Safe Routes to School

SRTS Safe Routes to School (SR2S) is an international movement to make it safe, convenient and fun for children to bicycle and walk to school. When routes are safe, walking or biking to and from school is an easy way to get the regular physical activity children need for good health. SR2S initiatives also help ease traffic jams and air pollution, unite neighborhoods and contribute to students’ readiness to learn in school.

LMB helped to develop the original SR2S Michigan toolkit and currently sits on the Michigan Safe Routes to School steering committee.

Advocates across Michigan are using SR2S as a mechanism and funding resource to improve walking and bicycling infrastructure in and around schools in their communities. SR2S is just one more tool local you can use in your efforts to create a more bicycle friendly community. In fact, some advocates are even using SR2S as part of their efforts to change school policies that prohibit kids from bicycling to school. If schools in your area are not already participating in SR2S, LMB encourages you to work with other area parents and join the program today.

Learn more about Safe Routes To School in Michigan
www.saferoutesmichigan.org

Background & Resouces

In August, 2005, the Federal-aid SRTS Program was created by Section 1404 of the federal transportation bill, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient,Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users Act (SAFETEA-LU). Housed in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Safety, the SRTS Program is funded at $612 million over five Federal fiscal years (FY 2005–2009). Search a list of federally funded projects by state.

FHWA apportions SRTS funding annually to each State in conjunction with Federal-aid highway apportionments.

The national SRTS Program is federally funded, but managed and administered by each State Department of Transportation (DOT). It is the responsibility of each State to appoint a fulltime SRTS Coordinator, to develop a State SRTS program, and to disperse funds to local programs in accordance with State policies and any applicable Federal law.

Although some parameters have been spelled out in the legislation, States may structure their program in ways most suitable to their needs. States may also provide their own funds. For information on a specific State, please visit State SRTS Contacts. For more information on the Federal Safe Routes to School Program, including FHWA Program Guidance, please visit the Federal SRTS Program Web site.