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Steps to Safe Routes Projects |
No Cost Solutions and Technical Assistance
FDOT offers no cost assistance for all the phases of developing a Safe Routes project outlined below, helping schools and communities prioritize needs, identify solutions and prepare a plan.
Contact: Safe Routes to School Coordinator for technical assistance that may include help with the steps below.
Getting Started!
1. Building Partnerships and Community Support
Efforts to provide safe walking and biking facilities work best when coordinated partnerships are used to support them. Safe Routes to School partnerships usually include teachers, school administrator's, transportation professionals, law enforcement, and public health professionals but may include a wide variety of representatives.
2. School Traffic Safety Review
This review looks at walkability and bikeability in the vicinity of schools. It helps to identify where infrastructure improvements are needed as well as safety concerns that could be addressed using education and enforcement efforts.
- Bikeability Checklist
- Walkability Checklist
- Intersection Observation Form (pdf 54kb)
- Environment Assessment (pdf 207kb)
- School Observation Assessment (pdf 30kb)
Walk Route Planning
All Washington State school districts are required to have Walk Route Plans, suggested routes to get to school for every elementary school (WAC 392-151-025).
School Walk and Bike Routes: A Guide for Planning and Improving Walk and Bike to School Options for Students (pdf 912kb) Provides information about School Walk Route Plans:
Direction on how to develop and implement school walk routes
Procedures to identify pedestrian safety deficiencies along walk routes
Ways for community members to work together to make improvements
3. Designing Your Project
Identifying the right solutions for your project requires a knowledge of the various options and an understanding which are better for different situations. Resource documents are available to help but they do not replace the need to include the transportation professionals responsible for your target location.
4. How to Pay for the Project
The WSDOT administers the
Safe Routes to School Funding Program. It provides funds for engineering, infrastructure, education, encouragement and enforcement activities to increase the number of children walking and biking to school safely.
Funding Sources
5. If you are funded by a WSDOT Safe Routes to School Grant
If you get a Safe Routes to School Grant Award for federal funding there are federal requirements that need to be followed. More information about those requirements can be found in the Local Agency Guidelines (LAG) Manual.
All funded projects are required to:
- Complete quarterly progress reports
- Complete and submit pre and post project evaluation results
- Complete a School Walk Route Plan
- Submit a SRTS Final Report
Local Agency Agreement: Funded projects must complete a local agency agreement before work begins.
- LAG Manual Ch 22: Local Agency Agreement (pdf 1.1 Mb)
Tell People (Communicating) About It
- National Center for SRTS Articles and Press Releases
- Work Zone Safety Guidelines
6. How Well Did This Work - Evaluation
Evaluation is an important part of the Program. Communities that get WSDOT Safe Routes to School Funding are required to evaluate the number of children walking and biking to school before and after their projects using the In-Class Survey Form and Parent Survey Form. Below are some links to the forms and instructions.
- In-Class Survey Form (pdf)
- Parent Survey Form (pdf 64kb).
- Evaluation Instructions
Other Planning Assistance
- National Parks - Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program
- MPO/RTPO - Regional and Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organizations
- WSDOT Community Design Assistance
