Safe Routes to School Implementation Project
What is the Safe Routes to School Implementation Project?
To make Safe Routes to School a reality for Milwaukee students, the City is actively working to improve the streets in school neighborhoods across Milwaukee.
In 2020, the City kicked off this project in a major way. With grant funding secured from the federal Transportation Alternatives Program, DPW and the Wisconsin Bike Fed worked with 8 Milwaukee schools with significant traffic safety problems to develop site-specific SRTS plans. The City engaged with school staff, parents, students, and community partners to design street improvements in each school's neighborhood during a variety of workshops, community walks, online meetings and surveys. Soon, these improvements will become a reality with construction expected by Summer 2022.
Moving forward, the City will continue to improve streets in school neighborhoods by locally funding its own SRTS program. Each year, the City will work with the community at 1 local school to design new street improvements to make walking to school safer for its students.
Ultimately, these improvements will not only make Milwaukee children's walk or bike to school safer, but can also help students become more active, healthier, and even improve their learning in the classroom!
Award Winning Innovation
In April 2021, the National Center for Safe Routes to School named the Milwaukee Safe Routes to School Program as the recipient of its 2021 Vision Zero for Youth Innovation Award. The program was selected for the award because of the City and Wisconsin Bike Fed's creative, community-driven efforts to support walking and biking for youth amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The program's unique adaptations to COVID-19 included a series of outdoor, masked and socially-distanced community walks. At these events, community members shared valuable insights that were crucial to design street safety improvements best-suited to each school community's unique needs. Read more about Milwaukee's award for its innovative approach to engagement here.
Project History
Westside Academy (2021-2022)
U.S. Grant School (2022-2023)
Allen-Field Elementary (2020-2022)
Bethune Academy (2020-2022)
Choice Neighborhood (2020-2022)
Clarke Street School (2020-2022)
Greenfield Bilingual Elementary (2020-2022)
Lincoln Avenue Elementary (2020-2022)
HW Longfellow Elementary (2020-2022)
Milwaukee College Prep - Lola Rowe (2020-2022)
Stay tuned for future updates.