Safe Routes to School E-News
Issue #20: August 2007
Safe Routes to school E-News is a monthly email newsletter published by the Safe Routes to School Partnership, a growing network of more than 300 non-profit organizations, government agencies, and professional groups that are working to set goals, share best practices, secure funding, and provide detailed policy input to implementing agencies for advancing the Safe Routes to School national movement.
Don’t miss the 1st Safe Routes to School National Conference: Creating, Building and Sustaining Momentum, November 5-7-2007. Sign up at: http://www.saferoutesmichigan.org/nationalconference.htm.
To receive future issues of E-News, email info@saferoutespartnership.org.
In this issue:
1. Safe Routes to School National Partnership to Launch New Website August 22, 2007
New www.saferoutespartnership.org site features detailed pages for all 50 states and D.C.
2. Registration Open for International Walk to School Day
Free registration for prizes and downloadable materials, www.walktoschool.org/register.
3. Keynote Speakers Named for 1st Safe Routes to School National Conference
Coach Herman Boone and Dr. Catherine O’Brien to Inspire and Motivate
4. SRTS National Partnership’s State Network Project Update
States Conduct Policy Research; Oklahoma Joins Project
5. SRTS National Partnership Training Survey Yields Significant Results
175 respondents provide information on available SRTS training and future training needs
6. “Jamba Jump 2 It” Supports Physical Fitness for Youth Through Community Grants and Sponsorships
Find out about the Jamba Juice community program
7. North Dakota Announces SRTS Funding Awards
Governor Hoeven approves $939,440 in funding for 15 projects
8. NJDOT Awards $4.15 Million in Safe Routes to School Grants
274 applications received; 29 funded for $4.15 million
9. South Carolina SRTS Program Sponsors SRTS Planning Workshops
Workshops guide SRTS applicants in creating comprehensive SRTS plans
10. SRTS News Throughout the Country
Local and state SRTS program news links
1. Safe Routes to School National Partnership to Launch New Website August 22, 2007
New www.saferoutespartnership.org site features detailed pages for all 50 states and D.C.
On August 22, 2007, the SRTS National Partnership will launch a new, innovative website that is designed to help users build SRTS networks at several levels, but particularly at the state level. Unlike any other SRTS website available, the new site includes 51 separate, detailed pages for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as sections that summarize local and national efforts.
Each state page includes a general SRTS state overview, information on application guidelines and funding, contact information, success stories, links ot partner affiliates, and state legislation (if it exists). Our 10 state Network pages include even more detailed information. All state pages will be updated on an ongoing and regular basis to provide users with the most up-to-date information on their state’s SRTS efforts.
Other features of the site include a clickable map of the US to access state networks and pages for all 50 states and DC, a robust site search, regularly updated national SRTS news sources, in-depth policy pages, national and state meetings and events listing, and submit-a-story form.
For more information about the new www.saferoutespartnership.org website or to submit information about a program in your state or community, please contact info@saferoutespartnership.org.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Our host website—www.bikesbelong.org—has been redesigned and, as a result, all bikesbelong.org links to Partnership pages will no longer function. Please change all links and bookmarks to the current SRTS National Partnership site to www.saferoutespartnership.org. All sub-pages will need to be accessed through this URL until the Partnership’s new website launches August 22.
2. Registration Open for International Walk to School Day
Free registration for prizes and downloadable materials, www.walktoschool.org/register.
Registration is now open for 2007 International Walk to School events on October 3, 2007. Communities around the U.S. will join nearly 40 countries to celebrate walking and bicycling to schools.
Registration is free and available to all Walk to School event organizers in the United States. By registering, organizers have a chance to win prizes for students and gain access to a variety of downloadable items, including certificates, printable sticker templates, media materials and more. Registrants can also subscribe to a Walk to School e-newsletter with tips and resources for walk to school events and registered events will be displayed on an interactive map on the Walk to School Web site.
The National Center for Safe Routes to School at the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center serves as the national coordinating agency for International Walk to School events in the United States. For more information on planning and resources for Walk to School activities, please visit www.walktoschool.org. For more information, please contact Jennifer Bonchak at bonchak@hsrc.unc.edu or (919) 843-4859 or Nancy Pullen-Seufert at pullen@hsrc.unc.edu or (919)-962-7419.
3. Keynote Speakers Named for 1st Safe Routes to School National Conference
Coach Herman Boone and Dr. Catherine O’Brien to Inspire and Motivate
The 1st Safe Routes to School National Conference: Creating, Building, Sustaining Momentum (http://www.saferoutesmichigan.org/nationalconference.htm), presented by the National Center for Safe Routes to School and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, will be held November 5–7, 2007 at the historic Dearborn Inn in Dearborn, Michigan. The opening program and dinner will be held at the internationally renowned Henry Ford Museum.
