# Presentation: 057078

## Walking & Bicycling to School Programs:

**Train the Trainer Presentation**

## What is the problem?
What are some solutions?
Benefits of Walking and Bicycling to School 
What Can You Do?
National Level Support

- Presentation Outline

**What is the problem?**
- What are some solutions?
- Benefits of Walking and Bicycling to School
- What Can You Do?
- National Level Support

## Trips to School by Distance and Mode Youth Ages 5-15 (1995)

**Percent of Trips**

**1 mile or less**

**Between 1 and 2 miles**

**Trips to School by Distance and Mode ****Youth Ages 5-15 (1995)**

- Calculations from the 1995 *Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey*. US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, unpublished data, 2000.

**Notes:**
          Again, you can see that 31% of school trips one mile or less are made by walking. 
          What you can also see is that more than half of the short distance trips are made by car.  Think about how many extra cars this means are out on the streets in your neighborhoods and schools that could be eliminated if children walked or bicycled to school.
Another 14% of these short distance trips are made by bus. (Note that the bus trips are probably necessary, because in general, buses are not dispatched within a 1 mile radius of the school unless it is deemed unsafe for the child to walk- meaning these neighborhoods aren’t safe for walking and bicycling to school and something needs to be done to make them safer). 

## Reported Barriers to Walking & Biking 

**to School (1999)**

- 1999 HealthStyles Survey

**Percentage of Respondents**

**Distance**

**Traffic**

**Other**

**Weather**

**Crime**

**School**
**Policy**

**No**
**Barriers**

## Prevalence of overweight children has tripled
Sharp increase in cases of type 2 diabetes in children
Pedestrian injuries are the 3rd leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children
Asthma rates have increased 160% in the past 15 years in children

- Sharp increase in cases of **type 2 diabetes** in children
**Pedestrian injuries** are the 3rd leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children
**Asthma** rates have increased 160% in the past 15 years in children

**Children’s Health Risks****Related to Physical Inactivity, Pedestrian Safety, and Air Quality**

## What is the problem?
What are some solutions?
Benefits of Walking and Bicycling to School 
What Can You Do?
National Level Support

**Walking and Bicycling to School:**
- Presentation Outline

- What is the problem?
**What are some solutions?**
- Benefits of Walking and Bicycling to School
- What Can You Do?
- National Level Support

## Ways to Get Kids Walking and Bicycling to School

***Safe Routes to School***
- 	To identify and create safe routes to school for walking and bicycling

**Ways to Get Kids Walking and Bicycling to School**

***Walking School Bus***
- 	To encourage children to walk to school in groups accompanied by adults

**Notes:**
In 1976 in Denmark a large number of children were being killed by traffic collisions.  In response community members, teachers, politicians, and civil servants came together to change the dangerous streets into safe streets and routes for children to walk to and from school.  As a result, the annual accident rate was reduced by 85 percent. This is the first example of a safe routes to school initiative, that relies on bringing communities together to create safe routes to school.

Then in 1992, an Australian, David Engwicht, invented the walking school bus concept.  He recommended that a group of children walk to school accompanied by an adult in an effort to overcome the problems of traffic safety and perceptions of stranger danger. It is much like a carpool, but everyone is walking. 

##        Walk to School Day
                       Walking Wednesday
Walking School Bus
              Safe Routes to School 
     Classroom Learning
                               No Idling Campaign
            Eyes on the Street

-                        **Walking Wednesday**
- Walking School Bus
-               **Safe Routes to School**
**     ****Classroom Learning**
-                                No Idling Campaign
-             **Eyes on the Street**

**Walk and Bicycle to School Programs**

## What is the problem?
What are some solutions?
Benefits of Walking and Bicycling to School 
What Can You Do?
National Level Support

- Presentation Outline

- What is the problem?
- What are some solutions?
**Benefits of Walking and Bicycling to School**
- What Can You Do?
- National Level Support

## More social

**More social**
**interaction**

**Increased**
**independence**

**Increased**
**physical**
**activity**

**Improved**
**pedestrian**
**skills**

**Community**
**design**

**Less reliance**
**on automobile**

**Decreased**
**neighborhood/**
**school traffic**

**Reduced fear**
**of crime**

**Many reasons to do**
**a Walk and Bicycle**
**to School program**

## What is the problem?
What are some solutions?
Benefits of Walking and Bicycling to School 
What Can You Do?
National Level Support

- Presentation Outline

- What is the problem?
- What are some solutions?
- Benefits of Walking and Bicycling to School
**What Can You Do?**
- National Level Support

- www.walktoschool.org

- www.iwalktoschool.org

## CDC’sKidswalk-to-School

- Increase **daily physical activity** of children
- Improve **pedestrian safety**** **
- Educate and empower communities to **create safe routes to school**

**Notes:**
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed a national program that is based on both the walking school bus and safe routes to school concepts. 

