How To: Walk & Bike to School Program
Table of Contents
Introduction
Around the world, less kids walk or cycle to school any more, this means more congestion, traffic accidents, and dangerous fumes surround our schools most weeks of the year.
The Decline of Walking
Don Kids Stopped Walking to School? a 12:38 minute video.
Benefits
Community-Wide Health Improvements
"Safe Routes to School improves sidewalks and street crossings and creates safe, convenient, and fun opportunities for children to bicycle and walk to and from school. The CDC has recognized Safe Routes to School as one of a handful of programs that are cost-effective and show significant population health impacts within five years." - https://www.saferoutespartnership.org/sites/default/files/resource_files/illinois_census_report_final.pdf
Reduced Emissions
Tailpipe spew out more than just C02, they also impact student health and intelligence with small particle pollution, which can cause brain, heart, and lung damage in unborn infants as well as older humans.
Asthma is price children pay for our increasingly car-centric communities, while communities who implement walk to school programs and other measure to reduce tail pipe emissions find their asthma rates can be reversed.
Reduces Traffic Congestion
10-20% of morning traffic is estimated to be students going or being taken to school. When students use active transport methods, public transport, or a school bus, they help reduce congestion.
Safety
Safety is on every parent's mind, so it's important to start with educating though talks, homework packets, leaflets or other modes of contact. Topics should include road safety...
For Adults:
Reminding parents who drive that they need to respect pedestrian right of way
They should always check their mirrors before turning
That their speed and attention payed to their surroundings can help keep all of our children safe!
Educate Children About Road Safety:
Stopping to look BOTH ways before crossing.
Only crossing in appropriate places, such as zebra stripes after pressing the crossing button.
Walking, not running across the road.
Holding hands with an adult or walking buddy.
For families who are used to going everywhere by car, mentality and habit may be the biggest barrier to action, so helping to facilitate a mental shift using some of the ideas suggested by the Government of South Australia's Think Feet First - Step, Cycle, Scoot to School program.
Appropriate Safety updates
Install a bike rack, or make sure the existing one is big enough, secure, and somewhere with windows or cameras to deter crime.
Consider having a paid or voluntary group perform a safety audit for the routes you expect students to take. If unsure about which routes are commonly taken, it could be worth asking kids or parents to fill out a survey. This could include questions such as:
"How do you get to school throughout the year?" (there may be more than one answer if they take a bus in the morning, or get picked up by a different person somedays, or even change with the seasons)
If you walked or rode a bike to school, which routes would or do you take?
What is the scariest part of your route to school?
What would make your route safer, or more comfortable? (options could be listed with boxs for multiple answers and blanks for road names)
Stop signs @ _______________
Traffic lights @ ______________
Zebra stripe crossing @ __________
Trimmed vegetation @ ____________ (overgrown brush can force kids to walk in roadways, or block a driver's vision at dangerous intersections)
Reduced speed limit @ __________________
A Lollipop Person/Crossing Guard @ ____________
A bike lane @ ____________________
A footpath @ ________________________
Shade trees planted @ _______________________
A police officer or cameras @ __________________
Other suggestions or comments ___________________
Would you be able or willing to help perform our upcoming route audit?
Using a map, you should now be able to create a safe route plan using data collected about where most students travel, and the most critical safety issues they face, or that prevent them from walking or rolling to school.
Example Audit Tool:
Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans: Walking Route Audit Tool (PDF) This example is filled in.
[would like help to find a blank version, or create a basic one to share]
Contact your local government, PTO members, and other groups that might be willing to help finance or implement changes. Letters to local homeowners and partnerships with an environmental organization could help get trees planted along a hot stretch of road to keep kids safe from heatstroke, while your local roads program might already have the funds for creating safer crossing locations for your kids.
Map the area, and ask route users for feedback, so any needed improvements can be met.
If any kids are left out of an other-wise safe walk-to school program due to physical or neurological issues, it may be possible to help the family access supportive mobility devices such as trikes, so long as the item is compatible with the route quality.
