Safe Routes to School - 2010 Spring Health Topic

While adults over the age of 40 may remember walking to and from school (uphill both ways, in some cases), for many of today’s children, walking to school is a foreign concept. In Washtenaw County, 86% of children never walk to school. Riding in a car is now the most common way to get to school, with many unintended consequences -- including increased air pollution and decreased physical activity.

A federal program called Safe Routes to School (SRTS) aims to change this trend by making it safe, convenient and fun for children to bicycle and walk to school.  When routes are safe, walking or biking to and from school is an easy way to get the regular physical activity children need for good health. SRTS initiatives also help ease traffic jams and air pollution, unite neighborhoods and contribute to students’ readiness to learn in school.

In Washtenaw County, health educators from Washtenaw County Public Health have assisted several schools in completing the SRTS process. In 2009, health educators partnered with three elementary schools in the Ypsilanti Public School District to develop SRTS teams, hold neighborhood safety walking audits and create plans for how to make routes safer. Schools and HPDP staff also promoted walking and biking as part of a healthy lifestyle by holding Walk to School Days and providing prizes and giveaways to students and families that participated.  Throughout the year, HPDP reached nearly 1,500 elementary-age students and parents/guardians with SRTS safety and physical activity messages.

Health educators are working with even more schools in 2010. In addition to on-going programs at 2 elementary schools in Ypsilanti and one in Ann Arbor, the program has expanded to 3 middle schools in the Ypsilanti, Willow Run and Ann Arbor school districts. This spring, SRTS teams at each school will conduct walking audits and other activities. Including middle schools is an exciting new development as older students are able to walk and bike farther than their younger peers.  More schools can become part of the Safe Routes to School movement: for more information, visit http://www.saferoutesmichigan.org/about.htm.

For more information about starting a Safe Routes to School project in Washtenaw County, please contact Lily Guzmán at guzmanL@ewashtenaw.org or (734) 544-2983.