El Paso’s Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program began in December 2007 for 48 schools in the El Paso Independent School District (EPISD). The
City of El Paso (COEP) provided $10,000 to each school for the creation of the SRTS plans through staff support, and consulting engineering services. Rusk
Elementary School (Rusk) used a portion of its grant funds for encouragement activities and incentive purchases; the COEP facilitated the development of
SRTS plan with consultant support. The SRTS plan will allow schools to apply for federal funding administered through the Texas Department of Transportation
(TxDOT). COEP, EPISD and Walter P. Moore worked together to develop an SRTS Program unique to the needs of Rusk.
This program encourages parent and student participation to provide to all students the option to use physically active transportation, such as walking and bicycling, for a safe, healthy, and enjoyable trip to school. COEP and EPISD endorsed the program as a means to reduce traffic congestion around schools, improve traffic and pedestrian safety, and promote healthy alternatives. Also a key part of this effort was the school’s SRTS Advisory Committee, which was composed of school staff and parent volunteers. The plan included background documentation, observations of existing field conditions, parent-student surveys, strategy meetings, and identification of best practices for engineering, education, enforcement, encouragement and evaluation. Implementation strategies included cost estimates of physical improvements and program activities. Before developing the SRTS Plan, the consultant team met with the SRTS Advisory Committee and asked their ideas of what the SRTS program could do for their school and to develop a vision statement for Hillside.
Several ideas were discussed including:
• Reduction in speed around the school
• Educating the parents and children about safety
• Providing physical activity for children
• Reducing congestion in front of the school
• Providing curb ramps to allow children to ride bikes on sidewalks
City of El Paso (COEP) provided $10,000 to each school for the creation of the SRTS plans through staff support, and consulting engineering services. Rusk
Elementary School (Rusk) used a portion of its grant funds for encouragement activities and incentive purchases; the COEP facilitated the development of
SRTS plan with consultant support. The SRTS plan will allow schools to apply for federal funding administered through the Texas Department of Transportation
(TxDOT). COEP, EPISD and Walter P. Moore worked together to develop an SRTS Program unique to the needs of Rusk.
This program encourages parent and student participation to provide to all students the option to use physically active transportation, such as walking and bicycling, for a safe, healthy, and enjoyable trip to school. COEP and EPISD endorsed the program as a means to reduce traffic congestion around schools, improve traffic and pedestrian safety, and promote healthy alternatives. Also a key part of this effort was the school’s SRTS Advisory Committee, which was composed of school staff and parent volunteers. The plan included background documentation, observations of existing field conditions, parent-student surveys, strategy meetings, and identification of best practices for engineering, education, enforcement, encouragement and evaluation. Implementation strategies included cost estimates of physical improvements and program activities. Before developing the SRTS Plan, the consultant team met with the SRTS Advisory Committee and asked their ideas of what the SRTS program could do for their school and to develop a vision statement for Hillside.
Several ideas were discussed including:
• Reduction in speed around the school
• Educating the parents and children about safety
• Providing physical activity for children
• Reducing congestion in front of the school
• Providing curb ramps to allow children to ride bikes on sidewalks