Safe Routes to School receives MN/DOT funding to keep rolling

The Minnesota Department of Transportation announced the recipients of $768,000 in federal funding for Safe Routes to School on May 9. The grants will support Safe Routes to School plans at 70 schools in 35 communities and implementation grants at 22 schools in nine communities. Receiving an implementation grant of $27,000 is Cook County Schools.

According to the funding notification, the grant will be used to continue the work of the Safe Routes to School committee’s efforts to establish biking and walking as safe, fun norms for Cook County students through education and encouragement activities.

An excited Joni Kristenson, Cook County public health coordinator and one of the 30-plus community members involved in Safe Route to Schools planning, shared the news with other participants that the program had been funded for two years. She wrote, “Thanks for your partnership in making this happen!”

Plans call for the Safe Routes to School coordinator to establish a sustainable walking school bus program. A walking school bus is a supervised group of students who walk to school and pick up additional students along the route.

The coordinator will also assist two school districts in standardizing classroom bicycle and pedestrian education, expand the audience of the bicycle safety rodeo, and implement an innovative tracking system to encourage biking and walking to school.

“These projects will help communities increase opportunities for kids to walk and bike to school,” said MnDOT Commissioner Tom Sorel. “More kids walking and biking means less traffic on the road and in front of schools, improving safety and promoting healthier kids.”

All Safe Routes to School grants use federal funds, and no local match is required. Each grant includes a resolution of support from the local governing body to ensure community support. Grants for infrastructure projects, such as sidewalks and crosswalks, were not available this year. Since 2005, MnDOT has awarded $11.3 million in federal funds to communities to support Safe Routes to School.