Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday – not just because of the delicious food and the afternoon nap on the couch. As we kick off the month of gift giving and celebration that is the holiday season this day is very simply about quality time with family and friends and giving thanks.

Over the last few months, a great deal of momentum and synergy has been built around schools and communities initiating joint use (or shared use) agreements, which allow for the sharing of property between two entities to increase physical activity and improve nutrition among their residents. Although these efforts are good and collaboratio

Florida has had great success with Safe Routes to School under SAFETEA-LU, with more than 235 applications ($68.8 million) being funded. The average Safe Routes to School project funded was $292,766. There has been a call for infrastructure applications each fall through spring. Spring 2012 ended the 6^th call for projects. These projects will be in the 2017 work program. The average return on these projects was an increase of 22 percent of children walking to and from school. The program works!

In North Carolina this year, thanks to the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s (NCDOT) Safe Routes to School Coordinator Ed Johnson, the waters are “turning over” for Safe Routes to School and the prioritization of bicycle and pedestrian safety in a variety of ways and partnerships. 

I’ve been immersed in our latest progress reports for the regional network project, and it is so easy to get lost in the minutiae of editing. But when I stop and think back upon our efforts this year, I am proud of the work of everyone involved in our regional efforts.