March 2011 | Safe Routes Partnership

Safe Routes to School E-News

Issue #63: March 2011

Safe Routes to School E-News is a monthly email newsletter published by the Safe Routes to School National Partnership (National Partnership), a growing network of more than 500 non-profit organizations, government agencies, schools 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. Our mission is to advocate for safe walking and bicycling to and from schools, and in daily life, to improve the health and well-being of America’s children and to foster the creation of livable, sustainable communities.

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To receive future issues of E-News, email info@saferoutespartnership.org.

In this issue:

1. Two New Safe Routes to School Promotional Documents Released
Find them both on our website

2. National Partnership’s Call for Steering Committee Nominations
Deadline to apply is May 10; all nominees must be partner affiliates

3. Safe Routes to School National Conference in Minneapolis August 16-18
Call for presentations open until April 8; National Partnership’s Annual Meeting is August 15

4. Safe Routes to School National Partnership’s Federal Update
Advocates influence the transportation bill in Washington and at home

5. Safe Routes to School State Network Project Update
New report released – The Second Wave: State Network Policy Changes in 20 States

6. Getting Bike Shops and Advocates to Collaborate on Safe Routes to School
Webinar recording/PDF and tip sheet now available

7. Cities Release Bikeway Design Guide
New manual reflects spread of innovative street designs in U.S.

8. Florida Safe Routes to School Accepting Applications Through March 31
Florida network focused on Complete Streets, school siting and supporting work of CPPW projects

9. Kansas Safe Routes to School Accepting Applications Through May 31
Click here to access the application

10. Safe Routes to School News Throughout the Country
Local and state SRTS program news links

1. Two New Safe Routes to School Promotional Documents Released
Find them both on our website

Have you ever been confused about who does what to advance Safe Routes to School? Working Together to Advance Safe Routes to School describes the major national organizations and state agencies supporting and advancing Safe Routes to School — Federal Highway Administration, state departments of transportation, National Center for Safe Routes to School and Safe Routes to School National Partnership. These entities have distinct roles, yet all work collaboratively towards the same goal: to enable and encourage more American children to safely walk and bicycle to and from school.

The second page is a flow chart that further outlines the way these organizations collaborate. This is a living document and will be updated if roles evolve, or if any changes take place within the Safe Routes to School program.

The Safe Routes to School National Partnership also recently created a new promotional piece – Changing the Habits of an Entire Generation through Bicycling and Walking – that is full of compelling photos, local stories and personal quotes. It talks about the problems that Safe Routes to School can help address, and the vital leadership role the National Partnership has taken in advocacy, policy change, best practices, technical assistance and much more.

We are only doing a limited print run, so if you are interested in a hard copy please print it from this high resolution PDF.

2. National Partnership’s Call for Steering Committee Nominations
Deadline to apply is May 10; all nominees must be partner affiliates

The Safe Routes to School National Partnership (National Partnership) is now accepting nominations for several Steering Committee positions. Our Steering Committee, a diverse group of up to 21 members, functions as the National Partnership’s Board of Directors and holds decision-making responsibility for the National Partnership. The estimated time commitment for Steering Committee members is eight hours a month.

Each organization that holds a seat on the Steering Committee must appoint an individual representative and an alternate to serve on behalf of his or her organization. The deadline to submit an application is Tuesday, May 10, 2011. For detailed information on the call for nominations and to download the nominations form, click here. Open seats and their terms are:

National pedestrian group (2011-2014 three-year term)
National group representing bicyclists and/or pedestrians (2011-2014 three-year term)
National group representing local government agencies (2011-2014 three-year term)
State or local bicycle group (2011-2014 three-year term)
State or local bicycle and/or pedestrian group (2011-2014 three-year term)
Local school or school district (2011-2014 three-year term)
State or local at large (2011-2014 three-year term)

If you have any questions after reading the nomination instructions, please email Brooke Driesse, Communications Manager, at brooke@saferoutespartnership.org.

