‘Safe Routes to School’ effort seeks state funds

School safety is an important topic, and so is safety for kids heading to and from school. Commute Options and Street Trust are two organizations hoping to expand the Safe Routes to School program to every Oregon school.

The organizations held a public meeting Wednesday evening in Redmond, one of several being held across the state.

“We want to build good infrastructure and good facilities to make it safe,” said Commute Options Executive Director Jeff Monson. “Then teach the kids and encourage them to ride more.”

One of the main goals of the gatherings is to teach community members how to give public testimony about why biking and walking to school is something to care about.

“If people give their personal stories for why this is important, that’s what is going to make it move forward, and that is what we are working on,” said Street Trust Campaign Director, LeeAnne Fergason. “(We are) helping people hone those stories and letting them see the impact they can individually have.”

Commute Options has taught students about bike safety routes for many years. But educating and encouraging every kid to bike and walk safely would cost millions of dollars, and that’s why these organizations are asking the state for dedicated funding.

Right now, Safe Routes to School is only reaching 20 percent of the students in Oregon, so the biggest hope going forward is that they can reach 100 percent.

Commute Options said such funding would allow the program to be at every school in the state. This entails bicycle and transit safety programs and encouragement programs, where kids are biking and walking together in groups.

“As a child, I walked to grade school, junior high and high school, and it was a great opportunity to be able to get good exercise,” said state Sen, Tim Knopp, R-Bend. “But at the same time (it provided) some solitude and thought as you’re walking to school.”

For more information: http://www.commuteoptions.org/program/safe-routes-to-school/