Background

On October 2, 2001 , Governor Davis signed SB 10 (Soto) extending the Safe Routes to Schools (SR2S) program for three more years. The program sunsets on January 1, 2005 , unless a later enacted statute deletes or extends that date. During this time period the state has funded 273 programs throughout the state.

SB 1087 (Soto) would dedicate $20-25 million a year for six categories of projects: sidewalk improvements; traffic calming and speed reduction; pedestrian/bicycle crossing improvements; on-street bicycle facilities; and, traffic diversion improvements.

AB 775 (Parra) is companion legislation to AB 1087, and would also continue the Safe Routes to School program.

The Safe Routes to School (SR2S) program has been implemented successfully in many different jurisdictions around the state and in other parts of the country and even overseas. In CA one of the more successful programs had occurred in Marin County and has lead to increased biking and walking to school by students and reduced traffic at schools due to a reduction in parent drop offs and pick ups.

Why Need for Reauthorization?

The program has been highly competitive with an average of 500 applications per round and over 2,000 total application submitted since its inception. However, this is not indicative of real statewide demand especially in areas that may not be aware of this funding option or organized to take advantage of it. Funding for projects in low-income and communities of color need to increase, as these communities are more likely to have children that have to walk or bike to school.

A recent report released by the Surface Transportation Policy Project and Latino Issues forum has outlined the enormous dependency that children have on travel via cars to school because of several factors, including unsafe walking and biking routes to school. Thirty years ago, the sight of children walking and biking was common � 66 percent of all children did so. Now, however, 87 percent of all trips to and from school are by car or bus. The report also outlines the alarming child obesity and asthma rates as result of children riding in cars, not biking or walking to school and not participating in recreational activities.

Program Improvement

Additional funding could be provided to SR2S or integrated from other programs to help reduce the risk of exposure to crime along routes in low-income and high crime communities. In particular, community policing, security guards and crossing guards could be eligible activities for SR2S projects.

Contacts

Charles L. Mason, Jr., California Policy Director, Surface Transportation Policy Project. (916) 447-8565. cmason@transact.org.

Paul Van Dyke, Chief-of-Staff, Senator Nell Soto, (916) 445-6888

Cynthia Leon, Assemblymember Parra, (916) 319-2030