Northeast Iowa Safe Routes to School
"Creating walkable, bikeable communities..."
Safe Routes to School is an international movement promoting safe walking and bicycling to school modeling the 5Es: engineering, education, enforcement, encouragement, and evaluation.
Northeast Iowa FFI joined this effort in 2009 with the adoption of pilot projects in six school districts. These schools with support from the NE Iowa FFI involved students, parents, teachers, administration and community leaders in planning and implementation of Safe Routes to School activities. Equally as important, Safe Routes to School involves increasing physical activity opportunities during the school day.
As an extension of the program, the NE Iowa FFI supports collaboration between local government, school members and community leaders to brainstorm community-design suitable for pedestrians and cyclists. There is a strong correlation between communities with safe bicycle and pedestrian environments, and having more active residents.
The NE Iowa FFI recently committed to extending Safe Routes to School program opportunities for all of the region's 27 school districts. The School Wellness Action Plan catalogs Safe Routes to School and Farm to School activities, which the NE Iowa FFI supports. There will be physical activity opportunities for the entire school population.
The 2009 National Household Travel Survey collected by the U.S. Department of Transportation, indicates that 13 percent of children five to 14 years old usually walked or biked to school compared with 48 percent of students in 1969. Safe Routes to School is helping reverse this downward trend in northeast Iowa, and creating healthier communities in the process.
Questions about Safe Routes to School? Please contact Upper Exploreland Regional Planning Commission at 563-382-6171.
Active Living Publications:
Taking the First Steps Together and Walk with Your Child to School
Rooted in Community: The Moai Model
Move to Beat the Winter Blues
Resources:
- Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission
- Northeast Iowa Regional SRTS Project (NE IA RC&D)
- Iowa Safe Routes to School
- Iowa Bicycle Coalition
- National Center for Safe Routes to School
Other Resources for Schools:
Action for Healthy Kids
Review and download tools to help you create healthier kids and schools. Use the search function to access programs, guides, toolkits, lesson plans and curricula on childhood obesity prevention and improving nutrition, physical education and activity and school wellness from Action for Healthy Kids and our partners.
Healthier US School Challenge
The Healthier US School Challenge (HUSSC) was established to recognize schools that are creating healthier school environments through their promotion of good nutrition and physical activity. Four levels of superior performance are awarded: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Gold of Distinction.
