What is Safe Routes to School?
Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a program aimed at making walking and biking to school safer for students. Most often this is in the form of a Walking School Bus (WSB), where teachers and other adult volunteers accompany children walking to or from school, resulting in healthier students and a safer environment. Safe Routes programming also helps reduce traffic and air pollution surrounding schools, increases physical activity, leads to better academic performance, and can reduce student absences and tardiness.
SRTS in Knox County
Bike Walk Knoxville coordinates the Knox County Safe Routes to School Partnership, which supports the efforts of local governments and school communities to promote safe walking and biking to schools throughout Knox County.
The partnership is making a difference by:
Creating safer streets and communities.
By supporting active transportation programs like Walking School Buses and complete streets infrastructure (sidewalks, bike paths, and traffic calming), not only are we teaching our kids road safety, we are also making our communities safer by increasing walkability and promoting neighborhood and community engagement.
Promoting active, healthy lifestyles and transportation.
Walking to school not only gets kids moving, but also has shown to have other positive mental, physical and emotional benefits including increased focus in school, development of physical coordination and strength and the joy of experiencing the natural world with peers.
Reducing financial and environmental costs of school transportation needs.
Not only does increasing the proportion of students who walk or bike to school reduce the amount of traffic congestion and air pollution around our children, it also helps schools save money on the growing fuel, equipment and time costs of our current drop off and bus system.
Partnership members:
Bike Walk Knoxville, City of Knoxville Engineering, City of Knoxville Office of Neighborhood Empowerment, Knox County Environment & Public Works, Knox County Health Department, Knox County Schools, Knoxville Community Development Corporation, Knoxville Police Department, Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization, Town of Farragut, United Way/Community Schools
Our Work
Bike Walk Knoxville has worked with several schools across Knox County to start walking programs and create safer spaces for students to walk and bike to school.
To find out what we can do together in your school community, please complete our request form:
Resources
Check out this video from West View’s Walking School Bus program and these videos made by the Knox County Health Department in partnership with Safety City about pedestrian safety tips.
National Movement
Safe Routes to School is not just a great thing happening in Knox County. It is a national movement led by the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, which provides resources and expertise to communities wanting to make walking and biking to school safer.
Save the date - National Walk and Roll to School Day will be held on Wednesday, October 4, 2023!
Save the date - National Bike and Roll to School Day will be held on Wednesday, May 8, 2024!
Walking School Bus at Beaumont Magnet Academy, 2023
Bike to School Day at South Knoxville Elementary, 2021
Bike to School Day at Sequoyah Elementary, 2021