In June, articles in the Akron Beacon Journal highlighted the safety inequity between urban and suburban students that walk or bike to school (you can read them here and
While schools are out for summer and many Americans head out on vacation, things on Capitol Hill have been heating up. I’ve got updates on a range of federal policy topics to share with Safe Routes to School advocates.
Policy comes in many shapes and sizes. Some use the idea or comparison of BIG P and little p policy. A BIG P policy might be one that is at the state level, even one that is made into a law. Little p’s are smaller, possibly at the local government, or in the case of Safe Routes to School at the individual school level.
Major polls show that Americans want to live in places where it’s safe to walk and bicycle. The demand for walkable, livable communities has prompted many municipalities to make more investments in multi-modal transportation and adopt policies such as Complete Streets that institutionalize planning, design and construction for all types of road users.
This week, both the House and Senate are considering their transportation appropriations (or funding) bills. Because most transportation funding is locked in through MAP-21, we don’t have to fight for funding every year like most programs. (See more on timing updates below)
Safe Routes to School practitioners are challenged by the need to work with various partners at city, county, regional, state, district and school-related organizations. Inevitably, the success of programs, projects, policies and future funding opportunities are reliant upon the strength of these relationships.