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What is Safe Routes to School (SRTS)?

The New Jersey Department of Transportation has partnered with Cross County Connection TMA to administer a statewide bicycle and pedestrian education and encouragement program. Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a federal, state and local effort to enable and encourage children in grade K-8, including those with disabilities, to walk and bicycle to school. SRTS facilitates the planning, development and implementation of projects that improve safety and air quality, as well as reduce traffic and fuel consumption around schools. There are 2 goals of SRTS:

  1. Where it is safe to walk or bike to and from school, get students to do so
  2. Where it is not safe to bicycle or walk, make it safe through the SRTS Infrastructure Grant Program

Additional Resources: New Jersey Department of Transportation SRTS Website

srts

Why Participate in SRTS?

SRTS programs bring a wide range of benefits to students and the community. These include:

  • increasing the health and mobility of school-aged children
  • strengthen application for the SRTS Infrastructure Grant
  • reducing congestion, air pollution and traffic conflicts around schools
  • establishing healthy lifetime habits for students
  • increasing children’s independence
  • helping children arrive at school ready to learn and
  • teaching safe pedestrian and bicycling skills

A recent study published by the American Planning Association confirms that SRTS programs are effective at increasing the rates of children that chose to walk or bicycle to and from school. The study found that schools that have implemented five years of SRTS encouragement and education activities have seen a 25% increase in walking and bicycling rates, while municipalities that have executed some type of bicycle or pedestrian engineering improvement, saw an 18% increase in walking and bicycling rates to and from school. To review the study, click here

Golden Sneaker

Golden Sneaker Award– a program in which the most active homerooms receive the golden sneaker trophy for having the most walkers/bicyclists during a walk/bike to school day event.

The Golden Sneaker Walking Challenge: an adaptable, interactive challenge that allows students to utilize pedometers to achieve the recommended amount of daily exercise. The challenge is typically a weeklong and culminates with a trophy ceremony for the students that recorded the most steps.

Download The Golden Sneaker Walking Challenge Packet. Click Here

Infrastructure Grant Program

NJDOT sponsors a funding program to municipalities seeking infrastructure improvements to improve safety for children bicycling and walking to school. These projects can include the planning, design and construction or installation of sidewalks, crosswalks, signals, traffic-calming and bicycle facilities. The Infrastructure Grant Program is highly competitive.

  • Projects must be located within two miles of any school that serves students in grades K-8.
  • Funds from the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program are provided on a reimbursement basis only. Before applying, applicants should access their capability to comply with state and federal requirements. More information is available in NJDOT’s Local Aid SRTS Grant Application Handbook.
  • Extra consideration will be given to projects located in disadvantaged communities and/or communities with a Complete Streets Policy.

To increase the competitiveness of a SRTS Infrastructure Grant application, your school or district should have:

  • Comprehensive SRTS Program-Includes a combination of infrastructure and non-infrastructure elements. The grant application should demonstrate that there is also a plan to implement education, encouragement, and enforcement projects.
  • School Travel Plan–As part of a comprehensive SRTS program, a school travel plan shows problematic travel areas around schools and identifies solutions following the 5 E’s: Engineering, Enforcement, Education, Encouragement, and Evaluation. The proposed projects should be included in a Travel Plan. A Travel Plan gives the grant application an extra point in the evaluation process.

Recognition Program

In 2012, the New Jersey Safe Routes to School Resource Center and NJDOT unveiled the Recognition Award Program, which recognizes municipalities and schools (public, private, or charter) for their SRTS efforts. The Recognition Award Program consists of four levels; first step, bronze, silver and gold. Municipalities and schools can either be nominated by their Safe Routes Regional Coordinator, or can self- nominate for recognition as a result of involvement and commitment to SRTS programs in their community or schools. Recipients will be presented with a certificate or award depending on which level they achieve, and will also be recognized on the NJ SRTS website. Schools and municipalities can contact Cross County Connection for help with applying for nomination. Nominees and recipients will be required to implement walk and bike to school events, adopt supportive policies, obtain backing from local constituents, and/or use survey tools to evaluate existing conditions for walking and biking to school.
Click here to view all SRTS 2020 Recognition Awardees

Success Stories

Egg Harbor City

In 2011, Resolutions of Support were signed in favor of Safe Routes to School by the municipality and the school district. Cross County Connection began a partnership with the district to create a sustainable SRTS program by enhancing their current efforts in educating and encouraging safe pedestrian and bicycle activity, and introducing new initiatives that further reinforce those principals in both the Spragg Elementary and EHC Community School. The Safe Routes to School program in Egg Harbor City currently includes participation in International Walk and Bike to School Days, a bicycle safety video project, Satellite Drop Off program, and Cross County Connections 3rd and 4th Grade Pedestrian Safety Lesson. Cross County Connection also worked with the Egg Harbor City SRTS Team to create a district-wide school Travel Plan. In 2013, Egg Harbor City was notified that they were a 2012 SRTS Infrastructure Grant recipient. The grant funds will be used toward the construction of curbing, sidewalks, ADA curb compliant ramps, and a bikeway.

