Twenty years of building Safe Routes to Schools

This year, Colorado is celebrating 20 years of the Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) program! In 2005, Colorado became the first state to implement the program, with grant money administered by the Department of Transportation (CDOT). In the two decades that followed, the federal government and the Colorado Transportation Commission have funded numerous educational programs and infrastructure improvement projects that have made it safer for kids to walk, bike, and roll to school.

SRTS was created out of concern that around 90% of school-age children are driven or ride the bus to school, a stark difference from the 1960s, when about half were able to walk or bike. SRTS provides opportunities for schools and local governments to apply for grants to help make walking and bicycling to school safer and more accessible to kids of all abilities. The projects can range from large-scale infrastructure projects to incentives that encourage kids to be active.

Since the SRTS program began, about 150 different communities have received grants totaling over $36 million. These grants funded nearly 300 projects that have improved conditions for walking, biking, and rolling to school. Some examples of projects include:

• The Town of Lyons building a pedestrian bridge over St. Vrain Creek;
• The Town of Cedaredge replacing sidewalks and including ADA accessible ramps at all intersections by the school;
• The City and County of Denver partnering with local bike shops to give away 37 bikes with locks and helmets during Bike and Roll to School Month.

CDOT created a map featuring SRTS projects around the state to allow Coloradans to see how the grant money is being used in their communities.

In 2023, CDOT published an update to their five-year strategic plan, building off the previous 2017-2022 plan. In it, they laid out three goals that will guide the SRTS program through 2028:

• Goal One: Continue to grow the capacity of all Colorado communities related to Safe Route to School.
• Goal Two: Advance the Safe Routes Program to meet the diverse needs and varying capacities of Colorado communities.
• Goal Three: Expand collaborative partnerships to advance the SRTS program.

For those interested in building safer routes to schools, the next grant cycle will take place in summer 2026. Application information and descriptions of previously funded programs can be found on CDOT’s Safe Routes to Schools webpage.