan Development, Non-Infrastructure Plan Implementation, Non-Infrastructure Statewide Services, and Infrastructure Projects. The Non-Infrastructure and Infrastructure applications required a Safe Routes to School Plan be submitted for consideration of funding.
For more information, please see the TxDOT SRTS program.
State Advisory Committee
Texas does not have a State SRTS Advisory Committee but instead utilizes the knowledge and skills of our 27 District SRTS local contacts, the Bicycle Advisory Committee, and the TxDOT SRTS Review Committee. There are plans to propose that the TxDOT administration set up a State SRTS Advisory Committee in the near future.
State Outreach Programs
The TxDOT SRTS State Coordinator and regional SRTS staff have hosted dozens of meetings around the state to explain the new SRTS application process.
Evaluation Methods
Grantees are required to complete evaluation and scoring forms with each application. Texas also utilizes the Texas Transportation Institute to formally evaluate the success of the program. Forms and guidelines are available on the Texas SRTS program call page.
Success Stories and Best Practices
Amarillo, Texas: Safe Kids Week 2007
To celebrate the 2007 Safe Kids Week, Amarillo hosted an event at Will Rogers Elementary School on Friday, May 4th, 2007. The event provided fun ways for families to learn that close supervision, proper safety devices, and other simple prevention measures help children avoid injury. Over 500 students rotated through the booths to receive precautionary advice at the day-long event. The Texas Bicycle Coalition SRTS program provided tips on helmet and bicycle safety and bicycle maintenance.
Contact:
Robin Stallings
Texas Bicycle Coalition
(512) 476-7433
robin@biketexas.org
www.biketexas.org
Other Statewide and Regional Programs
BikeTexas SRTS Program
Texas Bicycle Coalition Education Fund has operated the BikeTexas Safe Routes to School program since 2004 with funding from a U.S. Department of Education, Carol M. White Physical Education Program grant. The BikeTexas SRTS regional program concentrates on SRTS encouragement and education activities in Lubbock, Amarillo, Fort Worth, Witchita Falls, and surrounding towns.
Texas SuperCyclist Project
Since 1998 the Texas Bicycle Coalition Education Fund has managed the Texas SuperCyclist project with traffic safety funding from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). Over 500,000 Texas 4th and 5th grade school children have received at least five hours of bicycle and pedestrian safety instruction from their elementary P.E. teachers. The SuperCyclist project has trained over 3,000 elementary P.E. teachers in the “train the trainer” type program. The SuperCyclist project is the nucleus of the BikeTexas Safe Routes to School program.
Legislation and Policies
Matthew Brown Act
The Texas Legislature passed the Matthew Brown Act in 2001 and laid the foundation for the state Safe Routes to School infrastructure program. Twenty-seven awards were given in a 2003 call for infrastructure projects. The lessons learned from that pilot program helped establish the current TxDOT Safe Routes to School program.
Wellness
In 2003 and 2007 the Texas Legislature passed bills that require 30 minutes per day of physical activity for K-8.
Curriculum
In 1993 the Texas Legislature passed a bill requiring the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to develop a bicycle safety curriculum. The SuperCyclist curriculum was developed in partnership with the Texas Bicycle Coalition Education Fund.
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