Safe Cycle Routes
Europe
UK
50 Family-Friendly Cycle Routes "Cycling with young children is often easier and safer on traffic-free or very quiet routes. Cycling UK's Victoria Hazael picks 50 cycling routes across the UK that are suitable for all the family. Most have a place to stop for food and drink."
Encouraging Engagement
Make the program fun and exciting for kids, and they may even encourage others to join in too!
Ask for Help!
Some Advocacy organizations offer bike or skating lessons, road safety courses for children of all ages. Some have educational packages ready for distribution and will happily sent a volunteer to talk to your kids about road safety, environmental responsibility, and how car-free alternatives can help keep our bodies healthy.
DIY Activities
Give out bingo cards or a "Passport" (example)
Advocacy Groups & Youth Programs
North America
USA
AllKidsBike "We’re on a mission to teach every child in America how to ride a bike in kindergarten PE class."
Louisiana
Massachusetts
Bike School in Roxbury "Every season, Bikes Not Bombs offers bike education and training programs at its Roxbury Hub, located at 520B Dudley Street in Roxbury, MA 02119.
Additionally, our Roxbury Hub location is supported by Children's Services of Roxbury, who provides therapeutic support to all of our Bike School participants and integrates mindfulness into our curriculum, using bicycle mechanics as a tool for healthy living."Bike School in Jamaica Plain "Every season, Bikes Not Bombs offers bike education and training programs at its Jamaica Plain Hub & Training Center, located at 284 Amory Street in Jamaica Plain, MA 02130."
Oceana
Australia
Ride Nation: Provider/Club Finder "provides the most comprehensive cycling directory in Australia. Find your local club, coach or commercial business by clicking on the filter in the directory." These organizations can help children learn safe riding skills.
Planning an Event
Types of Programs
Bike Riding Lessons This can be done in PE or as part of an after school or weekend course. Your local bike advocacy group may be willing to provide this service, or you may need to enlist volunteers such as parents and older siblings. Riding practice can be done in a gym or playground, but some organizations have created kid-only parks with child-sized roadways, stop signs and other miniature infrastructure that they'll face on real roadways.
In some countries, it is common for children who pass their "driving tests" receive a license proving that they understand the rules of the road, and can safely interact with traffic.Bike Train "adults supervise children riding their bikes to school."
Lollipop Man or Crossing Guard Program (same idea, but different names around the world) An adult with a reflective vest and a handheld stop sign waits every school day mornings and afternoons to help children and their families safely cross dangerous roads.
Stop, Look, Listen trains children to stop and check for traffic before crossing a road. These can be fun when incorporated into songs, images, dances, or other fun activities. Remind children and their guardians to practice at every road, plus spread the message to others.
Walking School Bus "A walking school bus is a group of children walking to school with one or more adults. If that sounds simple, it is, and that’s part of the beauty of the walking school bus. It can be as informal as two families taking turns walking their children to school to as structured as a route with meeting points, a timetable and a regularly rotated schedule of trained volunteers."
Eco-Challenges: Get everyone excited to be a part of the solution!
Resources
Building Momentum for Safe Routes to School: A Toolkit for School Districts and City Leaders (PDF)
Getting Results: National Center for Safe Routes to School | www.saferoutesinfo.org SRTS Programs That Increase Walking and Bicycling to School "This brief summarizes trends in walking and bicycling to school, provides an overview of eight programs that sought to increase walking and bicycling rates and measured their achievements, and outlines methods that local SRTS programs can use to measure the progress of their activities."
Investment Case: Bicycles as a Conditional Asset Transfer to Boost Rural Girls’ Education Outcomes and Empowerment "The findings from this research add to the growing global body of evidence demonstrating that bicycles can serve as an effective, low-cost conditional asset transfer to improve rural girls’ educational outcomes and empowerment."
