Safe Routes Matters, July/August 2008

In this Issue:

Portland to host Safe Routes to School National Conference in 2009
Register your 2008 International Walk to School events
GAO releases report on Safe Routes to School
National Safe Routes to School Task Force releases final report
Center offers free online training for local Safe Routes to School programs
Skinner Road School's Grass "Routes" Effort
Featured Resource: Tips for SRTS Programs and Liability
News Brief
SRTS in the News

Portland to host 2nd Safe Routes to School National Conference

The city of Portland, Ore., recognized nationally for its walking and bicycling programs, was selected through a competitive application process to host the 2nd Safe Routes to School National Conference in 2009. The conference site was announced August 7 by the National Center for Safe Routes to School and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership.

"We're excited to have Portland host this important conference," said Lauren Marchetti, Director of the National Center for Safe Routes to School. "Portland has been praised for encouraging its children and adults to walk and bicycle as viable transportation alternatives. Their proposal to host the conference included creative partnerships and an emphasis on scholarships that will increase attendance and set the stage for another successful SRTS conference," added Marchetti.

The conference is planned for late summer of 2009 (details forthcoming). The 1st Safe Routes to School National Conference, held in Dearborn, Michigan, in November 2007, exceeded expectations with more than 400 participants including program representatives, state transportation administrators, engineers, planners, elected officials, parents and community members. For more information on the first conference, please visit www.saferoutesmichigan.org/nationalconference.htm.

Register your 2008 International Walk to School events

Registration is open for 2008 International Walk to School, an international event where communities from over 40 countries join together to walk and bicycle to school. Walk to School Day is October 8, 2008. The National Center for Safe Routes to School serves as the national coordinating agency for Walk to School activities in the U.S.

Registration is free and available to individuals or organizations holding a Walk to School event. To register a Walk to School event, please visit www.walktoschool.org/register. Registered schools will be displayed on an interactive U.S. map on the U.S. Walk to School Web site, where neighboring communities, media and other organizations will be able to view participating schools.

By registering, Walk to School organizers have access to a variety of downloadable materials, including certificates, templates for printing stickers and a frequent walker punch card. Registrants can be eligible to win prizes for their school, and can also subscribe to receive a weekly Walk to School e-newsletter with tips and resources on holding a Walk to School event.

For more information on Walk to School activities in the U.S., please visit www.walktoschool.org. To see photos from last year's event, please visit www.iwalktoschool.org/photos/index.htm.

GAO finds progress in implementing SRTS program

The GAO released a report in July (GAO-08-789) evaluating the first two years of the federal Safe Routes to School program. To view the full report, please browse to http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08789.pdf.

The report gave a positive assessment of the new, national Safe Routes to School program, and recognized that its main legislative requirements have been achieved. The report recommended that Congress consider requiring a state or local funding match if the program is reauthorized. Report authors also recognized the efforts of the federal program and the clearinghouse (NCSRTS) to develop a framework for evaluating SRTS results, but believe a comprehensive plan to evaluate the program is still needed.

"We are pleased that the report recognizes the evaluation components that the NCSRTS has put in place, including standardized national data collection tools," said Lauren Marchetti, director, NCSRTS.

These components were not part of the original scope of work for the clearinghouse. The Federal Highway Administration added them to highlight the importance of data collection and evaluation to the success of Safe Routes to School.

National Safe Routes to School Task Force releases final report

The National Safe Routes to School Task Force has released its final report, Safe Routes to School: A Transportation Legacy — A National Strategy to Increase Safety and Physical Activity among American Youth. To access the full report, please visit www.saferoutesinfo.org/task_force.

The Task Force was called for in law and established by the U.S. Department of Transportation to study and develop a strategy for advancing programs that enable and encourage children to walk and bicycle to school. Among the recommendations made by the Task Force are to effectively spend current Federal SRTS funds, initiate innovative solutions to advance SRTS and encourage support from SRTS stakeholders at the local, state and national level. The Task Force also recommends an increase in funding for the program at the Federal level.

The report outlines the early successes of the Federal Safe Routes to School program. As of March 2008, states have committed to spending approximately $222 million on SRTS programs. Forty two states have announced funding for local and/or statewide programs involving nearly 2600 schools. The remaining states are either working to set up their programs or are in various stages of the first application cycle.

The report also outlines the importance of advancing opportunities and addressing challenges that face Safe Routes to School. The Task Force recommends working on solutions to address issues that limit or prevent walking and bicycling such as liability concerns from schools, the design and location of school campuses and personal safety concerns among parents.

Center offers free online training for local Safe Routes to School programs

The National Center for Safe Routes to School has released a free, Web-based version of its Skills for Local Safe Routes to School Program Development training. The training focuses on key steps to comprehensive Safe Routes to School planning, specifically addressing process issues critical to creating a solid framework on which to build a successful program.

