Communities that participate in the Sustainable Jersey certification program will be pleased to learn that developing a Safe Routes to School program is an eligible 10 point action item!

For more information about obtaining Sustainable Jersey points for creating an SRTS program, contact Cross County Connection at (856) 596-8228 or visit www.sustainablejersey.com.

Welcome to Cross County Connection's South Jersey Safe Routes to School Newsletter! These newsletters contain in-depth articles, news items, and examples of Safe Routes to School work in South Jersey. We hope you enjoy!

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a national program that encourages children to be more physically active and creates safe, convenient and fun opportunities for children to bicycle and walk to and from their schools. The program also encourages changes in travel behavior, supports increased traffic law enforcement around schools and educates communities about the benefits of active transportation.

If your school district or community is interested in learning more about SRTS, contact Sean Schweitzer, Safe Routes to School Coordinator, at (856)596-8228 or schweitzer@driveless.com.

The New Jersey Bike and Walk Summit is an annual event hosted by the NJ Bike and Walk Coalition. This event is a statewide summit that provides the opportunity to learn more about current state and federal legal and policy issues affecting our communities, become aware of various public funding sources and network. 

Over 20 panel sessions and presentations are planned, covering a wide array of key topics related to active transportation including the Safe Routes to School Academy. The Safe Routes to School Academy will feature a track of hands-on, interactive sessions to help your community become more walk and bike friendly! Join our own Sean Schweitzer, South Jersey's SRTS Coordinator at the session. Sean will be a part of the panel of experts at the Safe Routes to School Academy! Here is a list of the Safe Routes Academy Sessions: 

• Conducting Walkability Audits - Bundle up and hit the pavement to learn how to conduct a walking audit! Participants will learn about best practices and policies that can be implemented in their community to increase walking.  Complete a real-world walk audit, identify opportunities and constraints, to make your communities more walkable to shops, schools, restaurants, employment centers, parks and more!

• Using Walking Audits to Develop a Plan for a More Bicycle and Pedestrian Friendly Community - Take the next step toward completing a plan to help you "map out" how to improve pedestrian and bicycle travel and safety throughout your community.  By using walkability assessments as part of your planning process, creating important partnerships among stakeholders within the community, generating ideas and actions and helping to make your grant applications more competitive so your goals can become a reality!

• Utilizing Common Goals to Strengthen Walking and Bicycle Programs - The partnership of walking and bicycling advocates and the Sustainable Jersey program is an excellent example of collaboration toward making healthier and more sustainable communities. Participants in this session will learn about the Sustainable Jersey and Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification programs and how health is integrated into the actions.

• Funding Opportunities: Big and Small - Attendees will learn about the different types of grant funding available - from larger federal and state grants to smaller health and sustainable community grants.  Participants will walk away with ideas on how to leverage community resources, tips and strategies for applications, and how to find the grants that align with walking and bicycling goals.

The summit will take place Saturday, February 25, 2017 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM at Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey. Click here for more information or to register. 

Looking for a way to continue your Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program this winter? Cross County Connection TMA encourages the continuation of your program through involvement in the SRTS Poster Contest. The contest, which is open to 3^rd and 4^th graders, helps to reinforce the importance of walking and bicycling safely to and from school by having children illustrate the skills taught in Cross County Connection's Pedestrian Safety Program. Students must illustrate the selected theme of the contest. Themes include pedestrian safety, bicycle safety, environmental impacts of walking and bicycling, and health impacts. The student who best demonstrates the selected theme will be selected by a panel of judges from Cross County Connection TMA to receive a prize. To obtain more information regarding requirements and how to sign up for the Pedestrian Safety Program and SRTS Poster Contest, please contact Sean Schweitzer, Safe Routes to School Coordinator, at Schweitzer@driveless.com or by calling (856) 596-8228.

Sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Transportation with funding from the Federal Highway Administration. The Federal Government and the NJDOT assume no liability for the contents.