1. Moving Toward Safer Routes to School

2. GOALS What is the problem? What are the barriers to walking and biking? What is Safe Routes to School?? How do we get started? How do we make it happen on the ground?

3. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 1985 No Data <10% 10%–14% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

4. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 1986 No Data <10% 10%–14% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

5. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 1987 No Data <10% 10%–14% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

6. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 1988 No Data <10% 10%–14% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

7. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 1989 No Data <10% 10%–14% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

8. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 1990 No Data <10% 10%–14% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

9. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 1991 No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

10. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 1992 No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

11. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 1993 No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

12. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 1994 No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

13. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 1995 No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

14. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 1996 No Data <10% 10%–14%15%–19% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

15. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 1997 No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20 (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

16. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 1998 No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20 (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

17. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 1999 No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20 (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

18. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 2000 No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20 (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

19. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 2001 No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% ≥25% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

20. No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% ≥25% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person) Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 2002

21. Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 2003 (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person) No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% ≥25%

22. Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 2004 No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% ≥25% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

23. OBESITY EPIDEMIC? Epidemic of Poor Nutrition and Inactivity

24. Why should we care? This generation of children may be the first generation not to outlive their parents due to unhealthy lifestyles.

25. Is Physical Inactivity Really a Problem in Montana? – 22% of Montana High School students are overweight or at risk for becoming overweight – 26% of Montana high school students and 30% of Montana 7 th and 8 th graders watch 3 or more hours of TV on a school night 2005 YRBS DATA

26. Prevalence of overweight children has tripled. Sharp increase in cases of type 2 diabetes in children. Pedestrian injury is the 2 nd leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children (8-14 yr olds). Asthma rates have increased 160% in the past 15 years in children. (CDC data) Children’s Health Risks Related to Physical Inactivity, Pedestrian Safety, and Air Quality

27. Educational Benefits Studies have shown that increased physical activity for children: Increases concentration Improves mood and ability to be alert Improves memory and learning Enhances creativity

28. SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL A Practical application to improve health through increased activity, decrease fuel consumption,decrease traffic at the school, increase air quality, and just have fun!!

29. The Need for Safe Routes In 1969 roughly half of all children walked or biked to school. Today, only about 15 percent walk or bike. There are more than three times as many overweight children today as there were 25 years ago. As much as 20 to 30% of morning rush hour traffic can be parents driving children to schools.

30. What encourages bicycling & walking? Land use mix. Network of bike & pedestrian facilities. Site design and details. Safety.

31. Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Safe Routes to School programs seek to make it safe, convenient and fun for children to walk and bike to school.

32. What else? Facilitate projects and activities in the vicinity of schools that will: –Improve safety –Reduce traffic –Reduce air pollution –Reduce fuel consumption –Improve health, reduce risk of obesity

33. The 5 E’s The most successful programs incorporate the 5Es: Evaluation Education Encouragement Engineering Enforcement

34. Evaluation Community assessments of walking/bicycling facilities and programs Survey parents and kids Tracking and performance monitoring

35. Education Teach kids about safe behaviors when walking and biking School curriculum covering transportation, health and environmental issues SRTS trainings Community Education/Awareness for increased safety

36. Encouragement Walking School Bus/Bike Train Frequent Rider Miles Walk to School Day/Week Walk and Roll Wednesdays Media attention Public awareness campaigns

37. Engineering Pedestrian and bicycle improvements Bicycle and pedestrian facilities –Sidewalks, trails, bike paths Traffic calming Secure bicycle parking facilities

38. Enforcement Working with local police to enforce speed zones Crossing guards Helmet use enforcement Pedestrian “stings”

39. Barriers School Siting issues Individual barriers Community Issues

40. What do parents and kids say? Distance 62% Traffic 30% Weather 19% Other 15% Crime 12% School Policy 6% Barriers to Children Walking to or from School—United States, 2004. MMWR 2005

41. Environments support cars, not people

42. Who should be involved? School administrators, teachers Parents, students, school nurses Law enforcement officers City engineers, planners, elected officials, traffic safety councils Bike and pedestrian advocates Neighborhood associations, business community, etc.