A SRTS School Travel Plan “maps out” how to improve pedestrian and bicycle travel to and from school to increase the number of students who walk and bike to school and to improve safety. A School Travel Plan identifies the following:
- Where students currently walk and bike
- Where students would walk and bike if they could
- What changes need to be made so that students can and will walk and bike to school
The School Travel Plan will identify short term solutions for immediate action and implementation as well as long term ones that may require further planning.
Some benefits of developing a School Travel Plan include:
- Creating partnerships between the school and surrounding community
- Generating ideas and actions so walking and bicycling is a safer and more desirable mode of transportation
- Building community excitement that contributes to a successful SRTS program
- Making your application for a SRTS grant more competitive by demonstrating a connection between goals, actions and targets.
To receive consideration for Silver level SRTS Recognition, share your School Travel Plan with the NJ Safe Routes to School Resource Center by emailing it to srts@ejb.rutgers.edu.
Municipalities registered to Sustainable Jersey can include School Travel Plans as part of the submission requirements to receive certification.
When future NJ Department of Transportation grants are announced, you will be eligible for extra points for submitting your School Travel Plan in the application for SRTS infrastructure grant funding.
What are the Elements of a School Travel Plan?
In order to complete your travel plan, it must contain the six elements highlighted below.
You can also make sure you have included everything by printing out and filling in the checklist (PDF version) as you go along.
Elements of a School Travel Plan
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Required Information
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More Detailed Information
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- Name
- Location
- Grades
- Number of Students
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- Description
- Special Needs
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- Working group members
- Supporting organizations
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- Pick up/Drop off Locations
- Crosswalks/Crossing Guards
- Places which draw traffic (Retail, Recreation)
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- Number of Walkers/Bikers
- School Policies
- Concerns
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- Parents Attitudes/Concerns
- Sidewalk Conditions
- Road crossing/Crosswalk Conditions
- Traffic Issues
- Pick up/Drop off Procedures
- Pedestrian/Bike/Car Crashes
- Photos
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- Address 5 E’s of SRTS
- List of Goals
- Targets
- Action Items
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- Responsibility
- Timeline
- Resources
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- Evaluation Timeline
- Periodic Walk and Bike Assessments
- Parent Survey
- Student Travel Mode Survey
- Track Participation In Walk and Bike Activities
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