The Web-based version of this training allows the user to access and view the training modules at any time. To create an account and access the online training, please visit www.saferoutesinfo.org/training/local_program_skills

"Based on input from local Safe Routes to School program coordinators as well as State Coordinators, we know that time and resources can limit the ability to travel to an on-site training," said Nancy Pullen-Seufert, program manager with the National Center. "This Web-based training is a response to help meet that need."

The seven modules of the training include:

Welcome: General overview of the training.
Making the Case for SRTS: General overview of Safe Routes to School programs, why they are important, and a review of the five E's that make up a comprehensive SRTS program.
Getting Started: Get help with finding SRTS taskforce members, working with key stakeholders, building an SRTS Taskforce, planning a kick off meeting, and finding solutions for common barriers.
Gathering Information: This module will instruct you on gathering information to help put together a local SRTS action plan.
Developing an Action Plan: This module will take the information you gathered from Module 4 and help you to develop a SRTS Action Plan.
Sustainability and Evaluation: Program sustainability is vital to the ultimate success of your program. Evaluation efforts are important for long-term sustainability.
Finish the Training: Select this module to complete the training.

A certificate of completion can be printed upon finishing the online course. The Center offers additional training options, including an on-site version of the Skills for Local Safe Routes to School Program Development training. For more information on training, please visit the Training Section of the Center's Web site at www.saferoutesinfo.org/training.

Safe Routes Snapshots: Skinner Road School's Grass "Routes" Effort, Vernon, CT

Safe Routes Snapshots provides a brief profile of a Safe Routes to School state or local program that highlights a particular success or issue the program faced. To submit your program for Safe Routes Snapshots, please email news@saferoutesinfo.org.

Background

Skinner Road School is in Vernon, Conn. As a kindergarten to fifth grade school, it supports 330 racially and economically diverse students. In 2003, Skinner Road School had the lowest testing scores in the district. At this time, the school also had poor fitness test scores, with only 9 percent of fourth graders passing all four parts of the fitness test. In 2006, school staff and parent volunteers initiated Skinner Road School's first Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program with the belief that healthier students will learn better.

Details

To begin the SRTS program, the school had to gain support from a variety of potential partners in the community. These partners included the superintendent, the bus coordinator, the Vernon Police Department, the Department of Public Works, teachers and parents. All of these entities worked together to develop and implement a SRTS program that benefits the students and the community and promotes physical health and improved academic performance.

In 2006 and 2007, the school participated in International Walk to School Day. Prior to the event, posters and signs promoting the event and encouraging participation were placed throughout the school grounds. On the day before the event, the students received wristbands to remind them of the upcoming Walk to School Day. On the day of the event, all of the students were encouraged to meet at a designated location and walk to school together. The meeting points were sidewalk areas at intersections less than one mile north and south of the school. If the children lived too far from school to walk, they rode the bus to the designated drop-off area and then walked to school. Once all the children arrived at the drop-off points, the volunteers led them to school, where the cafeteria employees served breakfast that the students could take to class with them.

During their work on the SRTS program, the SRTS planners identified effective strategies for recruiting participants and holding successful events. Strategies including distributing a newsletter and reminder notes to the students' homes, directly contact parents via phone or in person and sending invitations to key public officials.

In addition to the International Walk to School Day events, Skinner Road School has several ongoing SRTS-related activities throughout the school year, such as bi-monthly Walking Wednesday events. Throughout the school year, messages on the importance of physical activity and how to walk to school safely are incorporated into the classroom curriculum. Also, activities encouraging wellness and exercise are incorporated into recess times and extracurricular activities.

Results

A goal of Skinner Road's Walk to School Day was for one school bus, typically filled with children, to be empty. On the day of the event, Oct. 3, 2007, the school officials exceeded their goal by having two empty school buses and more than 300 students, which is 94 percent of the student body walking to school the day of the event.

With the incorporation of healthy messages and activities into all aspects of the school, from recess to the classroom and to the journey to and from school, Skinner Road School has seen a marked improvement in the health of its students. In 2004, Skinner Road School had 2.4 percent of its students passing all four parts of the fourth grade fitness test. This number increased to 36 percent in 2006 and then to 42 percent in 2007.

The SRTS program began with the belief that healthier children learn better, and this belief turned into reality with the students' improved academic performance. Once among the poorest performing schools in the district, now Skinner Road School is among the best schools. From 2006 to 2007, the school demonstrated significant improvements in mathematics, reading and writing among students in the third, fourth and fifth grade. While walking and bicycling to school is not the only factor contributing to the improved fitness and academic scores, the administration at Skinner Road School believes the SRTS program is partly to thank.

To read the complete case study on Skinner Road School, please visit www.saferoutesinfo.org/case_studies/pdfs/CT.vernon.pdf.