3. Safe Routes to School National Conference in Minneapolis August 16-18
Call for presentations open until April 8; National Partnership’s Annual Meeting is August 15

The 3rd Safe Routes to School National Conference, taking place August 16-18 in Minneapolis, MN, is a wonderful opportunity to share your experiences, challenges and successes in implementing Safe Routes to School in your community with others. The call for proposals is open until April 8. Register today to take advantage of early bird registration that is available until May 31 at the rate of $300.

The Safe Routes to School National Conference theme is Building Connections: Schools + Streets + Communities. The conference will strengthen your ability to influence the institutions, social norms and communities that shape the success of the Safe Routes to School movement. It offers a unique opportunity to gain the skills and insights that will help you:

Advance the integration of Safe Routes to School into transportation, engineering and planning at the local, state and federal levels
Infuse the teaching and promotion of safe walking and bicycling skills into education curriculum to increase acceptability and desirability and to create lifelong behavior
Enhance your understanding of Safe Routes to School efforts and the support of walking and bicycling as vital aspects of a livable community

You also won’t want to miss out on the Safe Routes to School National Partnership’s free Annual Meeting, taking place on August 15 from 1-5pm in conjunction with the conference. You can register for the Annual Meeting at the same time that you register for the conference!

4. Safe Routes to School National Partnership’s Federal Update
Advocates influence the transportation bill in Washington and at home

As Congress continues to debate how to finalize appropriations for the rest of this fiscal year, attention is starting to shift to the next transportation bill. Fortunately, advocates from around the country who support Safe Routes to School have stepped forward to share their views with Congress. We have been coordinating with the national groups through the America Bikes coalition on several initiatives:

In-district meetings: Our thanks go to Safe Routes to School advocates in two dozen districts who are tirelessly working to attend and schedule local meetings with their Members of Congress. These meeting coordinators are assembling diverse local teams—including parents, school officials, law enforcement, health practitioners and city officials—to speak about the local benefits of Safe Routes to School and Transportation Enhancements with respect to safety, economics and health.
Field hearings: Chairman Mica of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee scheduled a series of field hearings around the country on the surface transportation bill. The Safe Routes to School National Partnership was able to submit testimony for the Los Angeles field hearing. We are also grateful to many of our state partner affiliates that attended the hearings, spoke with Members of Congress, and submitted statements in support of Safe Routes to School and bicycling/walking.
National Bike Summit: More than 750 of people from around the country descended on Washington, DC at the perfect time to affect the transportation debate. These advocates collectively met with more than 400 Members of Congress and asked Members to support continued, dedicated funding for Safe Routes to School, Transportation Enhancements, and Recreational Trails. We are very thankful for the League of American Bicyclists’ leadership in organizing the summit and ensuring that Safe Routes to School was a key part of the ask for advocates.

Congress has extended the current SAFETEA-LU bill until September 30, 2011—meaning that all current programs, including Safe Routes to School, are funded through the remainder of the fiscal year. Leaders in the House and Senate have indicated that they are working hard to complete a new transportation bill before that extension runs out.

In this economic climate and with Congress focused on cutting back federal spending, we clearly have our work cut out for us. So, if you need any inspiration about how Safe Routes to School can create champions, please take a moment to listen to Robin Schepper, the Executive Director of the First Lady’s Let’s Move campaign, about how the simple effort of getting a bike rack for her children’s school led to bigger efforts with Safe Routes to School and childhood obesity. With the help of advocates like Robin around the country, we can be successful in sustaining Safe Routes to School.

5. Safe Routes to School State Network Project Update
New report released – The Second Wave: State Network Policy Changes in 20 States

The Safe Routes to School National Partnership is proud to announce the release of The Second Wave: State Network Policy Changes in 20 States. This report was made possible through funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report describes the strategies, partners, successes and lessons learned from the Safe Routes to School state network project (network project) in 20 states during 2010.

The Safe Routes to School movement has made remarkable progress in the short number of years it has been in existence in the U.S. In order to maximize these efforts, Safe Routes to School programs need to be supported by an institutionalized set of policies that provide funding and access to a built environment that is safe and convenient for walking and bicycling.