Coach Herman Boone, whose inspirational story was captured in the Disney film "Remember the Titans" starring Academy Award-winner Denzel Washington, will be the opening speaker for the conference Monday evening at the Henry Ford Museum. The setting is fitting because the Museum was built to pay tribute to American innovation and chronicle the tales of people whose vision and boldness changed the world around them. Boone understands the value of diversity, community involvement and teamwork. His own vision and boldness once united a football team, school, and a Virginia community. In his retirement, Coach Boone continues to motivate and inspire audiences across the country.
Dr. Catherine O’Brien, Canada’s leading expert on child and youth friendly planning, will present “Planning for Sustainable Happiness” during a lunch keynote on Tuesday, November 6th. As a Research Associate of the Centre for Sustainable Transportation, she co-authored “Child and Youth Friendly Land Use and Transport Planning Guidelines”. In addition, O’Brien has drawn from the fields of positive psychology and sustainability to develop a new concept: sustainable happiness. She defines this as the pursuit of happiness that is respectful of other people, the natural environment and future generations. Her work emphasizes the significance of creating communities that meet the needs and aspirations of children and planning for sustainable happiness.
Everyone interested in the health and safety of children should attend. The conference will address the unique needs of those in urban, suburban and rural settings.
Workshop topics include: social marketing, bike safe practices, youth involvement, empowering parents, law enforcement and safety, working in diverse communities, school siting, walk to school events, evaluation, the value of inclusion, lessons leaned from the field, mobile workshops, and much more.
For more information or to register for the conference, visit http://www.saferoutesmichigan.org/nationalconference.htm or call Diane Drago at (517) 663-5147.
4. SRTS National Partnership’s State Network Project Update
States Conduct Policy Research; Oklahoma Joins Project
Our 10 Safe Routes to School State Networks (located in CA, DC, GA, IL, KY, LA, NY, OK, TX, and VA) are now in the process of researching and prioritizing policies that affect the ability of children to walk and bike to school in their states. At least eight policy categories are being analyzed in each state, including structure of the state DOT program, school siting, bicycle/pedestrian safety education, complete streets, new funding sources, and others. Many State Networks have identified additional issues to be considered. Each network will then determine which policies or practices are the most important to address in order to increase the number of children walking and bicycling to schools safely.
The Oklahoma Bicycling Coalition (OBC) also recently joined the State Network Project, and Don Norvelle, the new State Network Organizer, will begin recruiting members to launch the Network. OBC board member Pete Kramer will be interim Chair of the Network, and several organizations have already expressed an interest in participating.
For more information, or to suggest a candidate for the Oklahoma SRTS State Network, contact State Network Manager Robert Ping: robert@saferoutespartnership.org.
5. SRTS National Partnership Training Survey Yields Significant Results
175 respondents provide feedback on available SRTS training and possible training needs
Conducted from May 22 through June 8, 2007, the SRTS National Partnership Training Survey gathered information and opinions from 175 individuals interested or involved in SRTS efforts. The goal of the survey was to find out what gaps there might be between offered SRTS trainings and training needs.
The most frequent types of respondents included bicycle and pedestrian advocacy groups, SRTS organizations/agencies, transportation professionals, and state government. The most effective method for delivering training was group interaction, followed by PowerPoint presentations. Funding for training appears to be a challenge and most respondents prefer training close to home.
Top training needs outlined included a very strong interest in SRTS team building/partnership development with significant need for how to develop a SRTS program. Other important categories of interest included working with school administration, funding opportunities, inclusive SRTS programs, and urban SRTS programs. People also prefer take-home materials.
6. “Jamba Jump 2it” Supports Physical Fitness for Youth Through Grants and Sponsorships
Find out about the Jamba Juice community program
A community program of Jamba Juice, the Jamba Jump 2it program provides assistance to local organizations working to support physical fitness for youth and curb childhood obesity. Jamba provides sponsorships and donations through monetary commitments or merchandise and product donations. To apply for Jamba Jump 2it support, please see http://www.jambajuice.com/community/donations.html.
7. North Dakota Announces SRTS Funding Awards
Governor Hoeven approves $939,440 in funding for 15 projects
The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) recently announced that Governor John Hoeven approved $939,440 in funding for 15 projects for the federal Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program. The federal program funds a wide variety of projects that encourage students to walk and bicycle safely to school.
“The goal of the program is to empower communities to make walking and bicycling to school a viable transportation option for elementary and middle school students,” said NDDOT Director Francis Ziegler.
