Ohio is a leader in the national Safe Routes to Schools movement. Here are just a few benchmarks and accomplishments in our great state:

• Ohio’s program began in 2005 with the passage of the federal transportation bill SAFETEA-LU, and continues as a fully funded program under MAP-21 in 2013 (only one of two states to commit to a fully funded program).
• Over $49 million dollars in Safe Routes funding has been awarded as of December 31, 2012; the next round of awards, totaling up to $8 million dollars, will be announced in May, 2013.
• 485 community projects have been awarded to date ; 74 of 88 counties in Ohio have Safe Routes to School programs.
• During the 2011-12 school year, Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS), the Ohio Department of Transportation and Transystems developed the first large district school travel plan, and CPS was awarded $1.2 million to begin implementation in the 2012-13 school year.
• In 2012, Chagrin Falls, Ohio won the coveted Safe Routes To School Oberstar Award, the highest honor a Safe Routes to School program can earn.
• In March, 2012, the Safe Routes Partnership appointed an Ohio advocacy organizer through funding from the Robert Wood Johnston Foundation; the Ohio Safe Routes Network was convened in June, 2012, and adopted an Ohio Safe Routes Action Plan in November.
• Since June, 2012, the Ohio Safe Routes Network has grown from 67 members to 150 members – a  55% increase in 6 months!

Interested in helping leverage funding for Safe Routes, bicycle and pedestrian projects and initiatives? Want to help further Complete Streets and shared use policy and programs in Ohio? Do you have an interest in improving these initiatives in underserved communities? Then join the Ohio Safe Routes Network, to keep abreast of what’s happening in Ohio, attend Ohio-based webinars, receive information via newsletters, emails and the upcoming Ohio Safe Routes website, and meet others from all over Ohio that share your interests. 

Leveraging Funding, Complete Streets, Shared Use and Data Collection/Evaluation Action teams are forming now, to facilitate goals outlined in these areas of the Ohio Safe Routes Plan. Join an Action Team and be a part of creating healthy, connected and economically prosperous communities throughout Ohio! Contact Kate Moening, Ohio Advocacy Organizer, at kate@saferoutespartnership.org, or visit http://www.saferoutespartnership.org/state/srts-in-your-state/ohio for more information on the Safe Routes Partnership and the Ohio Safe Routes Network.