July 2022 E-News

Safe Routes Partnership E-News
Issue #196: July 2022

Safe Routes Partnership E-News is a monthly email newsletter published by the Safe Routes Partnership. We are also on Facebook and Twitter. Join us!

  1. 2022 State Report Cards Are Here!
  2. Safe Routes Back to School 2022 Zoom Session
  3. Why is Jaywalking A Thing?
  4. $1B This Year for New Roadway Safety Program – How Can Safe Routes to School Get Involved?
  5. Safe Routes Partnership Earns Gold Seal of Transparency
  6. Get to Know Our Staff – Natasha Riveron
  7. Discover Traffic Gardens
1. 2022 State Report Cards Are Here!

Safe Routes Partnership’s state report cards and report, “Making Strides: 2022 State Report Cards on Support for Walking, Bicycling, and Active Kids and Communities,” examines how the laws, policies, and funding decisions made by state governments are supporting active kids and communities through opportunities for walking, bicycling, rolling, and physical activity. This report includes report cards for all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and factsheets on how to use your report card and understand your state’s report card scores and grading. Read the full report here. 

2.  Safe Routes Back to School 2022 Zoom Session
 
It’s time to head back to school! As we look to a new year of bike rodeos, walking school buses, and helmet giveaways, let’s spend some time re-connecting and getting pumped for Fall programming. Join us for an informal Zoom session on Wednesday, August 10 at 2 pm ET, to check in with other Safe Routes to School practitioners. Share your program successes, challenges, and ways that the Partnership can support your work going forward. Register here. 
 
3. Why is Jaywalking A Thing?

Victim blaming pedestrians for accidents on roads that prioritize drivers is nothing new. In fact, a 100-year-old PR campaign to do just that is responsible for our current jaywalking laws. Laws that are still in use today, criminalize walking and biking and lead to racialized enforcement. So why is jaywalking a thing? And what can we do to move away from enforcement-led policies and make roads safe for everyone to use? Watch this video by Spin to see how Safe Routes Partnership and BikeWalkKC teamed up to create a guide to help decriminalize jaywalking in communities across the country. 

4.  $1B This Year for New Roadway Safety Program – How Can Safe Routes to School Get Involved?

The opportunity to elevate or re-invigorate your Safe Routes to School program in your community is now, with the USDOT competing out $1 billion in funding to support communities to plan and implement strategies to reduce traffic death and injuries. Read our newest federal policy blog to see how Safe Routes to School practitioners can collaborate with community leaders to make sure Safe Routes to School is part of the solution.
 
5.  Safe Routes Partnership Earns Gold Seal of Transparency
 
We are proud to share that our organization has earned a 2022 Gold Seal of Transparency with Candid (formerly Guidestar). Transparency in how we work to achieve our mission of advancing safe walking and rolling to and from schools and in everyday life, improving the health and well-being of all people, and building healthy, thriving communities for everyone is of utmost importance to us. Check out our non-profit profile to learn more here.
 

 6. Get To Know Our Staff – Natasha Riveron

As the Healthy Parks and Places Manger for the Safe Routes to Parks Activating Communities program, Natasha provides technical assistance, develops resources, and builds relationships to support communities working to improve pedestrian safety and accessibility of parks and open space. She is passionate about activating places (whether that’s the local park or neighborhood sidewalk) to strengthen the community. Get to know more about Natasha here.

 7.  Discover Traffic Gardens

Looking for a way to teach children about traffic safety and the built environment around them? Traffic gardens use scaled-down traffic features and other roadway elements to engage children and build these skills. Discover Traffic Gardens has an informative newsletter that highlights their work in using traffic gardens in communities to teach children how to navigate and practice using roadways, intersections, and crossings in a safe environment. Check out their newsletter and website for more information.