National Center for Safe Routes to School Resources
Source: Pedestrian Bicycle Information Center (PBIC)
The National Center for Safe Routes to School (SRTS) and the PBIC are both housed at the UNC Highway Safety Research Center have closely coordinated their work. The National Center served as the Federal Highway Administration's clearinghouse for Safe Routes to School for all years of the Federal SRTS program. The resources included here range from evidence for the impact of Safe Routes to School nationwide to strategies communities, regions, and states can use to be most effective.
Federal Program Monitoring and Evaluation
Advancing Safe Walking and Bicycling for Youth
How the Federal Safe Routes to School Program provides a foundation for broader initiatives that create safer streets for children and youth.
Advancing Transportation and Health: Approaches from the Federal Safe Routes to School Program That Offer Broad Application
Nine specific strategies for integrating transportation and health utilized by the Federal Safe Routes to School Program.
Creating Healthier Generations: A Look at 10 Years of the Federal SRTS Program
Data and stories of SRTS funded projects showing the accomplishments of the Federal SRTS program in communities nationwide.
How Children Get to School: School Traffic Patterns from 1969-2009
Report from the National Center for Safe Routes to School describing how student school travel in the U.S. changed from 1969 through 2009 using information from the National Household Travel Survey and Nationwide Personal Travel Survey.
Shifting Modes: A Comparative Analysis of SRTS Program Elements and Travel Mode Outcomes
Four key factors that relate to the percentage of students who walk and bicycle between home and school.
SRTS Program Tracking Briefs
Quarterly snapshots of state-reported SRTS program funding activities from 2013-2016.
State and Regional Implementation
Integrating SRTS into the Transportation Alternatives Program: Reducing Barriers for Disadvantaged Communities
Changes in transportation funding, the need for Safe Routes to School projects in disadvantaged communities, and how some states are using creative approaches to supply the funding match.
Integrating Safe Walking and Bicycling to School into Comprehensive Planning
Why decisions about the future of our communities should include SRTS considerations and action steps on walking and bicycling to school.
Safety-based Prioritization of Schools for Safe Routes to School Infrastructure Projects: A Process for Transportation Professionals
A straightforward way to identify schools and specific locations that have the greatest need for pedestrian infrastructure improvements. The accompanying Excel worksheet provides a place to track and document information gathered about each school and its relative priority for pedestrian improvements.
The Role of MPOs in Advancing Safe Routes to School Through the Transportation Alternatives Program
Four MPOs used a thoughtful and innovative approach to Transportation Alternatives Program funding that benefit the safety of children and families on the trip to and from school.
Walking and Bicycling in Indian Country: Safe Routes to School in Tribal Communities
How three tribal communities in New Mexico, Montana, and Oklahoma have successfully improved safety for walking and bicycling to school.
Local Implementation
Adult School Crossing Guard Guidelines
Overview of the federal standards and recommendations for adult school crossing guard practices and examples of how some states and communities address these issues.
Briefing Sheets for Transportation Professionals
Nine briefing sheets, developed by the National Center for Safe Routes to School and the Institute of Transportation Engineers, to assist with program planning and implementation for transportation practitioners.
Getting Results: SRTS Programs That Increase Walking and Bicycling to School
Eight programs that measured their walking and bicycling numbers and found an increase after their SRTS program.
Getting Results: SRTS Programs That Reduce Speeding and Distracted Driving
How Safe Routes to School programs in five states measured success in reducing the numbers of speeding cars and distracted drivers.
Getting Results: SRTS Programs That Reduce Traffic
Overview of local programs that successfully measured traffic reductions and steps that programs can take to measure impacts of their activities.
Involving Students with Disabilities in SRTS
Strategies for making a SRTS program inclusive for children with disabilities.
Methods for Estimating the Environmental Health Impacts of SRTS Programs
Five examples of methods used by SRTS programs to estimate the impact of their activities on local air quality and carbon dioxide emissions.
Personal Security and Safe Routes to School
Strategies such as supervised walking school buses and adult "corner captains" for enhancing children's safety as they travel between home and school.
Safe Routes to School and Health: Understanding the Physical Activity Benefits of Walking and Bicycling to School
Strategies for measuring the potential physical activity benefits of SRTS programs.
School Bicycling and Walking Policies: Addressing Policies that Hinder and Implementing Policies that Help
How to approach and overturn barrier policies that prohibit walking and/or bicycling to school and encourage policies that support and enable bicycling and walking to school programs.
Selecting School Bus Stop Locations: A Guide for School Transportation Professionals
Provides an overview of safety-related considerations for school bus stop siting that can help address concerns facing children while they're waiting for the bus and between the route from home to the stop.
Teaching Children to Walk Safely as They Grow and Develop: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers
Provides parents and caregivers an overview of the stages of child development and identifies which walking safety skills to teach along the way.
The Walking School Bus: Combining Safety, Fun and the Walk to School
Outlines the benefits of starting a walking school bus and points to consider before launching it. Examples of real-life walking school buses and bicycle trains are included to provide ideas and inspiration.
Trends in Walking and Bicycling - Takeaways for Building Successful Programs
Ideas for SRTS leaders, stakeholders and funders that could strengthen new and existing SRTS programs based on the findings from the report "Trends in Walking and Bicycling to School from 2007 to 2012."
