University Elementary First in New Annual Safe Routes to School Planning Effort

 The City of Bloomington, in partnership with University Elementary School, has launched the Safe Routes to School planning process. The effort will identify ways to make trips to and from school safer, easier, and more accessible for students who walk, bike, ride the bus, or use other mobility devices. The plan will establish the first school-specific Safe Routes to School plan developed by the City in more than a decade and begin a new annual planning cycle with Bloomington schools.

Through surveys, activities, and public meetings, the planning process will bring together students, families, school staff, and community members to identify transportation challenges specific to University Elementary. A final Safe Routes to School plan will address both near-term improvements and long-term infrastructure needs to make travel safer and more accessible for every student, whether they travel independently or with a trusted adult.

The plan will look at specific changes that could make school trips safer, including sidewalks, crossings, bike connections and other street improvements; traffic-safety education for students and families; programs that encourage walking and biking; strategies to address unsafe driving near the school; and ways to measure whether those changes are working.

The City last completed Safe Routes to School plans in 2013. During its planning year, University Elementary will receive additional City staff support and resources to develop, implement, and sustain its Safe Routes to School program. All other Bloomington schools can also participate as partner schools, gaining access to Safe Routes to School curriculum, event materials, and other forms of assistance.

University Elementary families will have several chances to weigh in over the coming months, starting with a survey. Feedback will help identify existing barriers, locations of concern, and potential improvements for routes used by students and families.

For more information, visit bloomington.in.gov/planning/safe-routes-to-school.