Safe Routes to School
The goal of the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program is to increase the number of students who get to and from school by walking or biking. The program supports and encourages safe walking and bicycling to school in order to:
- Ease traffic congestion generally, and especially around schools during AM/PM peaks
- Improve air quality around schools
- Increase physical activity for students and realize cognitive and behavioral benefits
- Allow the continued growth of a sustainable Cambridge community
Education
The SRTS program offers bicycle and pedestrian education to Cambridge students. Training builds students' traffic safety skills and helps them navigate the city safely by foot or bicycle. In addition, training seeks to teach students why walking and bicycling are good for themselves and the environment.
Second Grade Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Unit
The Cambridge Safe Routes to School program offers a Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Unit to all second grade students in Cambridge Public Schools. Students are learn about pedestrian and bicycle safety in a four lesson unit in PE classes
During the pedestrian lessons, the concepts of crossing streets and intersections safely are taught and then practiced in the real world. Students learn the importance of crossing the street at a crosswalk and how to cross at different types of intersections. Students also learn about sidewalk and driveway safety as well as how to safely navigate a parking lot which lacks sidewalks.
For the bicycle lesson, students learn to properly fit a helmet, how to make sure a bicycle is safe to ride (the ABC check), why biking is good for them and the environment, basic bicycle maintenance, the rules of the road, and bicycle hand signals. The Safe Routes to School program distributes and fits free bike helmets for each student.
Sixth Grade Advanced On-Bike Training
The Cambridge Safe Routes to School program offers on-bicycle training to all sixth-grade students in Cambridge Public Schools. The purpose of the training is to build bicycling skills, help students navigate the city safely by bike, teach them why biking is good for themselves and the environment, and encourage bicycling to school for those who wish to do so. Students utilize a city-owned bike fleet of child specific bicycles.
Topics covered in this advanced training include: transitioning from sidewalk riding to riding on the road, riding safely on different types of bike infrastructure, avoiding the “door zone”, developing intersection strategy, balancing at low speeds, securely locking bicycles, and safely maneuvering around potholes or other roadway obstructions.
The training culminates in a group bike ride on city streets with the assistance of the Cambridge Police Department to demonstrate and practice the bicycle skills learned.
Additional Resources
For More Information
For more information, please contact Tenzin Choephel at tchoephel@cambridgema.gov or 617-349-4628