Featured Resource: 10 Tips for Safe Routes to School Programs and Liability

This tip sheet offers guidance for liability issues with walking or bicycling to school. As Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs have developed, some have wondered if encouraging walking and bicycling to school may increase a school's liability exposure. In general, the answer is no. In fact, SRTS programs are designed to help schools and communities identify and address potential safety concerns. Taking concrete steps to make walking and bicycling safer will reduce the likelihood of injury, and thereby minimize exposure to liability.

To access the tip sheet, please visit www.saferoutesinfo.org/resources/collateral/liabilitytipsheet.pdf.

News Brief

Farewell Tim, Welcome Becky

FHWA Safe Routes to School Program Manager Tim Arnade is moving to FHWA's Office of Policy to serve as a key member of their congressional relations team. The Safe Routes to School program benefited greatly from his dedication and heartfelt commitment to enabling and encouraging children to walk and bicycle to school.

Becky Crowe has been named the new Safe Routes to School Program Manager for FHWA. Becky is a League Certified Instructor (LCI) for bicycling and participated in the pilot testing of the Safe Routes to School National Course. We welcome Becky and look forward to expanding our relationship.

Register for the next Safe Routes Coaching Action Network Webinar

America Walks and the National Center for Safe Routes to School present Safe Routes Coaching Action Network Webinars.

The next topic will be:

How to organize and run an SRTS event (step by step)
Presented by John Sweeney, PTA
Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 2 p.m. EDT (1 hour long)

Upcoming topics:

Urban SRTS and New Jersey's success stories, October 21, 2008 at 2 p.m. EDT
SRTS Liability Issues, November 18, 2008 at 2 p.m. EDT

To register for these free webinars, please visit www.saferoutesinfo.org/training/can_webinars.cfm.

The Safe Routes Coaching Action Network Webinars are designed to educate individuals and organizations on topics that will assist with successful outreach efforts. The Network will also offer Webinar participants the option to receive a coaching session from America Walks for assistance with their local outreach efforts. By offering follow-up coaching and education, the Network aims to increase the priority of and resources dedicated towards improving Safe Routes to School efforts.

America Walks is a national coalition of local advocacy groups dedicated to promoting walkable communities. Its members are autonomous grassroots organizations from across the country, each working to improve conditions for walking in their area. The mission of America Walks is to foster the development of community-based pedestrian advocacy groups, to educate the public about the benefits of walking, and, when appropriate, to act as a collective voice for walking advocates.

Guide available to improve neighborhood walkability

The Federal Highway Administration Office of Safety has released a new guide, A Resident's Guide for Creating Safe and Walkable Communities, to help residents, parents, community groups, and others make their communities better environments for walking.

The new guide is a user-friendly resource that includes information, ideas, and references to help residents learn about issues that affect walking conditions; find ways to address or prevent these problems; and promote pedestrian safety. It provides several community success stories that highlight successful community-oriented pedestrian safety projects and programs. The guide also contains several Resource Sheets, including fact sheets, worksheets, and sample materials. These materials can be adapted to meet the needs of a particular community, or distributed to others working to improve pedestrian safety.

To view a PDF or order a hard copy of the Resident's Guide, please visit safety.fhwa.dot.gov/PED_BIKE/ped/ped_walkguide.

SRTS in the News

The following is a brief compilation of Safe Routes to School-related news stories from across the country. Web links to the following news stories are time sensitive, so some stories may not be accessible after the initial publication date or may require registration.

More Feet Making Their Way to Schools: CNN; 8/21/2008
Program promotes walking to school: Farmington Daily Times; 7/28/2008
Congress Urged to Act to Help Cut Childhood Obesity Rates: MedPage Today; 7/24/2008
Walking School Bus program expands through grants: The Columbia Missourian; 7/23/2008
Local woman encouraging youth activity: Press-Citizen.com; 7/20/2008
Dollars to promote biking, walking: WAVY News; 7/18/2008
Creating Safe Routes to Walk/Bike to School: WHSV.com; 7/17/2008
High Fuel Prices Mean a Hard Road for School Buses: VOA News; 7/16/2008
Kids urged to walk, bike to school: USA Today; 7/12/2008
Officials work on Safe Routes to School Program: TimesBulletin.com; 7/11/2008
Ditch that car: The Union-Tribune; 7/8/2008
Look ma, no gasoline: The Register-Guard; 7/7/2008
They ride on a bicycle built for a family: Concord Monitor; 6/22/2008

For more news stories relating to Safe Routes to School, please visit the NCSRTS News Room at www.saferoutesinfo.org/news_room/

Safe Routes Matters is a free, online publication of the National Center for Safe Routes to School. No permission is needed to reprint from articles, but attribution is requested. To submit article ideas to Safe Routes Matters, please email news@saferoutesinfo.org.