Would Norbeck Road be eligible for a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) grant?

Photo Credit:  Transportation for America

Did you know that Maryland is one of 20 jurisdictions nationwide that particpates in the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program?  It was established in 2006 as a partnership between the Federal Government and States to improve the health and well-being of children by enabling and encouraging them (and their parents) to walk and bike to school. 

The SRTS program examines conditions around schools and conducts projects and activities to improve the safety and accessibility, and reduce traffic and air pollution in the vicinity of schools.  As a result, SRTS programs help make bicycling and walking to school safer and more appealing transportation choices thus encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle from an early age.

The term “Safe Routes to School” was first used in Denmark in the late 1970s as part of a very successful initiative to reduce the number of children killed while walking and bicycling to school.  The SRTS program spread internationally, with programs springing up throughout Europe and in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States. 

The first modern SRTS program in the U.S. began in 1997 in New York followed by two pilot SRTS programs in 1998, funded by Congress through the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) where I happen to work as a transportation specialist.  The U.S. DOT's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued $50,000 each for SRTS pilot programs in Marin County, California and Arlington, Massachusetts.  The piolot programs were very successful and subsequently copied by other jurisdictions throughout the United States.

Since there are many children and young families that live along Norbeck Road and are serviced by many school buses, it would be wise to build a pedestrian and bike path along the road to ensure the safety of children and their parents as they walk to and from the bus stops, especially during rush-hour traffic in the morning. 

Do you think Norbeck Road would be eligible for a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) grant, especially since it is near James Blake High School, Sandy Springs Day School, Good Counsel High School, and a number of daycare centers? 

Parents, residents, and educators, please share your thoughts and ideas on this SRTS program.