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In 2000, with the assistance of the Massachusetts Highway Department, WalkBoston launched New England’s first comprehensive Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program. Begun as a walk-to-school initiative in selected schools in Arlington, WalkBoston’s program has added schools each year in the metro Boston area. The goal of the SRTS program is to make the trip to school an opportunity for daily physical activity. We are working to reverse the disturbing national trend that has reduced walking to school from approximately 65% thirty years ago to only 10% today. We use a variety of strategies to make walking practical, safe and fun for families:
Results were impressive, with the greatest gains made in the Arlington elementary schools where only 42% of students walked to school prior to the SRTS program. After a two-year participation in SRTS, the number of walking students had increased to 56%. |
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As Safe Routes to School programs proliferate nationwide, there are more and more resources available to any community that wants to launch its own walk-to-school initiative. Some of these materials are so good that you might want to use them without modification. (Save yourself money and time.) This is WalkBoston’s list of some of the very best resources. Walking School BusThe website of Active & Safe Routes to School, the group that coordinates Ontario’s SRTS program, has resources on establishing a Walking School Bus program: “School Checklist” is a concise How-to document, and the parent flyer and parent letter are both sensible models. All very good. Walk to School DayThe Canadians seem to again have the best resource: “How to Organize a Walk to School Week Event” created by Go For Green, is a 19-page booklet. It covers recruiting volunteers, contacting the media, student participation, etc. Very thorough. Additional information sources on organizing walk-to-school day events can be found at the Walk and Bike To School and International Walk to School sites. Walking Safety TrainingWalkBoston’s Toolkit offers the only U.S. program (that we know of) that is based on actual traffic-awareness, roadside safety training. It is a practical approach involving parent participation, and it gives children (grades 1–3±) practice in vital skills: deciding when, where and how to safely cross streets. Safety training information starts on page 25. Bicycle Safety TrainingThe website of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers a good overview of bike safety training for third, fourth, and fifth-graders. It is not a detailed do-it-yourself guide, but it is a great starter. (Scroll down to find all the bike safety training.) Classroom ActivitiesWalkBoston’s SRTS Curriculum (grades K–5) is now being written in partnership with ERG. It will offer lessons that satisfy Mass Curriculum Frameworks requirements while teaching children how walking is good for their bodies and good for the environment. It will be ready in time for 2005-06 school year. Though not tailored to Massachusetts requirements, Marin County’s (CA) Safe Routes to School program has good lesson plans (grades K–8) designed to teach safe walking and biking practices, while others focus on fitness/personal health and environmental issues. ToolkitsTool Kits offer different material so it’s hard to select a “best” one. Listed newest to oldest. KidsWalk-to-School, A Guide to Promote Walking to SchoolCenters for Disease Control and Prevention |
December 2004 Practice and PromiseNHTSA |
DOT HS 809 742 |
July 2004 How to Create Your Own Walk-to-School ProgramWalkBoston (with funding from MassHighway) |
August 2003 Safe Routes to SchoolMarin County SRTS (with funding from NHTSA) |
New Walking Curriculum 
Fact Sheet
