Benefits for Schools

Less Traffic

In 1969, the national average of all students who walked or rode a bike to school was about 50%. Today, that number is below 15%, with 70% of children dropped off at their school’s front door. Drop-off zones at schools were designed over half a century ago. While infrastructure improvements can be made, we can’t just build ourselves out of the problem. On average, 64 children (ages 0 – 19) are hit each year while walking or bicycling in Monterey County—often near a school. We need to help children learn skills they need to be safe and to look for better and smarter options for getting children safely to school.

Health & Safety

Through classroom experiences and hands-on training provided by our partners the Monterey County Health Department and Ecology Action, we teach children the skills they need to get to and from school safe and sound, and incentivize them to do so. Upcoming events and programs, such as crossing guard training, walking school buses, walk & roll, and park & walk will expand the breadth of Safe Routes to School.

The benefits that our programs include safety, healthy habits, improved attendance and academic performance. Research indicates that students who walk or bike to school have more positive moods, as well as improved concentration, focus, attention, academic achievement, and cognitive mapping. In addition, our programs benefit the community by lowering traffic congestion and improving air quality.

Funding

The Program is funded through local transportation sales tax Measure X, which will provide the most consistent source of funding for the program through the year 2046. Measure X funding is leveraged to bring in other sources of local, state, and federal funding to reach goals of improving the streets around schools and establishing new education and encouragement programs. For more information about Safe Routes to School program goals and eligible projects and programs read the Safe Routes to School Program Guidelines adopted by the Transportation Agency for Monterey County Board in February 2018.