Indiana Safe Routes to School Program
What's New?
- INDOT Announces 2009 SRTS Awards (December 2009)
- New Tip Sheets on Biking and Walking Policies and Engaging Middle School Students (September 2009)
- New SRTS Student Tally and Parent Survey forms (September 2009)
- Update on 2009 SRTS Applications (September 2009)
- 2009 Walk to School Day Promotion (August 2009)
- Map of Indiana SRTS Awards (April 2009)
What is the Safe Routes to School Program?
The Indiana Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program is based on the federal program designed to make walking and bicycling to school safe and routine. Walking and bicycling are viable transportation alternatives for travel to and from school with significant potential benefits, among them reductions in motor vehicle traffic, associated fuel consumption for school trips and improved air quality.
When SAFETE-LU was signed into law in 2005, the evidence was clear that disturbing weight gains among American children and a growing nationwide obesity epidemic threatened our health. Bicycling and walking to school helps establish a healthy, active lifestyle from an early age. Generally, increased physical activity among school-aged children contributes to their improved personal health. However, towns with established SRTS programs also report a stronger sense of community identity and increased social skills among school-aged children.
INDOT is responsible for administering the Indiana SRTS Program that makes federal funding available for eligible activities and improvements. INDOT will use an application process to evaluate candidate projects. An SRTS Advisory Committee will review applications and make recommendations to fund infrastructure and non-infrastructure projects.
Did You Know…
If the number of kids who walk and bike to school was restored to 1969 levels, our nation would cut 3.2 billion vehicle miles, 1.5 million tons of CO2, and 89,000 tons of other pollutants annually. This is the equivalent of keeping more than 250,000 cars off the road for a year.
–Pedroso, M., 2008, Safe Routes to School: Steps to a Greener Future
Indiana Safe Routes To School Links
Indiana
- Indiana Safe Routes To School (SRTS) Program Parameters
- How is SRTS funding administered and what limitations exist?
- What kinds of construction improvements are possible under the SRTS Program?
- What kinds of non-construction projects are eligible under SRTS?
- Suggestions to Prepare for Your Safe Routes to School Program
- Classification and Differences in Project Implementation
- 2007 Indiana Safe Routes to School Brochure
- 2009 Letter to School Officials
- 2009 Letter to Health Officials
- Map of Indiana SRTS Awards 2006-2008
- 2009 Indiana Walk-To-School-Day Promotion Letter
- Tip Sheet on School Bicycling and Walking Policies
- Tip Sheet on Engaging Middle School Students
- Bicycle Safety Activity Kit (English)
- Bicycle Safety Activity Kit (Spanish)
- Federal Highway Administration SRTS web site
- Federal program guidance
- National Center for Safe Routes to School
- National Safe Routes to School Guide
- "Why Safe Routes Matters" high resolution download ( For presentation purposes - 128 megabytes)
- Safe Routes to School Bicycle Parking Guide
- Residents Guide for Creating Safe and Walkable Communities (August 2008)
For evaluation purposes all schools applying for funding for Safe Routes to School activities and projects are required to conduct parent and student surveys. These surveys collect base information about how children travel to and from school and measure the parent's attitudes about student travel. The surveys help generate interest and participation in the Safe Routes program while yielding useful information for schools. Ideally, surveys will be administered during September or May when weather conditions are most favorable for bicycling and walking to school. 
Following implementation of both infrastructure projects and non-infrastructure activities, the surveys must be repeated to measure differences in the number of children walking, bicycling and using other modes of transportation, and to examine any changes in parent’s attitudes toward these activities. The newest survey forms should be used. Parent and student surveys should be conducted several months after completion of the activity or project to allow time for users to recognize and try the new facilities or to permit training, encouragement, planning and enforcement actions or equipment purchases to have an impact. Again, September and May are the best months for these surveys, while October and April are also reasonably good months to collect information.
In June 2009 the National Center for Safe Routes to School published brand new survey forms. The new survey forms have the same content as the 2007 forms, but they are easier for the National Center to machine-read. All surveys should begin using the new forms.
Parent surveys and a student tally form to be completed by teachers in all classrooms of each target school are available here for download. An overview of the survey procedures and more detailed instructions are also available.
- SRTS Parent Survey Form 6-09
- SRTS Parent Survey Form in Spanish 6-09
- SRTS Student Tally Sheet 6-09
- SRTS Data Collection Overview 11-07
- Instructions for Student Tally & Parent Surveys 11-07
You may enter survey data directly or mail completed survey forms to the National Center for Safe Routes to School in order to report your data. From the National Center’s database, submitted information can later be recovered and summarized at the local, state and national level. Links to data entry instructions and cover sheets to accompany survey forms being sent to the National Center for tabulation are provided below.
Update on 2009 Indiana Safe Routes To School Applications
The 2009 SRTS application cycle began April 1, 2009 and concluded May 29, 2009. Altogether, 39 applications were submitted seeking over $6.8 million. Several non-infrastructure proposals were submitted this year. Applications that exhibited a comprehensive approach to walking and bicycling were viewed much more favorably than requests for sidewalks alone. Partnerships, local initiative and planning support were again highly valued. INDOT has been especially interested in non-infrastructure applications featuring effective encouragement techniques, local planning for increased walking and biking, Safe Routes promotion, training or education, enforcement actions and evaluations. School walking and biking policies, as well as long term and short term health-related impacts, now receive increased emphasis. Recommendations of the SRTS Advisory Committee are being provided to the INDOT Commissioner and awards should be announced this fall.
It was again mandatory that student surveys and parent surveys be completed for each school applying for Safe Routes funding. The only exceptions for the 2009 application cycle were for schools, school districts, towns and cities that completed both surveys for spring 2008 applications or for the Special Call for Non-Infrastructure activities in the fall of 2008. These applicants still had to clearly document their 2008 surveys, but were not required to administer new student and parent surveys. The National Center can verify if data or survey materials were properly submitted. 
One copy of each SRTS application is provided by applicants to the appropriate INDOT district office for their use. During an application period INDOT encourages potential applicants to read the current application guide carefully and take note of the various changes listed on page two of the guide. A new guide is normally published at the same time that new application forms become available. The latest application forms and related documents are provided below for download. A 2010 SRTS application period has not yet been planned.
- 2009 Safe Routes to School Infrastructure Application (Microsoft Word Form)
- 2009 Safe Routes to School Non-Infrastructure Application (Microsoft Word Form)
- 2009 Safe Routes to School Application Guide (Microsoft Word Document)
- Typical Unit Costs for Pedestrian and Bicyclist Facilities (Microsoft Excel Table Updated to January 2009) (Please use these figures in developing your cost estimates for infrastructure improvements you are proposing for 2009 SRTS funding. Consider these as starting points. Project-specific factors should be applied when available to more accurately project costs and to reflect the true nature of the project under consideration.)
- 2007 MPO List
Indiana Safe Routes To School Program 2009 Special Call Awards
INDOT Announces Special Call Safe Routes Awards (December 2009)
*Images provided by the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC) unless otherwise noted.
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