Safe Routes Academy

View the sessions from the 2023 NJ Safe Routes Academy, sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Transportation

 Our “lunch and learn” Annual NJ Safe Routes Academy sessions took place online each Thursday in September.

The NJ Safe Routes Academy, sponsored by the NJ Department of Transportation, features free online sessions to help participants make their communities more walk- and bike-friendly for all users of all abilities. The Safe Routes Academy is designed for parents, teachers, students, municipal leaders, local volunteers, and anyone else interested in improving conditions for walking and bicycling. Learn about the best practices and resources that you can use to increase safety and accessibility in your community.

View the 2023 NJ Safe Routes Academy Summary Report

Funding Your Bicycle & Pedestrian Project: NJ SRTS Infrastructure Grant Training

This online session will provide participants with information about applying for Safe Routes to School grants, administered by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) in partnership with the State’s Metropolitan Planning Organizations. Topics that will be covered include:

  • Overview of Federal Aid programs and the Safe Routes to School Program
  • Detailed Review of the Safe Routes to School Grant Application
  • Grant Application Process
  • Grant Resources, Tips & Strategies
  • Q&A with NJDOT Local Aid Staff

The session is designed to assist you with making your grant application stronger to turn your project into a reality.

Thursday, September 7, 2023

12 – 1:30 pm

School Zone Safety Strategies

Are you looking for ways to reduce the number of motor vehicles in school zones, slow driving speeds, and minimize potential conflicts and crashes in your community? Join us to discover cost-effective and adaptable strategies to create safer school zones and prioritize the wellbeing of pedestrians, cyclists, children, seniors, and people traveling on foot or bike. The session will focus on real examples of how these strategies have been designed and successfully employed in school zones throughout New Jersey.

Thursday, September 14, 2023

12 – 1:30 pm

Safe Routes, Safe Roads, Safe Systems

Together, Complete Streets, Safe Routes to School, and Zero Deaths Initiatives create a roadmap for safe and sustainable transportation. This session will explore the intersection between Safe Routes to School, Zero Deaths Initiatives, and the Safe Systems Approach and how they are increasingly informing safety plans and street designs to improve conditions for walking and bicycling and ensuring safer streets for all.

Thursday, September 21, 2023

12 – 1:30 pm

Safe Routes to High Schools

With the passing of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act law (IIJA), for the first time the needs of high schools and high school students are being explicitly considered in safe Routes to School projects, programs, and infrastructure funding.  With this broadened mission in mind, this session will explore issues, opportunities, and best practices for expanding SRTS program to include and meet the needs of high schools and high school students and providing new opportunities to promote healthy and sustainable transportation for all. This session will focus on best practices for interacting with and involving high school students in Safe Routes to School programs.

Thursday, September 28, 2023

12 – 1:30 pm

Need help with how-to register? Watch our video here:

The Safe Routes Academy is designed to help enable and encourage safe routes to parks, transit, shops, restaurants, employment, schools, and recreation. The Academy, which is sponsored by the NJ Department of Transportation, features hands-on interactive sessions to help participants make their communities more walk and bike-friendly for all users.

If you are interested in hosting or having a Safe Routes Academy near you, please contact us at srts@ejb.rutgers.edu!

Sessions from previous years include:

2022 NJ Safe Routes to School Academy
View the 2022 Safe Routes Academy Report

  • “Cost-Effective Treatments: Testing Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Improvements Through Temporary Demonstration Projects”, a session about temporary demonstration projects, also known as “pop-up projects” or “quick build projects”. Click here to view the session recording.
  • “Prioritizing Safety Through Conducting Walkability & Bikeability Assessments”, a session about teaching individuals how to coordinate their own walk or bicycle assessments. Click here to view the session recording.
  • “Developing School Travel Plans to Make Walking and Bicycling Safer”, a session focusing on the ins and outs of creating a School Travel Plan, fostering important partnerships between schools and the community. Click here to view the session recording.

2021 NJ Safe Routes to School Academy
View the 2021 Safe Routes Academy & NJ Bike and Walk Summit Report Sessions

  • “No Money? No Problem: Meet your Safe Routes Coordinator!” a session highlighting free resources from your regional Transportation Management Association SRTS Coordinators. Click here to view the session recording. 
  • “A Vision for Safety: The New Jersey Strategic Highway Safety Plan,” a session about the NJDOT plan to achieve zero deaths on all public roads. Click here to view the session recording. 
  • “Building Municipal Support for Better Streets,” a session of local advocates explaining lessons learned for building local support to adopt and implement Complete and Green Streets policies. Click here to view the session recording. 
  • “Fund Your Project: Tips and Strategies for Successful Grant Applications,” a session detailing the funding opportunities available to help implement bicycle and pedestrian improvements throughout New Jersey. Click here to view the session recording. 

2020 NJ Safe Routes to School Academy 

  • “Complete and Green Streets for All,” a session that highlighted the model Complete Streets policy and guide as a resource for advancing meaningful Complete Streets policies that incorporate best practice in green infrastructure, local economy, health, equity and fairness in transportation expenditures. 
  • “Safe Routes Everywhere,” a session where local advocates from three New Jersey communities shared lessons learned and methods and tactics that worked best.
  • “Tips and Strategies for writing successful grants,” a session focused on funding opportunities available to help implement bicycle and pedestrian improvements throughout New Jersey.
  • “Teaching Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Skills” a session on how-to provide safety education for walking and bicycling, highlighting best practices and resources, age-appropriate lesson plans, and tips and strategies for effective bicycle and pedestrian education.

2019 NJ Safe Routes to School Academy 

  • “Revving up NJ’s Complete & Green Streets Movement with a New Model Policy and Guide,” a session on a new Model Complete and Green Streets Policy and Guide for New Jersey municipalities and counties.
  • “Planning for a More Bicycle and Pedestrian Friendly Community,” a session on conducting walkability assessment and using best practice resources to find infrastructure solutions that can help generate ideas and actions to make walking and bicycling safer and more desirable modes of transportation.
  • “Tips and Strategies for Funding Walkable and Bikable Communities,” a session focused on detailing the funding opportunities available to help implement bicycle and pedestrian improvements throughout New Jersey.

2018 NJ Safe Routes to School Academy

  • “Taking it to the Streets: Conducting Walkability Audits,” a session on conducting walk audits and using them in plans.
  • “Talk the Walk: Getting Your Community Interested in Walking and Bicycling,” a session on what messages matter to community members and how you can get others involved.
  • “Funding Opportunities: Big and Small,” a session focused on detailing the funding opportunities available to help implement bicycle and pedestrian improvements throughout New Jersey. 

2017 NJ Safe Routes to School Academy

  • “Conducting Walkability Audits,” an extended session regarding conducting Walkability Audits and showing participants how to use walk audits to develop a plan for a more bicycle and pedestrian friendly.
  • “Utilizing Common Goals to Strengthen Walking and Bicycling Programs,” a session on Utilizing Common Goals to Strengthen Walking and Bicycling Programs with Sustainable Jersey and Greater Mercer TMA.
  • “Funding Opportunities: Big and Small,” a session on funding Opportunities presented by NJDOT, Sustainable Jersey, and New Jersey Prevention Network.