As summer winds down and schools prepare for the coming year, Bicycle Colorado’s education team is gearing up for a comprehensive year of Safe Routes to School programming. Here’s a peek into how Safe Routes will transform Colorado communities this coming year:

Adams County School District 14 

We will be working with two elementary schools in Commerce City—Dupont and Monaco. We’ll also work with the Parks & Recreation Department to purchase and install permanent bicycle repair stations and help the city develop bicycle and pedestrian route maps.

Adams 50 School District

A Health Impact Assessment of the Adams 50 District revealed many obstacles to walking and biking safely along the Federal Boulevard corridor.

We’ll work with the district to provide students at Tennyson Knolls, Fairview and Hodgkins Elementary Schools and Ranum Middle School with comprehensive bicycle and pedestrian safety education. We are also partnering with school wellness teams to establish sustainable walking and biking group plans.

Town of Buena Vista

Over two years, Bicycle Colorado will work with the town of Buena Vista to develop Safe Routes to School education and encouragement efforts at Avery-Parsons Elementary and throughout the community.

We will be coordinating with the Parks & Recreation department to establish bicycle library programs for children and adults, and the Police Department will learn the bicycle curriculum to support ongoing education in schools.

Idalia School District RJ-2

Idalia is a town on the Eastern Plains with one paved road and limited signage. Bicycle Colorado will teach biking and walking safety to all K-8 students at Idalia School and host a community biking event. We’ll also work with the Idalia Health & Wellness Committee to purchase bikes, helmets and a bike rodeo kit for ongoing education programs.

Jefferson County Public Schools

Jefferson County is no stranger to Safe Routes. This time around, we’ll be working with the district for two years. In year one, we will teach education programs at Edgewater, Lumberg, Allendale, Secrest and Green Mountain Elementary schools.

We will return in year two to assess school wellness policies around active commuting and establish parent-led walking and biking groups. Grant partners include Kidpower Colorado, Edgewater Collective and the City of Arvada.

Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment

Weld County plans to purchase a county-wide bike fleet for regular community events and Family Fun Rides.

We will conduct train-the-trainer workshops for teachers and community members in Greeley-Evans, Fort Lupton and Platteville. Grant partners include Turnaround Bikes and the Greeley Bike Advocacy Committee.

Securing Safe Routes to School

The Safe Routes to School program has an incredible positive impact on local communities and Colorado as a whole. Short-term, grant-funded programs often lead to long-term sustainable programs in the districts where we work—teaching thousands of children to walk and bike safely and eventually leading to adults who better understand how to share the road.

While the Colorado Legislature voted to not fund this program for the 2016 school year, we are actively working to secure funding to continue this vital program beyond the programs listed above.