Safe Routes to School

Safe Routes to School Background

Safe Routes to School is a nationwide program with the goal of making it safer for students to walk and bike to school. As recently as the 1970’s, nearly 50% of kids walked or rode bike to school – today, that number is less than 20%. The Safe Routes to School initiative aims to create physical and social environments to empower students, their families, and communities to walk and bike more often through policy change, infrastructure improvements, and programs.

Studies have shown that kids who walk or bike to school arrive more alert and able to focus. They feel better about their physical health, are more likely to have better mental health, and produce overall better test scores. Communities who participate in Safe Routes to School also benefit from less air and noise pollution, lower road maintenance costs, and more pleasant streetscapes for pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers.

Plan Background & Objective

The Moorhead Safe Routes to School Plan is a collaborative effort involving The City of Moorhead, Moorhead Public School District, PartnerSHIP 4 Health, St. Joseph’s School, Park Christian School, and Metro COG. The last Moorhead Safe Routes to School Plan was developed in 2009. Since then, Moorhead has added new schools and changed school boundaries.

This Plan will look at existing conditions such as existing roadway/sidewalk/crosswalk/sign infrastructure, existing policies, demographic information, and more. To further obtain issues and opportunities for walking and biking improvements, this plan involves public engagement which will include surveys, public open houses, and other input opportunities.

The study team will observe student arrival and dismissal to identify potential issues and make recommended improvements to make walking and biking to/from school safer and more inviting.

Ultimately, a final report will be developed which will include identified issues and recommendations that can be used by the school district and local jurisdictions to make non-motorized travel to/from school safer and more attractive for students and families.

Plan Timeline

·         February 2024 – Plan kickoff

·         March 2024 - April 2024 – Public open houses, surveys, onsite observations

·         Summer / Fall 2024 -  Plan development

·         December 2024 – Final draft plan complete

·         January 2025 – Final plan adopted