Community leaders, parents, and schools across the U.S. are using Safe Routes to School programs to encourage and enable more children to safely walk and bike to school. Millions of dollars from federal funds will be distributed to benefit Illinois K-8 schools in the next three years. The program's goal is:
If a route to school is safe, get people to use it.
If it's not safe, make it safe.
A few ways to keep children safe while they have fun outdoors are to teach students to walk in groups, make and distribute walking maps of the neighborhood, and reward students who walk or bike to school. Routes to school can be made safer with crosswalks and sidewalks. Solutions don't have to be expensive or complicated to help many students!
If you want to make it easier and safer for schoolchildren to walk or bicycle to school instead of getting dropped off by adults, visit the Illinois SRTS Program and the National Center for Safe Routes to School. Both websites have information on how to get started making your school more accessible by bike or by foot. You can also read about successful programs and find many other resources for training and technical assistance.
Applications for 2007 are closed, but you can get a head start on next year's application. If you have questions about the program or would like to get started applying for a SRTS grant, please contact Lori Havenga at (309)673-9330.
March 5, 2007
