With the help of $62,000 in federal grant money, the South Washington County School District has launched a Safe Routes to School program that had many students starting the day on Oct. 9 by walking and bicycling to school in "International Walk to School Day" events.
At Cottage Grove Middle School, about 900 students gathered for hot chocolate at Kingston Park and then walked to school, a school district news release said. Bike racks also were reported to be overflowing at Liberty Ridge Elementary in Woodbury.
Activities were held, too, at Pullman Elementary in St. Paul Park and Royal Oaks and Red Rock elementary schools in Woodbury.
"Getting children to and from school safely involves the whole community," Superintendent Keith Jacobus said in a statement. "We will continue our efforts to increase awareness and engage families, neighborhoods and partners so that more children can benefit from walking and biking to school and safer parking lots and streets."
The state Department of Transportation awarded $3.8 million in federal grants this year to school districts, cities and counties for infrastructure improvements such as sidewalks and pedestrian crossings as well as for programming that promotes neighborhood carpooling and walking and bicycling to school, among other activities.
The South Washington County program includes seven schools and runs for two years.
Each of the schools has consulted with transportation experts at the city, state and federal levels to develop Safe Routes to School plans, the district said.
During the next two years, the schools will encourage organized walking, bicycling and busing options, as well as carpooling, and also will create "safest routes to school" maps specific to each site, the district said.
