The Safe Routes to School Program (SRTS) was created by the U.S. Congress as part of a federal transportation bill called SAFETEA-LU.
Program Intent
The primary reason for developing this nationwide program was this country's growing epidemic of childhood obesity and diabetes.
One of the courses of the epidemic was children's inability to get physical activity, such as biking and walking to school, due to the lack of safe and convenient ways to do so.
The program accomplished this by providing funds for schools and communities to implement infrastructure projects (such as sidewalk improvements, trails, and traffic calming) and non-infrastructure programs (such as education campaigns, law enforcement efforts, and prize giveaways).
