It is not just a story to tell your children and grandchildren: in your day, kids actually walked to school (both ways and sometimes in the snow). Today, though, the percentage of kids who walk or ride their bike to school is a fraction of what it was a generation ago. Just 13 percent of American schoolchildren traveled to school by foot or bicycle in 2009, compared to almost 50 percent in 1969.
Local Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs are working to buck that trend, and they get a big boost on October 8, International Walk+Bike Day. The global event encourages children, parents, teachers and community members to improve their neighborhoods and their health by getting to class on foot or bike. It is promoted in the Portland metropolitan area by Oregon Safe Routes to School.
Bucking the trend
Portland regional chapters of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership are working to increase rates of walking and biking to school through a combination of education, encouragement and engineering fixes around schools. Oregon has shown a willingness to invest in Safe Routes to School, and is a national leader in overall participation in walk and bike programs. The city of Portland has set aside dedicated funding for the program since 2006, a commitment that is likely responsible for the percentage of kids in the city who walk or bike to school rising from 31 percent in 2006 to 43 percent in 2012.
Even with increased funding and effort, it’s not always easy for families to make the switch. Parents identify a variety of barriers that prevent them from allowing their children to walk to school, but most commonly cited is distance. Beginning in the 1970s, many school districts began building schools on the edge of communities where land costs were lower and acreage more plentiful. Dangerous traffic can also prevent families from taking the sidewalk -- if sidewalks even exist in the neighborhood.
Spreading success
While many schools in the region have doubled their walk and bike to school rates, not every community in the region has a success story to share.
“Portland and Beaverton have solid histories putting time and resources into Safe Routes to School programming and prioritizing infrastructure funding around schools,” said Kari Schlosshauer, Pacific Northwest regional policy manager for the Safe Routes to School National Partnership. “Gresham, Tigard and Milwaukie are looking at ways to support and promote safe routes to schools in their cities, but without dedicated funding for the programming and associated infrastructure and safety needs, it's difficult to make a long-term commitment.”
In Milwaukie, the Linwood Elementary Parent Teacher Association has started working with City Councilor Mark Gamba to secure some time commitment from city engineers to help with mapping and routes to help create a "school action plan", the first step in beginning a SRTS program.
“The school and community is moving forward on education and encouragement for the students,” Schlosshauer said. "But until they are able to make some real fixes, such as sidewalks, crosswalks and other traffic calming measures in the area around the school, the majority of parents do not feel comfortable letting their kids walk or bike, even when they live only a quarter-mile away.”
Find your safe route
Metro is proud to sponsor the city of Gresham and Gresham-Barlow School District Walk+Bike to School Day activities this year, including three organized walk/bike trains. Find a listing of these events
Find a map of safe routes to public schools in the city of Portland
Register your school for International Walk + Bike to School Day
Don’t have school-age children but still want to participate?