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"One of the most important things about this program is the fact it
offers communities a safe way to help children incorporate physical
activity in their everyday lives," Sees said. "I want to encourage
communities [to] utilize this program that will not only provide
additional exercise for children but puts safety first, providing
parents the peace of mind in knowing their kids have a safe route to
get to school. "
 This international movement works to increase
student physical activity and safety, reduce traffic congestion
around schools, and enhance air quality. The
National Centers for Safe
Routes to School says the most successful programs are
accomplished by implementing the five "E's."
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Education
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Enforcement
-
Evaluation
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Engineering
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Encouragement
Safe Routes to
School is a program of the U.S. Department of Transportation's
Federal Highway Administration and is administered by state
departments of transportation. The program is designed to help
communities develop and implement projects and programs to:
[to top of second column]
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Make bicycling and
walking to school a safer and more appealing transportation
alternative, thereby encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle
from an early age.
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Facilitate the
planning, development and implementation of projects and
activities that will improve safety and reduce traffic, fuel
consumption and air pollution in the vicinity of primary and
middle schools.
Schools serving kindergarten through eighth grade are eligible
for funding. Program funds may be used for infrastructure or
non-infrastructure projects and are 100 percent funded, requiring no
local match. Infrastructure projects must be within two miles of the
school, while non-infrastructure projects have no boundary
limitations. For more information about the funding progress, visit
http://www.dot.il.gov/saferoutes/index.html.
[Text from Illinois
Department of Transportation news release received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
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