Key Safe Routes to School Research "This section is a collection of research that evaluates current Safe Routes to School programs and identifies issues to consider when implementing new programs. Findings from these studies can provide insight into the cost-effectiveness of programs, impact of school siting, and how gender and socio-demographic factors can influence active travel to school.
Also included in this section is academic literature reviewing legislative policies that can provide practitioners with information regarding potential funding opportunities and policy trends that influence active transport initiatives. Many of the articles in this section directly reference Safe Routes to School programs."Safe Routes Partnership: Resource Library "Filter your search by selecting categories"
Safe Routes to School "A plan to make walking and biking to school a safe, fun activity"
Europe
UK
School Streets Toolkit (PDF in English) "Setting up a School Street is relatively simple and can make a huge difference to encouraging families to walk to school while improving the air quality in the area"
Stryd Ysgol (PDF in Welsh/PDF yn Gymraeg) "Mae sefydlu Stryd Ysgol yn gymharol syml a gall wneud gwahaniaeth enfawr i annog teuluoedd i gerdded i’r ysgol tra’n gwella ansawdd yr aer yn yr ardal."
North America
USA
FHWA's Safe Routes to School Program Provides an overview of the SRTS Program as well as specific program guidance to the states in the administration of SRTS funds.
Safe Bike To School Programs
The directory in this section focuses on safe-to-school programs, but you can click the Free Bikes and Trikes for Students button for programs dedicated to helping students (and sometimes other groups of people) free or afordable bikes.
In some countries access to bikes is not easily available, due to low income and limited resources. In rural areas especially, many students must walk an hour or more along very dangerous routes, often making them late for school, or discouraging attendance all together.
Students who have to worry each day about encountering criminals including robbery and kidnappings, feel much safer when they are given bikes. Girls especially feel safer when they can travel to school by bike, and have more energy left for learning, which statistics has shown helps keep them in school. In turn higher education can reduce problems like child marriage, meaning young women have a chance of a much brighter future for them and their entire families.
Africa
Tanzania
Velafrica: Bike to School Program "The average time taken to get to school in Switzerland is just 12 minutes. In rural regions of Sub-Saharan Africa, the situation is quite different as children often spend up to two hours walking to school and are exposed to numerous dangers. This is where our «Bike to School» program helps.
Children and young people from very poor backgrounds, who have long and dangerous journeys to school, can obtain a bike either at a reduced price. To date, over 4000 students in Madagascar, Tanzania and South Africa have benefited from the «Bike to School» program. We plan to add 2000 more children and young people by 2023."
Zimbabwe
CAMFED "CAMFED's holistic programs support girls to go to school, learn, thrive, and become leaders and change makers in their communities."
Story Bikes "was born from our fascination of electric bikes and love for philanthropy. Our mission is to enhance the way we commute while shaping the future for students in Zimbabwe."
North America
USA
Safe Routes National Center for Safe Routes to School "By starting with children and the trip to school, communities become safe places for everyone to walk and bike.
By creating safe places for everyone, communities take a major step towards meeting the national goal of ending traffic deaths on roads."Safe Routes Partnership "is a national nonprofit organization working to advance safe walking and rolling to and from schools and in everyday life, improving the health and well-being of people of all races, income levels, and abilities, and building healthy, thriving communities for everyone."
U.S. Department of Transportation: Safe Routes to School Programs "Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is an approach that promotes walking and bicycling to school through infrastructure improvements, enforcement, tools, safety education, and incentives to encourage walking and bicycling to school. Nationally, 10%–14% of car trips during morning rush hour are for school travel. SRTS initiatives improve safety and levels of physical activity for students. SRTS programs can be implemented by a department of transportation, metropolitan planning organization, local government, school district, or even a school. Extensive resources are available through a national center, including an SRTS Guide, parent surveys and student tallies, and simple strategies, such as the walking school bus, that schools can use to support bicycling and walking."
