Safe Routes to School in Central Vermont

We are about to start our third year of participating in the VTrans Safe Routes to School Program (SRTS). The SRTS program is funded by 100% federal transportation funds and is intended to result in greater numbers of students who walk and bike to school. In the first two years Barre Town, Montpelier, Northfield, and Williamstown participated, resulting in pedestrian and bicycle safety education, contests and incentives to encourage walking and bicycling, engaging law enforcement, and evaluation of student/parent attitudes and behavior, and assessing the existing condition of streets and sidewalks around schools. All the schools recieved bike racks, and some of the schools were awarded signage and crosswalk improvements.

In year three, Duxbury, Moretown, Warren, and Waterbury were awarded grants to enter the program. CVRPC will be helping them get started on their School Travel Plans, conducting traffic counts, and provide mapping. We are also conducting sidewalk studies for Barre Town, Northfield, and Williamstown, to put them a good position to apply for infrastructure grants. The next round of planning and infrastructure grants will begin early next year. If you are interested in this program, contact Steve Gladczuk, CVRPC Senior Transportation Planner at 229-0389 or gladczuk@cvregion.com. More information can also be found at the VTrans website www.aot.state.vt.us/progdev/Sections/LTF/SRTS/VTSRTS.htm