Safe Routes to School E-News
Issue #18: June 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 280 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. Seeking Steering Committee Nominations for SRTS National Partnership
Nominations must be emailed to info@saferoutespartnership.org by June 25, 2007
2. Final Call for Presentation Proposals for the 1st SRTS National Conference
Deadline June 8, 2007; visit www.saferoutesmichigan.org/nationalconference.htm for details
3. SRTS National Partnership’s State Network Project Update
Inaugural 3-day meeting a success
4. Partnership Training Survey Receives Strong Response
Still accepting survey responses at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=0SgktET12ckmXRF/z3UWrw== until Friday, June 8
5. Center for Urban and Regional Studies Publishes School Siting Report
Full report available for download here: http://curs.unc.edu/curs-pdf-downloads/recentlyreleased/Salvesen Z. Smith final school report.pdf
6. Submit a SRTS Success Story for our new website
See submit a story.
7. Georgia SRTS Program Offers Free Training Workshops in June
Find the nearest workshop by visiting http://www.dot.state.ga.us/srts/
8. Illinois Offers Walk to School Day Mini-Grants
Applications are due July 1, 2007 and guidelines are available at www.biketraffic.org/walktoschool
9. Washington State’s SRTS Program Features Innovative Partnerships
Collaborations with non-profit groups result in first state summit
10. SRTS News Throughout the Country
Local and state SRTS program news links
1. Seeking Steering Committee Nominations for SRTS National Partnership
Nominations must be emailed to info@saferoutespartnership.org by June 25, 2007
The Safe Routes to School National Partnership (the Partnership) is accepting nominations for several Steering Committee positions from organizations representing the perspectives listed below. Each organization that holds a seat on the Steering Committee must appoint an individual representative to serve on behalf of his or her organization.
• National bicycle group – one seat*
• National group representing bicyclists and/or pedestrians – one seat*
• National group representing transportation professionals – one seat
• National group providing at-large representation – one seat
• State or local bicycle and/or pedestrian group – one seat*
• State or local health group – one seat
• State or local at large seat – one seat*
*Denotes seat with an incumbent running.
2. Final Call for Presentation Proposals for the 1st SRTS National Conference
Deadline June 8, 2007; visit www.saferoutesmichigan.org/nationalconference.htm for details
Presented by the National Center for Safe Routes to School (www.saferoutesinfo.org) and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership (www.saferoutespartnership.org), the 1st Safe Routes to School National Conference will be held November 5-7, 2007 in Dearborn Michigan. Play a key role in the success of this inaugural event as one of the featured presenters.
The host agency for the conference, the Michigan Fitness Foundation, is soliciting presentation proposals with a submission deadline of June 8, 2007. Any individual, organization, business, non-profit or public agency involved in successful Safe Routes to School efforts is invited to submit a proposal for presentation.
For more information on proposals or to register, please visit www.saferoutesmichigan.org/nationalconference.htm.
3. SRTS National Partnership’s State Network Project Update
Inaugural 3-day meeting a success
An inaugural meeting with the Partnership’s new Safe Routes to School State Network Organizers and Department of Transportation SRTS Coordinators took place in Denver, Colorado from May 16-18. This training and team-building session coincided with the annual meeting of the DOT SRTS Coordinators. The State Network meeting was informative and effective, and included representatives from all of the 10 jurisdictions where we are focusing our efforts: CA, DC, GA, IL, KY, LA, NY, OK, TX, and VA.
Highlights included team breakout sessions where Organizers and Coordinators began developing a SRTS State Action Plan for the network in their state, and a group brainstorming session that identified stakeholders for the ten SRTS networks. Find out more about the State Network Project.
4. Partnership Training Survey Receives Strong Response
Still accepting survey responses at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=0SgktET12ckmXRF/z3UWrw== until Friday, June 8
The Safe Routes to School National Partnership is conducting an online survey through WebMonkey to identify existing SRTS training programs and workshops, as well as unmet training needs. The final data will be analyzed and used to determine if additional training is necessary and what types of trainings and materials would be useful. If you haven’t completed this 15-minute online survey, please go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=0SgktET12ckmXRF/z3UWrw== by Friday, June 8 to participate. Thank you to the more than 150 people who have taken the time to complete the survey already!
5. Center for Urban and Regional Studies Publishes School Siting Report
Full report available for download here: http://curs.unc.edu/curs-pdf-downloads/recentlyreleased/Salvesen Z. Smith final school report.pdf
On May 3, 2006, twenty-eight representatives from four North Carolina counties came together to discuss the issue of intergovernmental collaboration and school siting. The goal of the summit was to create an open dialogue between school boards and local governments while building a model of collaboration that key stakeholders can use to coordinate local land use, school funding, and school planning. This report shares the results of the Center for Urban and Regional Studies’ efforts to improve communication and collaboration between school boards and local governments in selecting sites for schools. The themes in the report discussed highlight the complexity of the issues at hand as well as the importance of continued collaboration in creating strong, vibrant, and diverse communities and schools.
