Please Note: MAP-21 (Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century) and FAST Act (Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act) did not provide stand-alone funding for Safe Routes to School (SRTS). Although FHWA will continue to support SRTS activities, eligible SRTS activities can compete for funding alongside other programs. Please contact your State DOT for more information.
Starting in 2017, no new content has been added to this site archive. However, the existing content has been edited with the goal that the website can continue to serve as a valuable resource for SRTS practitioners and stakeholders. This is an archive of saferoutesinfo.org.
In July 2005, Congress passed federal legislation that established a National Safe Routes to School program to improve safety on walking and bicycling routes to school and to encourage children and families to travel between home and school using these modes. The program, which was signed into law in August 2005, dedicated a total of $612 million towards SRTS from 2005 to 2009. The Federal Highway Administration administered the Safe Routes to School program funds and provided guidance and regulations about SRTS programs. Federal SRTS funds were distributed to states based on student enrollment, with no state receiving less than $1 million per year. SRTS funds could be used for both infrastructure projects and non-infrastructure activities. The legislation also required each state to have a Safe Routes to School Coordinator to serve as a central point of contact for the state.
Safe Routes to School programs operate in all 50 states and D.C. Children benefiting from SRTS funds live in urban, rural and suburban communities representing varying income levels and a range of walking and bicycling conditions. With legislative extensions, the Federal Safe Routes to School Program has apportioned nearly $1.15 billion to states as of September 30, 2012.
In July 2012, Congress passed a transportation bill: Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21). Beginning in October 2012, SRTS activities were eligible to compete for funding alongside other programs, including the Transportation Enhancements program and Recreational Trails program, as part of a program called Transportation Alternatives (TAP). Funds from SAFTEA-LU, MAP-21, and FAST Act have benefited over 19,000 schools.