The purpose of KidsWalk-to-School is to:
        increase levels of physical activity in children by teaching them the pleasure of walking and building physical activity back into their daily routine.
        to improve safety by giving children the opportunity to learn and practice safe pedestrian skills. 
        to educate and empower community members to work together and build partnerships with police, Department of Transportation, school officials, etc. to create safe routes to school.  For example, if the problem were a need for sidewalks you would work with the Dept of Public Works to get sidewalks installed; and if the issue were high speed traffic you would work with police to lower speed limits and enforce them.
        Other added benefits of walk to school programs are: children get to hang out with their friends along the way, parents get to spend valuable time with their children, car trips are reduced, and congestion in and around the neighborhood and school is lessened.  In addition, having more people out and about helps create a sense of community and reduces the risk of crime.

## Download guide, fact sheet, brochure, and video of Surgeon General 
Download Community Presentation

- Download guide, fact sheet, brochure, and video of Surgeon General
- Download Community Presentation

- _www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/kidswalk_

**Notes:**
KidsWalk-to-School materials include a 60-page How-To guid that includes surveys and sample letters, a tri-fold brochure, and a webpage that you can download all of the materials. 
To obtain a copy of the KidsWalk-to-School materials, you can...
-         Download it from the CDC Web site: www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/kidswalk
-         Request by e-mail: ccdinfo@cdc.gov
Call to request the guide: 1-888-CDC-4NRG 

## Safe Routes to School (SR2S) Legislation

**Safe Routes to School (SR2S) Legislation**

- California, 1999                                                                           (click Safe Routes to School)
- $20 Million/year until January 2005
- Traffic calming, crosswalks, sidewalks, bike lanes in and around schools
- Texas, 2002
- $3 Million/year first year
- Other states are working on similar SR2S Legislation
- National SR2S Legislation

- _www.dot.ca.gov/hq/LocalPrograms/_

- _www.SafeRoutesTexas.org_

**Notes:**
Safe Routes to School Legislation is another type of initiative that falls under walking to school.
        An excellent example of success at the state level is the work California has done to secure $20 million dollars a year towards Safe Routes to School Legislation. This legislation sets federal transportation dollars aside for projects like traffic calming, and installing crosswalks, sidewalks and bike lanes around schools. 

        It is a model that other states are hoping to emulate and have been drafting up similar legislation. 

And now as a result of state level interest and success efforts have begun to create national SR2S legislation. 

## Find out about other programs in the United States

- Download *The Summary of 2002 Safe Routes to School Programs in the United States* at
- Visit the CDC’s State-based Physical Activity Program Directory
- Find out who participated in Walk to School Day at

- _www.transact.org_

- _http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/DNPAProg/_

- _www.walktoschool.org_

## Build State Level Partnerships

- FHWA State Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator
- State Department of Education
- State PTA
- State Police Department: Community Policing
- Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance (RTCA)
- Other State Physical Activity Contacts

- _http://www.transportation.org/committee/design/tf_non-motorized_bikeped.html_

- _www.pta.org/ptacommunity/index.asp_

- _http://www.nps.gov/rtca/contactus/cu_offices.html_

## Look into Funding Possibilities

- Surface Transportation Program (STP)
- Transportation Enhancement Activities (TEA)
- Hazard Elimination
- Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ)
- Recreational Trails Program
- Safe Routes to School Legislation
- National Safe Kids, Walk This Way

- _http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bikeped/bp-broch.htm#funding_

**Notes:**
To find out more about Transportations funds for creating and maintaining safe routes to school visit the Department of transportation’s website at www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bikeped/bp-broch.htm#funding  
Examples are 
        Surface Transportation Program (STP) and Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ): funds can be used for construction of bicycle transportation facilities and pedestrian walkways, or nonconstruction projects (such as maps, brochures, and PSAs) related to safe bicycle use and walking.
        Recreational Trails Program: funds may be used for trail projects.
        Safe Routes to School Legislation that was discussed earlier.
National Safe Kids, Walk This Way: campaign to bring national and local attention to pedestrian safety issues. Funds can be used to identify local pedestrian safety problems and seek long-term solutions. 

