Marin County Safe Routes to Schools

The Marin County Bicycle Coalition has been a leader in the Safe Routes to Schools movement for six years. Safe Routes to Schools is designed to increase the number of children walking and biking to school. A SR2S program integrates health, fitness, traffic relief, environmental awareness and safety under one program. It is an opportunity to work closely with your school, your community and your local government to create a healthy lifestyle for children and a safer and cleaner environment for everyone. A successful Safe Routes to Schools program improves the health and safety of pupils and the surrounding neighborhood. Students increase their physical activity, potentially improving their alertness and behavior. California studies have shown that children who are physically active perform better academically (California Department of Education, December 2002). Safe Routes to Schools can also satisfy the physical activity component of your Wellness Policy. Cities with existing programs have experienced reduced traffic congestion, reduced collision in and around schools, and decreased speed in residential neighborhoods. Children learn valuable traffic safety skills and responsibility and more people of all ages are able to walk and bike in the neighborhood as a result of improved access.

The goal of the Safe Routes to School program is to improve safety and encourage more children to safely walk and bicycle to school. In addition, the programs work toward reducing traffic congestion and improving health and the environment.

Marin County started the Safe Routes to Schools program as a national model in 2000 and the Marin Congestion Management Agency subsequently funded the program with federal funding through the Enhancements program and through the Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s Transportation for Clean Air Funding award. Then in November 2004, the voters of Marin passed a ½ cent transportation sales tax which include 11% of its funding for Safe Routes to Schools including program, crossing guards and infrastructure. It is now a program of the Transportation Authority of Marin and continues to be implemented with the consulting team of Parisi Associates as Project manager and by the Marin County Bicycle Coalition and Alta Planning and Design. Marin Safe Routes to School is creating a plan for a long-term sustainable program that is institutionalized in the schools and supports and culture of walking and biking.