Keeping our kids happy, healthy, and focused by promoting safe biking, walking, and rolling to school 

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a nationwide program that aims to encourage K-12 students to safely bike, walk and roll to school with educational and fun campaigns, programs, and activities. CPRC's Safe Routes to School Program partners with schools in its seven-county region of Durham, Chatham, Johnston, Lee, Moore, Orange, and  Wake.  

The program is currently funded by a two-year grant (FY24-25) from the NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT's) Non-Infrastructure Transportation Alternatives Program.  

The key goals of CPRC's SRTS grant program are to:   

1. Coordinate, facilitate, support, and conduct activities, events, and campaigns in collaboration with schools, policy organizations, and community partners, to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution, near schools by promoting biking, walking and rolling of students to school.   
2. Promote equitable access to safe and affordable biking, walking and rolling options for all students.  
3. Create and spread awareness about the academic, physical, and emotional health benefits of biking, walking, and rolling to school.  

Our work is centered on CPRC’s core principle of diversity, equity, and inclusion. At the programmatic level, we have integrated data from our ArcGIS map including all K-12 schools in the grant area and overlapping with layers of existing bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and three different equity indicators. This interactive map has enabled grant program staff to narrow down schools in low-income, low-vehicle ownership, and historically marginalized communities having at least some available infrastructure to focus on for their work. CPRC also uses these indicators for its Triangle Transportation Choices grant program to promote alternate modes of travel amongst adults who are 18+ in age. 

For Spring 2024, CPRC has been focusing its SRTS efforts in two of the seven program counties - Chatham and Moore County.  This was an intentional decision taken by grant staff to make inroads in schools previously not covered by this or other SRTS grants in NC.

The program has experienced great success in last few months through its educational programming and outreach. 

Sign up here for our quarterly newsletter (in English and Spanish) to stay updated on our program updates and exciting event offerings.  The first one newsletter will be coming out early April 2024. 

For scheduling/more information, please contact Andres Otero, SRTS Program Coordinator: aotero@centralpinesnc.gov or (919) 558-2707.