About The Safe Routes To School Program

Safe-Hit's RUBBERTOUGH 360 PORTABLE PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALK SIGN

Today, fewer than fifteen percent of all school trips are made by walking or bicycling. The decline in walking and bicycling has has a negative effect on traffic congestion and bicycle safety, as well as increased sedentary lifestyle putting children at risk for a variety of diseases.

The Purpose of the Federal Safe Routes to School Program is to "address these issues head on" by empowering communities "to make walking and bicycling to school a safe and routine activity once again."

Thus, the three specific goals of this program are to:

      1) Encourage children to walk and bike to school.
      2) Make it safe for children to do so.
      3) Help with planning projects that will improve safety           and reduce traffic, fuel consumption and air pollution.

By making funds available for a wide variety of programs and projects, from safer street crossings, enhanced signage and delineation of school zones, the Safe Routes program wants to encourage children and their parents to walk and bicycle safely to school. Safe-Hit is dedicated to helping schools, parents and city officials learn about and implement this program by providing information on how to receive funding and through educating the public about traffic control and safety devices that can be used in making all routes, by foot or bicycle, safer for children.

Eligible Activities

Funding Categories

Funds are available for infrastructure-related projects and non-infrastructure-related activities. The legislation states:

1. (1) INFRASTRUCTURE-RELATED PROJECTS.-- (A) IN GENERAL.--Amounts apportioned to a State under this section may be used for the planning, design, and construction of infrastructure-related projects that will substantially improve the ability of students to walk and bicycle to school.

2. (2) NON-INFRASTRUCTURE-RELATED ACTIVITIES.-- (A) IN GENERAL.--In addition to projects described in paragraph (1), amounts apportioned to a State under this section may be used for noninfrastructure-related activities to encourage walking and bicycling to school.

Additionally, the legislation gives examples of types of infrastructure projects that could be included in the program:

• sidewalk improvements,
• traffic calming and speed reduction improvements,
• pedestrian and bicycle crossing improvements,
• on-street bicycle facilities,
• off-street bicycle and pedestrian facilities,
• secure bicycle parking facilities, and
• traffic diversion improvements in the vicinity of schools.

Though not comprehensive, the below is a list of potential infrastructure projects that some states have used for existing Safe Routes To School programs.

• Sidewalk improvements: new sidewalks, sidewalk widening, sidewalk gap closures, sidewalk repairs, curbs, gutters, and curb ramps.
• Traffic calming and speed reduction improvements: roundabouts, bulb-outs, speed humps, raised crossings, raised intersections, median refuges, narrowed traffic lanes, lane reductions, full- or half-street closures, automated speed enforcement, and variable speed limits.
• Pedestrian and bicycle crossing improvements: crossings, median refuges, raised crossings, raised intersections, traffic control devices (including new or upgraded traffic signals, pavement markings, traffic stripes, in-roadway crossing lights, flashing beacons, bicycle-sensitive signal actuation devices, pedestrian countdown signals, vehicle speed feedback signs, and pedestrian activated signal upgrades), and sight distance improvements.
• On-street bicycle facilities: new or upgraded bicycle lanes, widened outside lanes or roadway shoulders, geometric improvements, turning lanes, channelization and roadway realignment, traffic signs, and pavement markings.
• Off-street bicycle and pedestrian facilities: exclusive multi-use bicycle and pedestrian trails and pathways that are separated from a roadway.
• Secure bicycle parking facilities: bicycle parking racks, bicycle lockers, designated areas with safety lighting, and covered bicycle shelters.
• Traffic diversion improvements: separation of pedestrians and bicycles from vehicular traffic adjacent to school facilities, and traffic diversion away from school zones or designated routes to a school.

Other types of projects that are not on this list may also be eligible if they meet the objectives of reducing speeds and improving pedestrian and bicycle safety and access.

For even more comprehensive information on the Safe Routes program, please visit the National Center for Safe Routes to School.