The network project is doing just that! By building partnerships and changing policies at the state level, state networks are increasing funding for programs and changes to the built environment, and making the use of existing Safe Routes to School programs and project funds more effective. State networks are also removing barriers that may impede Safe Routes to School efforts.

This report shows how state networks leveraged additional funding; joined or initiated several statewide Complete Streets task forces and wrote guidelines implementing state Complete Streets laws; helped establish state-approved bicycle and pedestrian safety curriculum and funding sources; helped expand personal safety programs; leveraged funding for the joint-use of school facilities; got new school siting guidelines accepted; plus much more.

The state networks also changed the perception and attitudes of elected officials, influenced other state and local decision makers and have catalyzed built environment improvements that are making neighborhoods more livable in the 20 states we serve. The National Partnership thanks the more than 600 partners who participate in the 20 state networks, and is pleased to share their stories through The Second Wave: State Network Policy Changes in 20 States.

For more information on the network project or to get involved in your state, visit www.saferoutespartnership.org/state/network. To view more examples of how the network project is creating policy changes, see this success story document.

6. Getting Bike Shops and Advocates to Collaborate on Safe Routes to School
Webinar recording/PDF and tip sheet now available

Getting Bike Shops and Advocates to Collaborate on Safe Routes to School, a webinar produced by the Safe Routes to School National Partnership and funded by the SRAM Cycling Fund, kicked off with great success. The first in a series of six webinars addressing bicycling and Safe Routes to School, the webinar had more than 300 registrants throughout the country who were interested in building their Safe Routes to School toolkit to include further collaboration throughout the community.

This webinar highlighted success stories in Colorado and Austin, Texas that have teamed a local program with a bike shop to enhance Safe Routes to School efforts. It featured partnerships with Bicycle Colorado and Bicycle Village as well as Austin’s Bicycle Sports Shop whose interest in advocacy has led to hiring an advocacy director. In addition to programmatic highlights, presenters explained the benefits of involving bike shops, described a strategy for approaching local bike shops, and discussed concrete ideas for collaboration ranging from low hanging fruit to full-fledged sponsorship.

For those that missed the initial broadcasting of this informative webinar a recording of the presentation, its companion tip sheet and a PDF of the slides are now available on the National Partnership’s website.

Part two in the SRAM bicycling series will focus on organizing and conducting successful bike trains and will debut in early May.

7. Cities Release Bikeway Design Guide
New manual reflects spread of innovative street designs in U.S.

A coalition of transportation commissioners from major American cities launched a new design manual for bicycle-friendly streets on March 9, announcing its release in Washington, D.C. at the League of American Bicyclists 2011 Bicycle Summit. The Safe Routes to School National Partnership praises NACTO for the creation of the manual, which will help to create safer streets for cycling for both children and adults.

The new “Urban Bikeway Design Guide” is a publication of the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), an association that shares transportation practice and experience among its members and represents cities in national transportation issues. NACTO undertook the project because many of its members found existing design manuals inadequate for their efforts to promote bicycle transportation.

To create the Guide, officials from NACTO cities and a team of top planners and designers conducted an extensive survey of expert knowledge, existing guidelines from countries and cities around the world and innovative projects in the U.S.

The focus of the guide is street facilities, including cycle tracks or protected bike lanes, which provide more separation between cyclists and motor vehicle traffic. Guide users can view detailed plan drawings, three-dimension renderings of the designs and pictures of actual projects from around the country. The NACTO Guide can be adopted by individual cities, counties or states as either a stand-alone document or as a supplement to other roadway guidance documents.

The Urban Bikeway Design Guide is an interactive document that can be found online at www.c4cguide.org and www.citiesforcycling.org. Development of the Guide was supported by the SRAM Corporation and the Bikes Belong Foundation.

