Michigan’s Safe Routes to School Program
What is Michigan’s Safe Routes to School Program?
The statewide Safe Routes to School program began in 2003 to help stem the escalating rate of obesity and health problems related to a lack of physical inactivity in Michigan’s school-age children. Representatives from a wide range of disciplines, including health, education, transportation, law enforcement, university, and non-profit groups developed a program, encompassing the 5 E’s: encouragement, enforcement, engineering, education, and economics. Thus far, 11 pilot schools across the state have participated in the program. Clean-up of abandoned houses, increased traffic signage, painted crosswalks, increased crossing guards, realignment of parking lots for safety and improved procedures for student drop-offs and pick-ups are some of the early wins experienced by the schools. Many other longer-term improvements have been planned, and many schoolchildren across the state are experiencing the joys of biking and walking to school, some for the first time. For more about Michigan’s Safe Routes to School program, visit www.saferoutesmichigan.org
Technical Assistance for Trails Helps Complete the Route
MTGA has actively participated in the Safe Routes to School program, providing technical assistance to pilot schools who already have trails nearby. One such school, Belmont Elementary School in Belmont, Michigan, discovered several key improvements needed to the White Pine Trail, which runs right next to school property and several large neighborhoods. Short trail connectors are all that are needed to complete the route in several areas. A report outlining recommendations lays the groundwork for the White Pine Trail to be an ideal route to school for hundreds of students. Belmont Elementary SRTS Report
Assessing Trail Potential
Construction of a new trail or connections to an existing trail may be a realistic option for a safe routes network if the corridor aligns between the school and where students live. To help schools evaluate existing trails or assess new trail potential, MTGA developed a trails toolkit that is included in the state Safe Routes to School toolkit. MTGA SR2S Trails Toolkit
For a free copy of the 