6. Submit a SRTS Success Story for our new website
See submit a story.
Help us build the new Safe Routes to School National Partnership website and its library of resources. Your local and state success stories will be an important tool for organizations, cities, schools and individuals looking to build SRTS programs, as well as for Congressional members, State legislators, and the media who are always interested in seeing highlights from their home states.
Please answer the updated survey questions from submit a story and send them in an email to info@saferoutespartnership.org (cut and paste the questions into your email). If you already have a separate document detailing a success story or case study, please send it as an attachment.
Thank you for sharing your work, so that others don’t have to reinvent the wheel!
7. Georgia SRTS Program Offers Free Training Workshops in June
Find the nearest workshop by visiting http://www.dot.state.ga.us/srts/
The Georgia Department of Transportation is pleased to offer free workshops on the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program. The SRTS workshops are intended to inform schools, parents, teachers, local governments, elected officials and other interested groups about activities and sources of funding available to create safe places for children to walk and bike to school. In addition, the workshops will introduce and provide to participants the new Georgia Safe Routes to School Guidebook.
The training is targeted to potential applicants for Safe Routes to School program funds. The SRTS program will offer an intensive half-day (3.5 hour) training workshop and a one and a half hour (1.5 hour) evening workshop. Find out how your school and community can benefit from the SRTS program. For more detailed information about the SRTS program and to register on-line for a workshop, please visit www.dot.state.ga.us/srts or contact Adrienne Gill, State SRTS Coordinator at adrienne.gil@dot.state.ga.us.
8. Illinois Offers Walk to School Day Mini-Grants
Applications are due July 1, 2007 and guidelines are available at www.biketraffic.org/walktoschool
Schools in the Chicagoland area are invited to apply for mini-grants in support of International Walk to School Day, occurring this year on Wednesday, October 3RD 2007. Grant packages include $500 in cash and a variety of promotional materials and refreshment items. Only individual schools may apply. All public and private schools serving students in grades Kindergarten through 8th in Cook, DuPage, Will, Lake, Kane, Kendall and McHenry counties are eligible.
Applications are due July 1, 2007. To download the Walk to School Day Mini-Grant guidelines and application form, visit www.biketraffic.org/walktoschool. For questions, please contact Melody Geraci at the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation at (312) 427-3325 ext. 240 or at melody@biketraffic.org.
The Walk to School Day Mini-Grant program is sponsored by the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, Alliance for a Healthier Generation, Clif Bar, Safe Kids Chicago, Lt. Governor Pat Quinn’s Walk Across Illinois Program, Circle of Service Foundation, Cook County Department of Public Health, Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago, Federal Express, and the League of Illinois Bicyclists.
9. Washington State’s SRTS Program Features Innovative Partnerships
Collaborations with non-profit groups result in first state summit
In 2005, the Washington State Legislature provided $74 million over 16 years to support pedestrian and bicycle safety projects, including Safe Routes to School. By combining these state funds with federal SRTS funding, the Washington State Department of Transportation’s SRTS Program (http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/bike/SafeRoutesResources.htm) has awarded 31 Safe Routes to School projects and will soon announce an additional 19. The projects include engineering, education and enforcement activities to help increase the number of children walking and biking to school safely.
Partnerships with the Bicycle Alliance of Washington and Feet First (jointly funded by a Transportation Enhancement grant), have provided communities with access to additional resources, support materials, trainings and technical assistance. This particular collaboration led to the creation of the Center for Safe Routes to School in Washington State (http://www.saferoutes-wa.org/) in 2006. The Center held the first of two all-day summits on May 23. The 116 participants were offered 17 presentations and the theme of the summit was “Best Practices”.
For more information on Washington State’s SRTS program, please visit http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/bike/SafeRoutesResources.htm or contact Charlotte Claybrooke at ClaybrC@wsdot.wa.gov.
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:
Safe Passage Program for New York City Urban School Kids
Nebraska Community Hopes Safe Streets Improve Health
Columbia, Missouri children get out of cars and on feet
Maryland Community Uses Speeding Fines to Fund Pedestrian Safety
Flint, Michigan School District Conducts Walking Audits
Massachusetts Works on Creating Safe Walking Routes to School
SRTS Funds New Traffic Light For Important Idaho Intersection
Longmont, Colorado Schools Boasts 90% Participation Rate in SRTS Events
Help Grow the Partnership!
Joining the Partnership is free. Please encourage other organizations, schools, businesses, and government agencies to affiliate with the Safe Routes to School National Partnership as one of Our Partners.
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
saferoutes@bikesbelong.org
www.saferoutespartnership.org
(415) 454-7430