Safe Routes to Schools

Did you know that in 1969 close to 50% of the children in this country walked to school, but today fewer than 20% do so?  You have probably noticed this change in your town – more kids being dropped off at school resulting in school sites that are heavily congested at morning arrival and afternoon dismissal times and frequent parental complaints about safety in the school zone.  Many researchers believe that this trend with the resulting drop in physical activity for children has frightening consequences for long term health.  The Safe Routes to Schools program is designed to reverse these trends and to get more students walking and bicycling to school.  A well designed Safe Routes program will diagnose what keeps kids from making the choice to walk or bike, and then develops strategies to change the environment and culture.

CRCOG Safe Routes Workshop Series
Currently, the federal government has made funds available to help communities with Safe Routes improvements.  That funding is available through the Connecticut DOT, but towns must have developed Safe Routes plans in place in order to access this funding.  CRCOG designed a three workshop series to assist our towns in developing Safe Routes Plans.

The 2008 workshop series has ended, but interested individuals can plan to attend our next round of workshops.  Contact Brenda Watson, bwatson@crcog.org,  to express your interest.

Other Safe Routes Resources
National Center for Safe Routes to Schools (NCSRTS)
Connecticut Safe Routes to Schools Program
Safe Routes Tool Kit
FHWA Safe Routes Website
CRCOG Slide Show Describing the Safe Routes to School Program