Support Safe Routes To School

Use our email tool to encourage your State Senator to vote for Safe Routes to School, HB 1793.  Safe Routes is a federal grant program, administered by the state.  But Washington has only funded 10% of the schools that requested assistance- this year, only 12 projects in the state will receive grants.

School districts and volunteers around the country have found creative ways to use Safe Routes funding: from building sidewalks, to hiring more crossing guards, to creating a "walking school bus" from a procession of parents and kids.  The benefits are numerous, from helping solve the childhood obesity epidemic to reducing school transportation costs.

Only 12% of kids in Washington bike or walk to school, down from 65% a few decades ago.  It's harder and harder for kids to get the recommended hour of physical activity per day.  In addition, parents dropping kids off at school compose 20% of morning rush hour traffic.  It's not surprising that parents find the roads more dangerous, and obesity rates have tripled.

Let's turn these trends around.  HB 1793 sailed through the House but now faces challenges in the Senate.

Please look up your senator below.  Tell him or her why you support Safe Routes to School.