## Gather State Data 

- Obesity/Overweight
- Physical Inactivity
- Cardiovascular Diseases
- Air Quality
- Diabetes

- _www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/trend/prev_reg.htm_

- _www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dash/yrbs/_

- _http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/BurdenBook/index.asp_

- _www.epa.gov/airnow/_

- _www.cdc.gov/diabetes/statistics/index.htm_

**Notes:**
Data can be a powerful authority on getting “buy-in” and participation from certain groups. Identify health indicators in your state. Several resources for identifying these are provided on this slide. You may want to think about collecting some of your own state data by getting questions added to surveys that have already been developed. For example, Georgia collected data on the mode of transportation to school as part of the Georgia Asthma Survey. 

## Promote Walking and Bicycling to School  

- Speak at conferences
- Facilitate teleconferences
- Conduct workshops
- Seek funding for mini-grants
- Create news releases and media events

**Notes:**
Data can be a powerful authority on getting “buy-in” and participation from certain groups. Identify health indicators in your state. Several resources for identifying these are provided on this slide. You may want to think about collecting some of your own state data by getting questions added to surveys that have already been developed. For example, Georgia collected data on the mode of transportation to school as part of the Georgia Asthma Survey. 

## What is the problem?
What are some solutions?
Benefits of Walking and Bicycling to School 
What Can You Do?
National Level Support

- Presentation Outline

- What is the problem?
- What are some solutions?
- Benefits of Walking and Bicycling to School
- What Can You Do?
**National Level Support**

## Surveys show that voters would support using Local, State, & Federal Funds... 

**54%**	for more bike paths
**61%**	for more sidewalks
**72%**	for mandatory sidewalks in new developments
**70%**	to help ensure the safety of children to walk or ride bicycles to school

- Source: EPA/CDC:Greenstyles Survey; Healthsyles 2000

**Notes:**
Voters support the use of Federal Funds to have infrastructure for pedestrians and bicyclists. 

## Promoting Better Health for Young People Through Physical Activity and Sports Objective

- “Enable communities to develop and promote the use of safe, well-maintained, and close-to-home sidewalks, crosswalks, bicycle paths, trails, parks, recreational facilities, and community designs featuring mixed-use development and a connected grid of streets.”

- A Report to the President from the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Education, fall 2000.

**Notes:**
The Report to the President, Fall 2000 included 10 Strategies to promote lifelong participation in enjoyable and safe physical activity. One of the strategies was to “Enable communities to develop and promote the use of safe, well-maintained, and close-to-home sidewalks, crosswalks, bicycle paths, trails, parks, recreational facilities, and community designs featuring mixed-use development and a connected grid of streets.”

## Healthy People 2010 Objectives

**22.12**   Increase the proportion of children’s trips to     	   school _<_ 1 mile made by walking from      		   **31%** to **50%****.**
**22.15**   Increase the proportion of children’s trips to   	   school _<_ 2 miles made by bicycling from 		   **2.4%** to **5.0%****.**

**Notes:**
Healthy People 2010 is the prevention agenda for the Nation. It is a statement of national health objectives designed to identify the most significant preventable threats to health and to establish national goals to reduce these threats. For the first time ever, objectives related to active transportation have been included.  Objectives related to the trip to school aim for increasing the proportion of children’s walk trips (within a one mile radius) to school from 31% to 50%. And bike trips to school (within two mile radius) from 2.4% to 5.0%.

## Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Resources

- National Strategies for Advancing Child Pedestrian Safety
- National Strategies for Advancing Bicycle Safety
*Getting to School Safely* - NHTSA

- _www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pedestrian/_

- _www.cdc.gov/ncipc/bike/call_to_action.htm_

- _www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/buses/GTSS/toc.html_

## Pedestrian and Bicycle Resources

- Advocacy
- National Center for Bicycling and Walking
- League of American Bicyclists
- Information
- Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center

- _www.bikefed.org_

- _www.bikeleague.org_

- _www.walkinginfo.org_

- _www.bicyclinginfo.org_

## Additional Resources

- What can you do About Air Pollution?
- No Idling Project
- TEA-3

- _www.epa.gov/otaq/18-youdo.htm_

- _www.greenestcity.org/indexwsd.html_

- _www.tea3.org_

## Pointers to Keep in Mind

- Build partnerships
- Be prepared for initial resistance
- Safety is the #1 priority
- There is a solution to every problem
- Community Design changes may take time and be expensive
- Start small