Coalition wins $3.5 million for Safe Routes to School!
Yesterday, the For Every Kid Coalition, representing 89 coalition partners including the Community Cycling Center and the BTA, won an unprecedented investment in Safe Routes to School: $3.5 million.
The Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (JPACT) voted in favor of the proposal that increases investments that provide safety for people walking, bicycling, and accessing transit, especially near schools.
Regional leaders passed a funding package that invests:
$1.5 million for Safe Routes to School education/encouragement programs,
$2 million to make streets safe around Title 1 schools and plan regional trails, and
$25.76 million for safe walking and biking street safety projects.
“Beyond maintaining the continuation of allocated funding for active transportation investments, this package also includes policy language that directs investments that have been overlooked for far too long,” said Mychal Tetteh, our CEO. “As a vocal leader of this coalition, we were able to advocate for the kind of programming and infrastructure funding that will ensure the most vulnerable families in our region will be able to get to school safely.”
This dedication to Safe Routes to School is unprecedented on the regional level, and is an important investment toward meeting the critical need for safe neighborhood streets for kids that will significantly contribute to healthier, more active communities.