Safe Routes to School

Safe Routes to School (SR2S) programs are sustained efforts to improve the health and well-being of children by assessing and taking measures to improve walking and biking conditions on the route to school and enabling and encouraging children to walk and bike these routes. SAFETEA-LU, the federal transportation legislation for 2005, including funding for SRTS on a national basis--$612 million over the next 5 years.     For more information, go to the national Safe Routes to School website.

SR2S News & Resources

If you are interested in getting your schools and communities involved in Safe Routes to School, contact BikeWalk Virginia.

DMV Establishes Mini-Grants for Safe Routes to School

The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has announced the creation of a new mini-grant initiative for Safe Routes to School.  This mini-grant program was an initiative of the BikeWalk Virginia Safe Routes to School Committee.

Starting October 1, six of the DMV districts will receive $2,500 each to be directed to organizations (non-profits, schools, PTAs, localities) to assist in planning and organizing activities related to Safe Routes to School.  Maximum awards will be limited to $500.  The money is part of the transportation funds designated toward transportation safety programs.

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is about kids walking and biking to school: regularly, routinely, and safely.  Integrating education, encouragement, engineering, and enforcement, SRTS is a multi-faceted program that impacts communities on multiple levels.  The program hopes to increase school-aged children's knowledge of pedestrian and bicycle safety by teaching safe behaviors that can be used throughout the children's lives as well as encourage physical activity as a regular, integral part of life in order to address the growing epidemic of obesity-related problems that affect America's youth.

By establishing the mini-grant program, DMV hopes to encourage communities across the Commonwealth to look into possibilities for creating a SRTS program in their schools.   If interested or if you want more information, contact the DMV Promect Monitor for your appropriate district:

BikeWalk Virginia SRTS Mini-Grants Program

BikeWalk Virginia established a SRTS mini-grants program to provide seed money to 2 or 3 groups hosting an activity for Internation Walk to School Week or establish a Safe Routes to School program. These $500 grants can be used for a variety of things, including program materials, education, etc. 

The next opportunity to apply for these funds will occur in 2006.  For more information, contact us.

We congratulate the mini-grant recipients for 2005:

1. Active Williamsburg Alliance
2. Buford Middle School
3. Rockfish River Elementary School