8. Florida Safe Routes to School Accepting Applications Through March 31
Florida network focused on Complete Streets, school siting and supporting work of CPPW projects

Florida’s Safe Routes to School program has been implemented largely through seven district offices. By using this decentralized implementation method, 185 projects, including bike racks, sidewalks and multi-use trails, have been identified for funding. Florida is now in an open call for applications for infrastructure projects, through March 31, 2011. Districts have flexibility with their non-infrastructure programs, but most establish a district-wide program or accept proposals until funding is committed.

Florida’s school crossing guard program, created in 1993, has been updated in recent years. Representatives from other states have attended training courses, and Florida has been asked to present a webinar on the program for the National Center for Safe Routes to School in April 2011.

Florida is fortunate to have three “Communities Putting Prevention to Work” (CPPW) programs that focus efforts on walking and bicycling to school. The Florida Department of Health is implementing walking school bus projects statewide. Miami-Dade County and Pinellas County have regional CPPW programs, focusing efforts on walking and bicycling to school as ways to prevent obesity, increase physical activity and promote safety. All these programs encourage local policies to support walking and bicycling. The Florida Safe Routes to School state network supports the work of these CPPW projects and provides an opportunity for updates during monthly network calls, which are advertised to 100 plus partners in Florida.

Other focus areas of the Florida network are Complete Streets, which is being addressed through the Regional Planning Councils, and school siting, which was the topic of a presentation given by the Safe Routes to School coordinator at the recent Florida Educational Facilities Planners Association Conference.

For more information on the Florida Safe Routes to School program, contact Pat Pieratte, Safe Routes to School coordinator at Pat.Pieratte@dot.state.fl.us. For more information on the Florida Safe Routes to School state network project, contact Heather Murphy, State Network organizer, at florida@saferoutespartnership.org.

9. Kansas Safe Routes to School Accepting Applications Through May 31
$1.6 million is available in this round of funding

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is now accepting applications through May 31 for its Safe Routes to School program. $1.6 million is available in this round of funding.

The Kansas Safe Routes to School program consists of two different phases. In the first phase, communities receive funding to assist them with the creation of a Safe Routes to School plan. This planning document details the improvements needed within the community to get more children walking and bicycling to school. Effective Safe Routes to School plans include improvements that center on the Five E’s: Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, Engineering and Evaluation. The second phase of the Kansas Safe Routes to School program consists of communities receiving funding to implement the improvements addressed within their Safe Routes to School plan.

In the past, the application process has been very competitive, with KDOT receiving more applications than available funds. KDOT recently hosted three application workshops, all of which had high attendance levels. Given this, and the popularity of the Safe Routes to School program, KDOT is anticipating another competitive round.

In previous funding cycles, 41 non-infrastructure phase 1 projects and 18 infrastructure phase 2 projects were funded. Some examples of the types of projects funded include safety ambassador training and walking school bus programs.

KDOT is very pleased for the opportunity to assist communities in achieving their goals of getting more children walking and bicycling to school and making it safer for them to do so. Communities interested in applying for Kansas Safe Routes to School funds can find a copy of the application and supporting documents on the KDOT website at http://www.ksdot.org/burTrafficEng/sztoolbox/pdf/SRTS-Application.pdf.

For more information on the Kansas Safe Routes to School program, contact Becky Pepper, Safe Routes to School coordinator, at rpepper@ksdot.org.

10. Safe Routes to School News Throughout the Country
Local and state SRTS program news links

Safe Routes to School news around the country keeps growing! Updated regularly, see our new SRTS in the News media center for the latest in local, state, and national SRTS news.

Help Grow the National Partnership!

Joining the National Partnership is free. Please encourage other organizations, schools, businesses, and government agencies to join the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, a network of more than 500 organizations and agencies.

Funding for the Safe Routes to School National Partnership has been generously provided by the Bikes Belong Coalition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kaiser Permanente, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, SRAM Cycling Fund, individuals and partner affiliates.

For more information, contact:

Brooke Driesse, Communications Manager
Safe Routes to School National Partnership
brooke@saferoutespartnership.org
www.saferoutespartnership.org
(619) 272-0097