Conduct an Active Living campaign such as a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program.
Best Practice of this action
Keywords
schools
Rating Guideline
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Describe elements of a SRTS program in which the city is involved; note how many schools are affected, how the program addresses engagement, equity, engineering, encouragement, education, and evaluation, and whether the city worked in concert with the local community health board; establish a city workplace wellness program. Report shared use agreements between cities and school parks under BPA 18.1. |
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Describe key elements of other active-living efforts, such as which actions you are challenging which number of people/organizations to take, and length of the campaign; report collaboration/funding from your local Community Health Board (SHIP funding); host an Open Streets or Ciclovias event to temporarily make a street a pedestrian-only zone. |
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Report outcome measures, such as increased walking/biking in the community, improved health outcomes, percent of the student body covered by SRTS programming, and school bus fuel savings; permanently convert a street to a pedestrian-only zone; adopt a city-wide Active Transportation/Living Plan. Report Complete & Living Streets policies under BPA 11.1. |
Resources
- Safe Routes to Schools:
- The MN Dept. of Transportation supports the Safe Routes to Schools program - an effort to improve walking and bicycling conditions for youth and to encourage more active lifestyles.
- Find additional resources. There is typically annual funding available for projects and education.
- Bring a bike fleet to your school through the SRTS program! Be sure to include consideration of adapted bicycles in your bike fleet so that all potential users have access. See the Bicycle Fleet Guide (BikeMN and MnDOT) for more details.
- Explore a School Street (School Street Initiative) - a road outside a school with a temporary restriction on motorized traffic at school drop-off and pick-up times. The restriction applies to school traffic and through traffic. The result is a safer, healthier and pleasant environment for everyone.
- Active Transportation:
- MnDOT’s Active Transportation Program offers infrastructure and planning assistance grants to local communities through an annual solicitation process. These resources can be used to create a citywide Active Transportation Plan.
- Find resources for and report Complete & Living Streets policies under BPA 11.1.
- Climate Strategies that Work (U.S. DOT, 2024) provides actionable information for 27 transportation-related emission reduction strategies (including Active Transportation) through well-vetted guides detailing benefits, implementation steps, and resources.
- Consider a Try-Before-You-Bike program that coordinates 1-month subscriptions for users to try a bike and accessories of their choice, with the option of purchasing at the end of the trial. Training and safety gear included! See an example of a program in London.
- Find bicycling training courses for individuals through BikeMN.
- Active Living:
- The Albert Lea Blue Zones project is about making the healthy choice the easy choice.
- The Hennepin Active Living Program has numerous planning and policy documents and other resources to help a city start an active living program in their own community.
- Rural Active Living Assessment Tools (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: 2009).
- The Center for Prevention from a Blue Cross Blue Shield works to advance racial and health equity to transform communities for a healthier Minnesota.
- SHIP - State Health Improvement Plan - provides interventions and funding through county health boards
- MN Dept. of Health physical activity program provides strategies for communities.
- Communities for a Lifetime resources from Dakota County designed to help transform the physical infrastructure of communities, including housing, mobility options and accessible public space. Report being an Age Friendly Community under BPA 12.1.
Order Number
2
Action Type
Finite