Safe Routes to School Programs
Announcements:10/08/08 Results of Federal Safe Routes to School (SRTS), Cycle 2 with $46M posted. (PDF) (MS Excel)
What is Safe Routes to School?
Safe Routes to School is an international movement that has taken hold in communities throughout the United States. The concept is to increase the number of children who walk or bicycle to school by funding projects that remove the barriers that currently prevent them from doing so. Those barriers include lack of infrastructure, unsafe infrastructure, lack of programs that promote walking and bicycling through education/encouragement programs aimed at children, parents, and the community.
Why is Safe Routes to School important?
Thirty years ago, 60% of children living within a 2-mile radius of a school walked or bicycled to school. Today, that number has dropped to less than 15%. Roughly 25% commute by school bus, and well over half are driven to/from school in vehicles. And back then, 5% of children between the ages of 6 and 11 were considered to be overweight or obese. Today, that number has climbed to 20%. These statistics point to a rise in preventable childhood diseases, worsening air quality and congestion around schools, and missed opportunities for children to grow into self reliant, independent adults.
Safe Routes to School Programs are intended to reverse these trends by funding projects that improve safety and efforts that promote walking and bicycling within a collaborative community framework. It is through local champions working with a coalition of parents, schools, professionals in transportation, engineering, health, law enforcement, that the most sustainable projects are expected to emerge.
How to get started
While every community is unique, the basic steps to consider prior to submitting an application for Safe Routes to School funds are:
- Identify community stakeholders and form a multidisciplinary team of partners committed to working together in developing a community vision, developing project applications, and implementing those projects if selected for funding.
- Inventory and identify safety needs/hazards around schools; get information and seek out resources; and propose alternatives that would correct those needs/hazards.
- Prioritize alternatives and adopt the best alternative that proposes short-term and long-term safety solutions in the form of projects.
- Develop a plan.
- Submit an application to secure funding for project within that plan.
| Program Features | State-Legislated Program - SR2S | Federal Program - SRTS |
|---|---|---|
| Legislative Authority | Streets & Highways Code Section 2330-2334 | Section 1404 in SAFETEA-LU |
| Expires | AB 57 extends program indefinitely | SAFETEA-LU expires in September 30, 2009 |
| Eligible Applicants | Cities and counties | State, local, regional agencies; cities and counties; non-profit organizations; school districts; and Native American Tribes |
| Eligible Projects | Infrastructure projects | Stand-alone infrastructure or non-infrastructure projects |
| Local Match | 10% required | None |
| Project Completion Deadline | Within 4 state FYs after project funds are allocated | Within 4 federal FYs after funds are obligated |
| Restriction on Infrastructure Projects | Must be located in the vicinity of a school | Infrastructure projects must be within 2 miles of a grade school or middle school |
| Targeted Beneficiaries | Children in grades K-12 | Children in grades K-8 |
| Cycles Completed | 7 cycles | 2 cycles |
| Current Status | Cycle 8 call for projects expected to be announced before the end of 2008 | Cycle 2 project list to be released in October 2008 |
| Funding | $24.2 million expected to be available in Cycle 8 | $46M available in Cycle 2 |