San Mateo County, CA — The San Mateo County Office of Education’s Safe Routes to School program received a $260,576 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) that will prioritize the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians.

The Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program encourages and enables children to walk and bicycle to school by leading projects promoting the health, safety, and well-being of children. The SRTS program broadly engages students, teachers, and families from more than 100 schools across the county, particularly in communities that lack the infrastructure to support safe transportation options to and from school. SRTS activities support the health and safety of children and help reduce traffic congestion and emissions caused by school-related travel.

Funding from this grant will complement the countywide Safe Routes to School program by offering support to high-priority schools based on their proximity to unsafe intersections. The grant will fund a comprehensive safety program, which will teach valuable bicycle and pedestrian safety skills. Other grant-funded projects include:

  • Community bicycle and walk audits of streets with a high rate of pedestrian and/or bicycle fatalities and serious injury crashes.
  • Walking Field Trips that educate youth and older adults on safe walking habits.
  • Open Streets events promoting alternate transportation options.
  • Bicycle skills and training courses that educate youth on safe riding behaviors.
  • Helmet fitting inspections and distribution of helmets.
  • Pop-up events that promote pedestrian and bicycle safety.

In addition to the program elements outlined above, SRTS will utilize grant funds to expand the School Travel Fellowship piloted in 2021-2022. The Fellowship provides an opportunity for cities to actively support safe student travel by partnering with schools to jointly respond to community concerns. City/school teams receive technical assistance from a transportation planning and design firm, workshops on various topics, walk/bike route maps for participating schools, and technical assistance on demonstration projects that enhance pedestrian and bicyclist safety.

“Every bicyclist and pedestrian should feel safe on the road,” OTS Director Barbara Rooney said. “Education is one of many important tools that collectively work to make sure everyone, regardless of how they travel, reaches their destination safely.”

Funding for this program, which was provided by a grant from OTS through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, will run through September 2023. Visit the County Office of Education’s website to learn more about its Safe Routes to School program.

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The San Mateo County Office of Education is committed to ensuring excellence and equity in education by inspiring students, investing in teachers, invigorating leaders, and involving communities.

November 14, 2022