DC received $5 million to start enacting the Safe Routes to School program over the next five years. This federal program was one of the biggest national advocacy wins for the Bikes Belong Coalition last year. It was a response to, among other things, the falling number of children who bike or walk to school. In addition to health, environmental and quality of life issues, there doesn't seem to be any indication that it's safer. On RPUS, Richard Laymen points to, in a post entitled "Kids Are Made for Driving Around," a study showing that more children die as automobile passengers than as bicyclist or pedestrians (though these numbers don't take into account accidents per mile traveled which would be more useful).
DC is focusing its attention on middle school children.
Elementary schools are so close that walking makes more sense. High Schools are
farther away, plus kids at that age are more image conscious and eager to
drive. So far they've been focusing on two projects; Bicycle
& Pedestrian safety - which I believe they've contracted with WABA to
provide, and bicycle parking. Last word I had they had added parking to the
following schools.
1) Ludlow-Taylor Elementary School, 659 G St NE, 3 racks installed on 2/15/06
2)Brent Elementary School, 330 3rd St SE, 3 racks installed on 2/15/06
3)Capital City Public Charter School (Pre-K thru 8), 3047 15th St NW, 2 racks installed on 7/21/05
4)Watkins School (Elementary), 420 12th St SE, 2 racks installed on 9/22/05
5) Peabody Early Childhood Center (Pre-K thru K), 425 C St NE, 3 racks installed on 9/22/05
6) Stuart Hobson Middle School, 410 E St NE, 5 racks installed on 9/22/05
7) Public Schools Department, 825 North Capitol St, 2 racks installed in 2002
8) Takoma Children's School (Pre-K), 6925 Willow St NW, 2 racks installed in 2003
9) F.S. Key Elementary School, 5001 Dana Pl, NW, 4 racks installed in 2003
Total racks installed = 26
They've chosen schools from each ward to focus on and have the advantage of not having to compete with other cities (like Maryland and Virginia communities do) for funding. This reminds me of a story someone told me once. They rode their bike to a PTA meeting at a local school and had to lock their bike to a fence. When they came out after the meeting a school board member was there unlocking their bike from the same fence. They asked the school board member "why do we have to lock our bikes to this fence" and the school board member said, matter-of-factly, "well, there are no bike racks." to which he said, "exactly." It looks like, at least that's changing.
They should start working now to celebrate International Bike and Walk to School day - like Bike to Work day - this year (October 4th, 2006), if only at the schools in the pilot program.
Last year, DCPS did do a Walk and Bike to Work Day.
Posted by: Kate | June 20, 2006 at 02:22 PM