Helpful Links
A number of organizations work to support Safe Routes to School programs.
National Safe Routes to School Organizations
SRTS National Partnership
Launched in August 2005, the Safe Routes to School National Partnership is a network of hundreds of organizations, government agencies and professional groups working to set goals, share best practices, secure funding, and provide educational materials to agencies that implement Safe Routes to School programs.
The Partnership is managed by a staff and governed by a Steering Committee comprised of organizations and agencies that have been developing SRTS programs and initiatives at local, state and national levels. The Partnership includes such partner affiliates as the AARP, the American Heart Association, the PTA, and Active Living by Design.
SRTS National Clearinghouse
Established in May 2006, the National Center for Safe Routes to School assists communities in enabling and encouraging children to safely walk and bike to school. The Center strives to equip Safe Routes to School programs with the knowledge and technical information to implement safe and successful strategies.
The National Center for Safe Routes to School is maintained by the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center with funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation Highway Administration.
SRTS Network Project
In 2007, the SRTS National Partnership initiated the State Network Project to establish SRTS networks in nine states and the District of Columbia. The project brings together stakeholders from diverse fields to work with state Departments of Transportation to increase physical activity in students, to make the best use of available SRTS funds, and to remove policy barriers to walking and bicycling to schools.
The Safe Routes to School (SRTS) National Partnership recognizes that the potential for SRTS is much broader than the $612 million in funds approved by Congress in 2005 and available now through State Departments of Transportation. In March 2007, the SRTS National Partnership launched the Safe Routes to School State Network Implementation Project to leverage SRTS resources by creating stakeholder networks in the District of Columbia and nine key states: California, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia.
The nine states and D.C. were selected based on both need and their capacity to support the program. At the local level, each State Network will identify and provide technical assistance to a local school within the community.
Georgia-based Organizations Working to Support Safe Routes to School
A number of organization in Georgia work to support Safe Routes to School programs.
Georgia Bikes!
GEORGIA BIKES! Is a statewide organization working to improve bicycling conditions and promote bicycling in Georgia. Their work includes creating a law enforcement officer's pocket guide, instigating school based education efforts and developing bicyclist education materials.
Atlanta Bicycle Coalitions
ABC's mission is to make it safer and easier for people to ride bicycles by advocating for better facilities for bicycles, educating cyclists and drivers on sharing the road safely, offering programs to support those who would like to start biking as well as those who already bike to ride more often, and by promoting the bicycle as a both a viable transportation solution and a community-building form of recreation and exercise.
PEDS
PEDS is a nonprofit, member-based advocacy organization dedicated to making metro Atlanta safe and accessible for all pedestrians. Members work to improve engineering of the pedestrian environment, increase enforcement of pedestrian safety and educate drivers about their responsibilities to pedestrians.
Alliance for a Healthier Generation
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation is a Georgia SRTS Network Partner that can provide support to schools through its Healthy Schools Program.
American Heart Association (AHA)
The AHA (also a Georgia SRTS Network Partner) is a strong supporter of the Safe Routes to School Program.
Georgia Regional Commissions
Georgia's regional commissions are organizations comprised of county and municipal governments providing services in the areas of planning (including transportation planning), public administration, economic development, aging services and information technology.
National-level organizations offering resources appropriate for local SRTS programs.
The following national-level organizations offer resources appropriate for for local SRTS programs:
Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
Through the community-based KidsWalk-to School Program, the CDC aims to make routes to school active and safe in order to encourage daily physical activity and health.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
In 2009, the EPA issued voluntary school siting guidelines that include safe routes to school in order to improve the health of people and the surrounding environment.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)
RWJF gives grants to programs (such as SRTS) that combat childhood obesity and benefit the health of Americans. In 2009, it also published a report that explored "the challenges and opportunities raised during the implementation of the Safe Routes to School program."
Safe Kids USA
Safe Kids USA is a national organization that works to prevent accidents involving children. In 2000, Safe Kids worked with FedEx to launch the Walk This Way Program. The program hosts walk to school events on International Walk to School Day, leads year-round school safety committees, and has provided grants to "communities that plan communities to work with city leaders, traffic engineers and metropolitan planning organizations to improve safety for child pedestrians at high-risk locations."
