Using Safe Routes to School to Build Safer, More Connected Communities for Women and Girls

I still remember the overwhelming feeling of being a new parent—so many decisions to make, so much to figure out! One of the biggest challenges was figuring out how to transport both myself and my baby. After years of riding solo on my bike to work, suddenly I needed to find a way to carry not just myself, but my little one too. After a lot of research and chatting with other parents who had managed to keep an active commute, we decided to buy our first cargo bike six years ago. It was a game changer.

With the cargo bike, I could carry all the essentials—diaper bag, lunch, laptop—while comfortably hauling my baby. It felt safe, and it completely changed the way we saw our world. Our two-mile commute became more than just a quick trip to daycare. We waved at familiar faces, chatted with neighbors, and passed landmarks like the horse stable and the neighborhood park. And that sense of connection created an unspoken feeling of safety.

But not everyone gets to experience the ease and joy of active transportation. For many people—especially women—walking, biking, or using public transit isn’t always a practical or safe option. Women, particularly women of color, face higher risks of injury or even death while walking or biking, especially in neighborhoods that lack safe infrastructure. Caregiving responsibilities, often shouldered by women, can make it harder to choose active transportation. On top of that, street harassment remains a major issue, and many women and girls feel unsafe when walking or biking.

So, how can make active travel possible for women and girls? As a former Safe Routes to School coordinator, I’ve seen firsthand how Safe Routes to School can bridge the gap. Teaching young girls how to ride a bike with confidence while providing a fun and encouraging environment can help instill life-long habits for active travel. Organizing bike trains and walking school busses are other great ways to promote biking and walking, while also fostering community connection and reducing bully (yes, there is evidence for that!). Safe Routes to School also provides a powerful platform for advocating for safe infrastructure, especially in low-income communities and communities of color that often lack essential features that support active travel.

Safe Routes to School lays the foundation for communities to create a culture where active travel is safe and possible for everyone. A recent study on women, who often take on the bulk of “caregiving travel” (like taking kids to school), highlights the value of Safe Routes to School in supporting children’s independent mobility. This can be a way to ease the stress on female caregivers, who are often juggling multiple responsibilities.

I look fondly back at those early days of baby and me on a bicycle, and now, I cherish our daily walks to school. But I’m also excited about the future—when my kiddo can head out on his own, by bike or foot, reclaiming a bit of time for me, because we’ve created a world where he, and all his friends, can safely do so.