Safe Routes to Schools teaches over 10,000 students pedestrian and bicycle safety classes annually and hosts over 350 events to encourage students to walk, bike, bus, or carpool to school.
History of the Marin County Program
Marin County Bicycle Coalition founded the Safe Routes to Schools (SR2S) program in 2000. SR2S was one of two national pilot programs funded by grants from the Marin Community Foundation, the California Department of Health, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Within two years, fourteen schools saw an increase in the number of students walking and biking to school from 21% to 38%.
In 2004, Marin voters passed a transportation sales tax to include 11% funding for Safe Routes to Schools’ infrastructure improvements and crossing guards. The Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) became the governing body. MCBC continues to subcontract the education and encouragement components of the TAM program.
Today, tens of thousands of students from 55 Marin public and private elementary, middle, and high schools receive instruction on how to safely navigate roads by bicycle or on foot. Safe Routes to Schools promotes health and safety while mitigating traffic congestion and pollution throughout Marin with over 50% of the student body using active or shared commutes.
Training and Consulting
MCBC offers trainings that will fit the needs of your community. We can train your coordinators or the whole community, whether you are a school district, city, or advocacy group. Whether you are a start up program or want to develop a plan to sustain your mature program, we can help you to find the strategies that will work for your community.
Trainings can include:
- Walk Audits
- Task Force development
- Strategic Plan development
- Train the Trainers education programs
- Development of encouragement strategies and materials
- Policy and curriculum development
- Long range sustainability planning
If you would like more information, please contact the Safe Routes to Schools team.
