The Safe Routes Partnership Testifies Before U.S. Senate in Support of the Safe Routes Improvement Act
20 years of Safe Routes to School experience shows us that one of the best ways to reach more kids with the fun, safety, and health benefits of walking and bicycling is through a state Safe Routes to School coordinator.
Last week, the Safe Routes Partnership was invited to testify before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works in strong support of the Safe Routes to School movement. Representing the organization was Marisa Jones, Managing Director, who highlighted the successes of the Safe Routes to School program over the past 20 years and urged Congress to include the bipartisan Safe Routes Improvement Act (S.1828) in the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization bill.
“With more than 20 years of success behind the Safe Routes to School movement, S.1828 ensures these efforts continue to benefit communities across the country…from rural towns to urban centers,” said Marisa Jones during her testimony. “Every child deserves a safe, convenient, and joyful route to school.”
The Safe Routes Partnership emphasized that this legislation would help ensure that federal transportation dollars reach the communities that need them most, strengthening local infrastructure for kids and caregivers to walk and bike and investing in education and encouragement programming to get kids moving on foot and on bike.
Why This Matters
The reauthorization of the federal surface transportation bill is a critical moment to prioritize transportation safety, especially for children. S.1828 will mean that states have the expertise to support local Safe Routes to School initiatives resulting in safer, more connected communities for kids and people to walk and bike.
This isn’t just about policy; it’s about people.
In Minot, North Dakota, a family walks safely to Washington Elementary thanks to new sidewalk connections.
At Regal Elementary in Spokane, Washington, attendance improved by 88% after students began participating in a Walking School Bus program.
In Miami, Florida, kids are discovering the joy of biking to school—skills they’ll carry for life.
In Plain Terms: What This Means for Safe Routes to School
If passed, this bill means that every state will have a Safe Routes to School Coordinator whose role is to help communities make it safer and easier for children to walk, bike, and roll to school. It’s a small investment with a big return: improved safety, better health, stronger attendance, and more connected communities. It can mean more money flowing to local communities to build sidewalks and bike lanes, to advocacy groups that run effective educational programming and events to get people walking and biking, and to the private sector to plan for and build these projects.
How You Can Help
Your support helps make this work possible. As we advocate for S.1828, we need advocates to raise their voices and resources to keep pushing for safer routes for every child, in every neighborhood.
Donate today at www.saferoutespartnership.org/donate and be a part of a movement creating lasting change, one route at a time.