Evaluating safe routes to school events that designate days for walking and bicycling: Fid-Bau Portal

Evaluating safe routes to school events that designate days for walking and bicycling

Buckley, Aaron / Lowry, Michael B. / Brown, Helen / Barton, Benjamin

Abstract This paper presents a case study evaluation of days designated for walking and bicycling as part of a Safe Routes to School program. The case study examines two elementary schools in Moscow, Idaho that annually participate in two designated days for walking and bicycling, “International Walk to School Day” in the fall and “Fill the Racks!” in the spring. Students walking or bicycling to school were counted before and after the events. For comparison, counts were also observed at a nearby school not involved with the Safe Routes to School program. Count data was collected for 8 days. Furthermore, 45 students and 17 parents were surveyed; and five parents and four community leaders were interviewed. The count data showed a significant increase in students using active modes of travel on the day of the event and a few weeks later. The interviews and surveys showed, among other things, there is strong support for the special events and most parents felt the designated days increased their child's motivation to walk to school. Many parents said the spring event prompted their child to return to walking to school after the cold winter months. Policy implications and other lessons learned are provided.

Highlights • Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of a Safe Routes to School event. • Increased active travel was observed the day of the event and two weeks later. • Walking partner group size and parent escort numbers significantly increased. • Parent surveys revealed changes in motivation and perception for active travel. • Interviews with community leaders exposed unexpected benefits from the events.