Out of the 15 awarded projects, there were 11 infrastructure-only projects, 1 non-infrastructure-only project, and 3 projects that combined infrastructure and non-infrastructure components. Funding included $887,192 for infrastructure and $52,247 for non-infrastructure. Projects in North Dakota communities that will receive 2008 funding include: Ashley, Bismark, Bowman, Cando, Devils Lake, Grand Forks, Harvey, Jamestown, Kulm, Minot, Park River, and Wahpeton.
Another cycle of applications will be taken for 2009 funding from the end of August through November of 2007. Approximately $1 million will be given to communities throughout the state. For more information, go to www.dot.nd.gov or contact North Dakota SRTS Coordinator Pam Wenger at (701) 328-4787.
8. NJDOT awards $4.15 million in Safe Routes to School grants
274 applications received; 29 funded for $4.15 million
The New Jersey Department of Transportation recently awarded $4.15 million in Safe Routes to School (SRTS) grants to 29 communities across the state. NJDOT received a total of 274 proposals for $75 million in the program’s first round of SRTS funding grants.
The 2007 SRTS awards represent significant progress in New Jersey’s statewide pedestrian safety initiative. Governor Jon S. Corzine last year established a five-year, $74 million program to improve pedestrian safety throughout New Jersey by encouraging motorists to share the road with pedestrians through engineering, education, and enforcement. The initiative includes $15 million over five years for the SRTS program.
Twenty infrastructure projects were funded at almost $3.7 million. Projects included sidewalk improvements and extensions, intersection improvements, traffic calming, lighting, and driver feedback signs. The twenty non-infrastructure projects received almost $473,000 and included bicycle and pedestrian safety programs, walking school buses, and an innovative “Newspapers in Education” program.
Applications for the next round of funding will likely be available in September 2007 and about $4 million in funds for 2008-2009 will be available. For more information about the New Jersey SRTS program, contact SRTS Coordinator Elise Bremer-Nei at elise.bremer-nei@dot.state.nj.us or visit the New Jersey SRTS program.
9. South Carolina Workshops Guide Applicants through SRTS Process
Visit www.scdot.org/community/saferoutes.shtml for more information.
South Carolina’s Safe Routes to School (SC-SRTS) Program is partnering with the South Carolina Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity (SCCPPA) to provide a unique application and planning process. Through a grant from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation of South Carolina, SCCPPA adapted the SRTS National Course. The South Carolina workshops were designed to educate potential applicants and then to aid funding recipients in creating SRTS plans. SCCPPA sponsors the workshops and the trainers who conduct the workshops.
SCCPPA and SC-SRTS coordinated educational, pre-application workshops in each of seven state engineering districts. The pre-application workshops help potential applicants understand the program, its goals, and its strategies. The workshops also help applicants determine their schools’ current transportation patterns, physical and perceived barriers, and safety concerns in preparation for the application process.
The South Carolina application for funding requires that schools demonstrate a considerable need for SRTS funds and planning. Funded schools will organize a SRTS local committee and host a post-selection SRTS workshop that will aid schools and communities in creating a SRTS plan. SCCPPA and SCDOT aid in determining the most effective use of the awarded SRTS funds.
South Carolina is currently reviewing the first cycle of applications. Funded schools will be announced in early October. For more information, please contact Patti Dalis Sistrunk, SRTS Coordinator, SCDOT at DalisPA@scdot.org or visit www.scdot.org/community/saferoutes.shtml.
10. SRTS News Throughout the Country
Local and state SRTS program news links
Safe Routes to School news around the county keeps growing! Here’s a sampling of the latest in local and state SRTS program news:
Dayton Public Schools Working to Keep Students In Schools Close to Where They Live
Massachusetts Scholar Advocates for “Cycle Tracks”
Missouri Town to Install Solar Traffic Beacons in School Zones
Pingree Grove, Illinois Community Works to Get Kids on Their Feet and Off the Bus
Bellevue, Idaho SRTS Projects Delayed
Nearly $2 Million in Grants Boost School Safety for San Marcos, California
New Jersey Schools Receive Share of State’s $4.15 million SRTS Funds
Hawaii Launches Pedestrian Safety Campaign for TV and Radio
Petal, Mississippi to Build Sidewalks, Bike Path
Palm Beach County, Florida Receives More Than $1.3 Million in SRTS Funding
Help Grow the Partnership!
Joining the Partnership is free. Please encourage other organizations, schools, businesses, and government agencies to become a partner affiliate of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership. Funding for the Safe Routes to School National Partnership has been generously provided by the Bikes Belong Coalition, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and partner affiliates.
For more information, contact:
Deb Hubsmith, Coordinator
Safe Routes to School National Partnership
deb@saferoutespartnership.org
www.saferoutespartnership.org
(415) 454-7430