SRTS Success Stories

Schools and municipalities participating in Safe Routes to School programs can learn a great deal by studying other successful projects and activities. The following success stories provide information about other SRTS programs in the state.

Walk or Roll to School Day 2012 – Read how some schools in Pennsylvania celebrated Walk or Roll to School Day on October 3, 2012.

Schools Promote Safe Routes to School with Noninfrastructure Grants – Learn how some schools are using Safe Routes to School noninfrastructure grant money to promote safe walking and bicycling to their students.

Walking School Bus – Read how schools are getting more students to walk to school by implementing a walking school bus program.

DuBois Area Middle School Walkability Audit – In 2009, DuBois Area Middle School received a walkability audit performed by the engineering firm Pennoni Associates Inc. on behalf of the Safe Routes to School program. The audit identified deficiencies with the school’s main walking routes, and the school has implemented several of the audit report’s recommendations. The result? Safer walking routes for the several hundred middle schoolers who walk home from school.

Mechanicsburg School District and the Borough of Mechanicsburg – Led by an active parent who wanted to see more children walking and bicycling, this elementary school, located in a walking community, participated in Walk to School Day and implemented an SRTS program that promotes walking and bicycling and provides incentives for children to participate. To address infrastructure deficiencies in the routes to school, the borough of Mechanicsburg was awarded SRTS infrastructure funding to improve sidewalks and crosswalks in the vicinity of the school. Since this elementary school joined the Walk to School Day movement, enthusiasm for SRTS has spread to other elementary schools in the district that now also participate in the international event.

Central Valley School District and Center Township – In 2010, when this school district became the first in Pennsylvania to voluntarily merge, school officials also had to figure out how to join a walking school district with a busing school district. Spearheaded by an enthusiastic school nurse, an SRTS program was developed and now features a walking club in the elementary schools and community-wide events to promote walking, bicycling, and SRTS efforts. To address deficiencies in walking routes around the schools, the township joined forces with the school district and was awarded SRTS infrastructure funding to install sidewalks near one of the elementary schools.

SRTS Noninfrastructure Activities Around the State – Since 2008, PennDOT has provided more than $200,000 in noninfrastructure funding to schools across Pennsylvania. This document provides a listing of past funded activities, which your school can use to obtain ideas for developing its own noninfrastructure program and applying for funding. Please keep in mind that this list does not contain all eligible activities and items; it merely describes what has been funded in the past. For more about what activities and items are eligible under the grants, go to noninfrastructure grants.

National and International Case Studies – For additional case studies (across the nation and around the world) of successful community programs focused on education, encouragement, enforcement, and engineering efforts, visit the National Center for Safe Routes to School.

Walk or Roll to School Day 2011 – Read how some schools in Pennsylvania celebrated Walk or Roll to School Day on October 5, 2011.

City of Franklin, Bicycle-Friendly Community – In 2010, the City of Franklin in Venango County was designated as a Bronze-Level Bicycle-Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. The city joins Philadelphia and Pittsburgh as the only three cities in Pennsylvania to be honored with the designation. Among its many bicycle-friendly initiatives, including a robust trail system and school routes, the community of Franklin (population 7,200) has implemented Safe Routes to School programs and has received Safe Routes to School funding from PennDOT.