California
City of Paolo Alto: Bicycling & Walking "Palo Alto is home to one of the nation’s leading Safe Routes to School programs. An impressive average of 50% of Palo Alto's public high school students commute to school on bicycle in part due to the past efforts to provide bicycle-friendly infrastructure within the community." Check out their resources including their Palo Alto Bicycle Map or their Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan.
Colorado
City of Fort Collins "The City's Safe Routes to School program works with strategic partners such as Poudre School District and Bike Fort Collins to increase the number of students safely walking, bicycling, skateboarding, scootering, and taking the bus to school. Whether through bicycle and pedestrian safety classes, improved sidewalks and bike lanes, or enforcing school-zone speed limits and other "traffic calming" in school areas, our community is working together to make walking, bicycling or taking the bus a great choice for kids!" Check out their lists of participating schools, programs, and more.
Illinois
Maryland
Virginia
Virginia Department of Transportation: Safe Routes to School "The SRTS program has been active in Virginia since 2007 and helps schools and communities make walking and biking to school a safe, convenient, natural activity."
Washington
City of Tacoma: Safe Routes to School "The City of Tacoma Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program works to make it safer, more convenient, and fun for K-12 students and families to walk, bike, and actively roll to school through:
targeted infrastructure improvements,
walking and biking safety education, and
encouragement programs.
Partnerships between the City of Tacoma, schools, neighbors, community organizations, and other agencies help the program grow and succeed!"
Wisconsin
City of Milwaukee: SRTS "Safe Routes to School (SRTS) "is an international movement--and federal program--that uses programs and infrastructure to encourage children to walk and bike to school."
Oceana
Australia
ARRB Safe Roads at School Safe School Access Assessment (PDF) "This document has been compiled by the Australian Road Research Board’s (ARRB) Transport Safety Team. The intention is to outline a method to proactively identify and address road safety risk for students (and their parents) accessing schools, with a focus is on Vulnerable Road Users as they walk, ride, skate or scoot to school from their homes, bus stops or nearby street parking."
Ride Nation: Provider/Club Finder "provides the most comprehensive cycling directory in Australia. Find your local club, coach or commercial business by clicking on the filter in the directory." These organizations can help children learn safe riding skills.
WeRide! Australia: Safe Routes to School Initiatives "We Ride Australia has focused on the goal of encouraging more Australian children to ride bikes. From the past to present day, We Ride Australia continues to develop and disseminate information on how we as a nation, can improve the activity and ultimately the health of our children and our environment. By improving active travel infrastructure, delivering national programs and policy to improve the health and safety of young Aussie kids, together we can make a difference." Safe Routes to School Program
South America
Colombia
Ciempiés in Bogotá "A walking caravan (“Ciempiés”) aimed at promoting a safer, more engaging commuting experience. Led by adult guides, participating children and parents meet at various pick-up points and walk together to and from school. During the trip, guides lead their student caravans in a series of educational games designed to raise awareness of their surroundings and teach road safety. Through the journey, kids score points, are rewarded with stickers, and mark their progress with badges they wear on their uniforms. "
World Bicycle Relief "Our bicycles give rural communities around the world access to education, healthcare, and jobs that once were out of reach."
Peru
World Bicycle Relief "Our bicycles give rural communities around the world access to education, healthcare, and jobs that once were out of reach."
Old Bike Recycling & Donation
Donating bikes can help people who would not usually be able to afford one. This small directory can help you find charities and recycling locations that take bikes and give them a new life.
Do NOT donate or accept used helmets as these can have internal fractures. In the event of an accident, this could mean serious brain damage or even death for the wearer.
Europe
UK
Bike Recycling Click here for a map and other resources for recycling your old, rusty bike.
Getting the Balance "was created after the incredible success of our Charity Bike Build. The charity Home-Start approached us, to see if we could provide something similar for their younger children.
The event contributes to their health and wellbeing project, with the aim of reducing pollution on the school run through donations of balance bikes and scooters to families living in poverty, disability or mental health difficulties.
