PA Grants

It takes hard work and widespread community involvement to successfully develop and implement Safe Routes to School programs. The SRTS Academy includes mini–grants, as well as support from PennDOT, and the SRTS Academy Partners. Dozens of state, federal and international resources are also available to offer ideas and assistance.

HERSHEY, Pa (November 5, 2009)–Pennsylvania’s Safe Routes to School Academy (Academy), in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, is pleased to announce that 30 Pennsylvania schools have received funding to build support for walking and bicycling to school.

The 30 recipients each received $5,000 for school-based efforts to promote the five priorities of the federal Safe Routes to School Program: Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, Evaluation, and Engineering.

"Whenever possible, we encourage students to walk or bike to school. This promotes health and community cohesion," said PennDOT Secretary Allen D. Biehler. "However, we want to make sure that students are traveling as safely as possible. These grants will help ensure that schools are educating students and their guardians about walking and biking, as well as help the community find out how to become more walking and biking friendly."

Following is a list of Pennsylvania schools that have been awarded Safe Routes to School Grants for the 2009⁄2010 school year:

Grant funding can be used to advance the Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, and Evaluation priorities of the federal program. Past recipients have used the funding to participate in International Walk to School Day, host school assemblies on pedestrian and⁄or bicycle safety, create a safety patrol program, and implement "drop and walk" and "Walking School Bus" programs.

In addition to the $5,000 grant, schools will also receive a free walkability audit, during which a team of trained experts will observe main walking routes to school and develop a comprehensive plan on how to improve the safety of those routes. This costly service is free to all schools selected to receive the grant.

The Academy is a program of the Center for Nutrition and Activity Promotion at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital (Center). It is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. Through the Academy, schools receive funding and free technical assistance to support educational programs, special events and activities, and enforcement of safe pedestrian and driver behavior.

The Center for Nutrition and Activity Promotion at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital works collectively with state and national partners to conduct research on and develop programs that support healthy eating and physical activity in schools and the community. Since 2003, the Center has implemented its programs through the state network Pennsylvania Advocates for Nutrition and Activity (PANA). For more information about the Safe Routes to School Academy, please visit www.srtsacademy.org.