News and Events

The Washington State Safe Routes to School program has strong state support. In 2005, the state legislature made a 16 year commitment towards the safety of children walking and bicycling to school.  Since that time there have been: four complete funding cycles; $31 million awarded – about $21 million in federal funds and $10 million in state funds; a 21 percent increase in children walking and bicycling to school; Washington State Safe Routes to School was codified into state law RCW 47.04.300 in 2009; and 95 projects – 39 complete and 56 underway.

In January of 2012, Tennessee announced Safe Routes to School funding totaling $1.6 for ten municipalities in Tennessee. The majority of the funds will be used for schools to improve sidewalks, crosswalks and signs.  Many of the grant recipients will install flashing beacons and traffic control devices to allow for a safe environment around the schools.  Funds will be used to provide educational programs focused on bicycle and pedestrian safety and promotional activities to encourage walking and bicycling as a safe and healthy alternative.

Montana Safe Routes to School continues to improve safety and healthy options for children across Montana. In March of 2012, Montana Safe Routes to School announced $928,406 in Safe Routes to School awards for state fiscal year 2013, which began July 1, 2012. Six communities were awarded infrastructure funding for projects ranging from $14,000 for signing and crossing improvements to $114,386 for a pathway in eastern Montana.

It may seem Safe Routes to School slows down in the summer because school is out. But, summer often brings movement on Safe Routes to School projects and awards. Every day I have news alerts flooding my inbox about:

This month has been a tough one for Safe Routes to School supporters.

The Connecticut Safe Routes to School program is making progress in providing safe walking and bicycling improvements around schools and communities! The Safe Routes to School infrastructure program just recently completed its fourth funding cycle, awarding more than $3 million in funding. Six awarded projects will benefit nine schools in six communities around the state with improvements such as sidewalk installation, bike lanes, multiuse paths, school zone signs and pavement markings.

On May 30, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) announced their 2012 Safe Routes to School program awards, funding 68 projects in 48 communities, totaling more than $16 million dollars. An additional 19 communities have been awarded funds for school travel plan development. This is the highest amount of funding the Ohio program has distributed at one time. For a complete award list, click here.