Working in teams, Getting the Balance will see your participants facing head-to-head challenges to earn the parts to win your bike and scooter parts. Both cerebral and physical challenges, there’s a challenge for everyone!
The exercise a school run gives a child, helps to boost and support their mental health, with schools commenting that children arrive ready to learn, if they’ve already had exercise before they arrive."
Apply for Donated Bikes
To recieve bikes or similar gear for students, click the button to find an international organization or one specifically working in your own area.
Organizations
North America
USA
National Center for Safe Routes to School Assists communities in enabling and encouraging children to safely walk and bike to school.
National Complete Streets Coalition News of complete streets activities from around the country and proposed federal legislation plus resources including fact sheets and a PowerPoint presentation.
Safe Routes to School National Partnership A network of more than 350 nonprofit organizations, government agencies, schools, and professionals working together to advance the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) movement in the United States.
Walk Friendly Communities is a national recognition program developed to encourage towns and cities across the U.S. to establish or recommit to a high priority for supporting safer walking environments. Communities are recognized for working to improve a wide range of conditions related to walking, including safety, mobility, access and comfort.
Grants for Safe-to-School Infrastructure & Programs
North America
USA
Oregon
Oceana
Australia
Community Road Safety Grants Program "This program provides $1.5 million in funding to empower communities to prevent and reduce the number of lives lost and serious injuries on Victoria’s roads." "Maximum $6,000 per school (exclusive of GST and administration funding). Capped at $24,000 per applicant (GST exclusive)."
Online Communities
Reddit
r/bicycleculture "A bicycling subreddit dedicated to bicycle culture and cycling's place in our society."
r/bicycletouring "Bicycle touring is about taking trips via bicycle. Whether you're going out for the weekend or cycling across continents, bicycletouring is a community of individuals who share this passion."
/r/bicycling "Two wheels, or three, sometimes one, but never more than twenty. Interested in riding a bicycle? We welcome bicyclists of all skill levels including those who don't yet own a bike. Ask us your questions or meetup with other redditors in your area for local rides. Happy cycling!"
r/bikecommuting "A community of bicycle commuters. Offering support, help and guidance to new commuters and advice and helpful tools for those who have been commuting for awhile. Break free from the tedious traffic and enjoy the fresh air!"
r/CargoBike This community uses cargo bikes to carry everything from sleeping babies to appliances and Christmas trees.
r/cycling "Discussion of everything bicycle related. bikeit! bike bikes bicycle bicycles bicycling cycling"
r/citybike "... a growing subreddit for city, urban, and utility bicycling. We welcome any and all submissions related to this type of riding and bikes of both traditional and contemporary design, sometimes known as a stadsfiets (in the Netherlands) or a roadster (in England)."
r/wintercycling "The cool season isn't the off-season."
Maps
The purpose of this section was to provide safe-to-school maps, but we have also included crash and accident data maps to help communities, schools, and planners better understand which locations are too dangerous for students.
To avoid risk to students it may be worth encouraging students to simply avoid these dangerous locations, or to work with community planners to reduce road speeds or provide other changes to make these locations significantly safer for everyone.
Africa
Namibia
Bike Safety Map (interactive) by Bicycling Empowerment Network Namibia is designed to help allert policy makers to dangerous locations where collisions have included bicycles.
Maps
North America
USA
Walk Friendly Community Map "A Walk Friendly Community is a city or town that has shown a commitment to improving and sustaining walkability and pedestrian safety through comprehensive programs, plans, and policies. Communities apply to the program to receive recognition in the form of a Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum designation. [With this map] you can sort and view profiles for communities that have been designated since the program began in 2011."
Colorado
Washington
Explore the Walkability of DC Neighborhoods (Interactive) "Select a neighborhood to learn more about who lives in that community"
Transport
The following buttons explore transportation options and their effect on the environment, organizations, as well as other resources for activists, citizens, community planners, and students.