Sacred Heart Elementary

Sacred Heart Elementary’s SRTS program took off after the first meeting with their Principal, Carla Chiarelli, with the assistance of Cross County Connection in September of 2012. Sacred Heart is located along High Street, an active commercial corridor. Students that attend the school travel from surrounding counties in New Jersey. Of course, the school’s location along with the fact that most students are driven causes traffic congestion at student arrival times when parents are in a rush to get to work. In an effort to create a SRTS program at Sacred Heart Elementary it was decided that not only was a Satellite Drop Off Program a necessity, but to ensure its success and sustainability, it would have to be incentivized with a Golden Sneaker Award as only a handful of students live within the vicinity of the school. Currently, Sacred Heart School is a Silver Level Award recipient of the SRTS Recognition Award Program. They have held numerous Walk to School days and the golden sneaker award has been given out after each event.

Tatem Elementary School

Tatem Elementary has been working on their SRTS program since 2010. Parent Champion Heather Vaughn contacted Cross County Connection in 2011 for assistance. From the beginning of the partnership to now, their program has blossomed into one of the most successful in southern New Jersey. Not only does Tatem Elementary participate in both International Walk and Bike to School Days, but they do have a consistent student population that takes part in a Walking School Bus program, and has an Anti-Idling Initiative that is supported by the Haddonfield Green Team. Also, Tatem Elementary participates in Cross County Connections 3rd and 4th Grade Pedestrian Safety Lesson. In 2013, Haddonfield was notified that they were a 2012 SRTS Infrastructure Grant recipient. The funds will be used toward to construct ADA curb compliant ramps, high visibility pedestrian signage and pavement striping. Tatem Elementary is considered a Gold Level participant in the SRTS Recognition Award Program.

“There are very few sidewalks near our school forcing our middle school students to travel in the street when walking to and from school.  Recently, Egg Harbor City built a much needed pedestrian bridge connecting our two schools and the City’s recreations fields, allowing the students of my school to safely walk and bike to and from the Egg Harbor City Community School.  With the assistance of David Calderetti, Safe Routes to School Coordinator for Cross County Connection, we organized a very successful Walk & Bike to School Day on October 3, 2012 promoting the use of the pedestrian bridge.  Many students and their parents, who had never used the bridge before, participated in the event.  Since the event, use of the bridge has increased and more students are walking and riding their bikes to school every day.

Jack Griffith

Principal, Egg Harbor City Community School

“To me, walking to school (if you live in the walkable vicinity) is a no-brainer. By walking to school students’ minds become clear and focused—thus, making them ready to learn. Of course, there’s science to back this up. At Sacred Heart we stress to teachers to walk your talk with your students–literally and figuratively.  We are always telling them to spend time outside and get exercise. We encourage all schools to take part in Safe Routes to School activities to not only promote active living but to afford children the opportunity to come to school ready to learn.”

Carla Chiarelli

Principal, Sacred Heart Elementary

“The WSB has been such an amazing experience for our family. We loved getting to know you all better, walking to school with you and your kids, and just how it made our neighborhood a little bit extra special. Hey, I had WSB pride at Tatem! I can’t tell you how many times when Bob and I have talked to friends and family and share the highlights of living in Haddonfield… WSB is always at the top of the list. Folks are blown away at the beautiful simplicity of it. Gosh… what a great thing! (Thanks, Heather, for all of your hard work in getting the WSB off the ground! And, parents, for keeping it going!) Okay… and let’s be honest, it was also nice to have other parents help get our kid to school. It sure does take a village to raise kids, and it was such a privilege to be a part of it with all of you!”

Parent of Tatem Elementary Student

Contact us for Further Assistance:

Whether you are a teacher, school administrator, faculty member, municipal employee, parent/guardian, or part of a community interest group, or other interested party, contact Cross County Connection at 856-596-8228 or Sunkett@driveless.com, to set up an appointment to discuss how you can get your school moving forward on establishing a sustainable SRTS program.

Safe Routes to School Resources:

Download our Safe Routes to School Brochure (PDF)
The New Jersey Safe Routes to School Resource Center
National Center for Safe Routes to School
NJDOT Safe Routes to School Website The Walking School Bus Article
Ocean City has a Biking School Bus — Your town can too!

SRTS Curricula and Education Materials

• SRTS Partnership – Youth Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Education Curriculum Examples and Best Practices
• SRTS resources for the classroom from the New Jersey SRTS Resource Center
• International Walk to School in the USA – Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Education Resources

General Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Information

• Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center
• New Jersey Bicycle and Pedestrian Resource Center
• New Jersey Department of Transportation’s Biking in New Jersey
• New Jersey Department of Transportation’s Pedestrian Safety
• New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety