The Measure X Safe Routes to School program funds projects and programs that improve children’s health by making walking and bicycling safer and easier. The program will result in projects that provide the following benefits: improved safety for children walking and biking to school; better connections between schools, residential areas and vocational training programs; enhanced air quality; and healthier transportation choices for school children and parents.
The Program is consistent with local, State and Federal goals to provide safe access to and from school and will apply the 6 E’s to ensure programs and projects funded are comprehensive and inclusive: evaluation, engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement and equity. The program budget includes funding for both infrastructure and non-infrastructure projects to support each of the 6 E's.
Central to the success of the Measure X Safe Routes to School program is the ability to effectively collaborate with other agencies to reach program goals.To ensure regular opportunities for communication and collaboration, agencies and organizations have been invited to participate in a Safe Routes to School Task Force facilitated by TAMC staff. The Task Force meets quarterly to review Program progress, discuss funding opportunities and provide interagency support. Attached is a list of the participants in the Measure X Safe Routes to Schools task force.
In the first year of Measure X funding, the Safe Routes to Schools program has accomplished the following:
Adoption of Guidelines: The TAMC Board adopted the Measure X Safe Routes to School Guidelines in Spring 2018. The program relies on leveraging matching funds and envisions providing support for grant writing, conceptual design services and matching funds to agencies and organizations applying for state and federal funding.
Obtaining a Planning Grant for Seaside and Marina Schools: TAMC was successful in securing a Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant to develop a safe routes to school plan encompassing all K-12 schools in the cities of Seaside and Marina. That effort kicked-off in May 2018 and will continue through May 2020. For every dollar of Measure X funds spent on this project, it will receive seven dollars in state grant funding.
Set a Goal of Safety Education for all Second and Fifth Graders: The Measure X Safe Routes To School Program has set a lofty goal of providing pedestrian safety classes to all 2nd graders, and bicycle safety classes to all 5th graders in Monterey County. These bicycle and pedestrian safety educational programs will take place at elementary schools across the county. TAMC has contracted with Ecology Action to teach bicycle and pedestrian safety in all elementary schools in the Salinas Valley, Marina and Seaside over the next 2-5 years. As matching funds are obtained, the program will be expanded to cover the entire county.
The major Safe Routes to Schools projects scheduled for fiscal year 2018/19 are:
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Develop a comprehensive Measure X Safe Routes to School Website;
- Apply for Active Transportation Program Grants for infrastructure improvements and education programming;
- Develop data maps for schools in Seaside & Marina;
- Coordinate with County Health Department on education and outreach in Salinas Valley; and
- Develop mini-grant program guidelines.
In FY 2019/20, mini grants will be available to fund a variety of activities including school-based safe routes to school encouragement programs, high school bike maintenance shop classes, Bike safety instructor certification, traffic gardens, enhanced traffic safety equipment, crossing guard equipment and training and neighborhood enforcement programs.