The Oregon_Safe_Routes_to_School_(SRTS)_Programhas $3.5 million over 2005-2009 for projects at schools, serving grades K-8. $2.1 million in funds is available for award in 2007. The program administers funds received from the 2005 SAFETEA-LU transportation bill for Safe Routes to School programs.
The goals of the program are to increase the ability and opportunity for children to walk and bicycle to school; promote walking and bicycling to school and encourage a healthy and active lifestyle at an early age; and facilitate the planning, development and implementation of projects and activities that will improve safety and reduce traffic, fuel consumption and air pollution within two miles of the school.
Two groups of funding are available through the SRTS program:
Infrastructure projects within two miles of the school;
Non-infrastructure activities; education and encouragement, and traffic enforcement activities within two miles of the school.
The funds will be distributed by the ODOT Transportation Safety Division (TSD) as a reimbursement program through an open and competitive process, with the guidance of a Safe Routes to School citizen's advisory group. Costs incurred prior to TSD project approval are not eligible for reimbursement.
 Safe Routes to School for Spring! (view file)
[Bend OR] – In an effort to encourage and enable more of Central Oregon’s children moving area schools and Commute Options have launched its Safe Routes to School Program for spring!
May is Walk and Bike Challenge Month! Students in Elementary and Middle schools are across Central Oregon are using their own power to get to school next month. Students in Bend, Redmond, Sisters and Madras will be tracking the trips they make by walking, bicycling, rollerskating, scootering and skateboarding throughout the month. In addition to increasing physical activity levels of kids, this Challenge reduces traffic congestion, improves air quality and saves money!
Students and adult volunteers can stage a “Walking School Bus.” Along a route participants learn pedestrian safety, enjoy the beautiful neighborhood around the school, get exercise and save gas! Kids participating can scoop up Commute Options prizes like pencils, stickers, flashing lights and reflective gear.
One “Walking School Bus” takes Juniper Elementary students from Hollinshead Park to the school mornings at 8:30 in May. Walking with a group to school is fun, increases pedestrian visibility to drivers and includes students whose parents can’t walk with them.
Other activities include bicycle and pedestrian safety education classes for 4,5 and 6th graders. Commute Options provides classes with a fleet of bicycles, helmets, instructors and prizes from now through June 11 at area schools. This curriculum teaches proper helmet use, road positioning, hand signals and a variety of other safety skills. Community volunteers are needed! For a complete schedule see www.commuteoptions.org
Through the 2005 passage of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), Congress designated a total of $612 million toward developing the National Safe Routes to School Program. Other supporters of local efforts include area school districts, health departments and the Oregon Department of Transportation.
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| Bear Creek Students are Safe Routes Stars (visit site)Commute Options Safe Routes trainers always start out at a new school talking about fun. Fascinated by the unique students and challenges that will greet them in each classroom, the staff uses day-one of the two-week Safe Routes unit to answer questions from students. Will they be able to bring their own bikes? Will they go off campus? Will they develop new skills, overcome fears and ride somewhere fun? Yes, yes and yes!
At Bend's Bear Creek Elementary, students began on September 21st by fitting bikes and helmets. Commute Options maintains a fleet of youth-sized mountain bikes and helmets. Most students are used to hand brakes, but some are trying them for the first time, so that requires a lot of parking-lot practice in a flat area blocked off to traffic for use by the program. Students spend the first few sessions working on skills in this practice area, such as straight line riding, speed control, looking back by doing a 'shoulder check,' and left and right turns and stopping signals.
Gradually, Bear Creek students moved in small groups into the school environs, which are shared with parents and the public. Drivers in school neighborhoods are careful and proceed slowly, and according to the law, offering good examples of how to behave in an active traffic environment. Students often encounter pedestrians, and learn to give them the right-of-way, as well as how to safely cross the street when walking their bikes, behaving like pedestrians. Kids rode all the way from the school to the Kiwanis park, using the Larkspur trail to the base of Pilot Butte, tracing the routes that many students take to and from school.
On October 1, Kona professional mountain biker Ryan Trebon joned the Safe Routes to School effort! Second-grade teacher Seth Graham invited Ryan to ride with the students. Students appreciate community members who come to help them learn, and they prepared nice thank-you cards and posters, which now decorate the bike safety trailer.
Safe Routes to School teaches the distinct legal difference between a bike rider and a pedestrian. Many people are under a misconception that bicycles and pedestrians operate under the same rules, but the Commute Options program focuses on riding according to traffic law, which classifies bicycle riders as vehicles in traffic. This new level of responsibility appeals to students, and they love learning how to operate their first vehicle.
At Bear Creek, the students celebrated International Walk and Bike to school Day on October 7th with a morning party and presentation, prizes and praise from the Principal. See coverage of the event by ODOT on the online Central Oregon Highways program.
http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/REGION4/newsroom-video.shtml
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