WalkNBike.org

Register for Walk + Bike to School Day

To register a school for Oregon Walk + Bike to School Day visit www.walknbikes.org To be eligible for technical assistance and resources for an ongoing Walk + Bike program call 503-226-0676 x 18.

Safety Tips

Parents, older children and other family members share responsibility to help identify safe routes and teach traffic rules to younger children. Slow down in school zones-it saves lives! Parents and drivers - when you think of back-to-school, you should think of safety as well.

ODOT offers these back-to-school safety tips.

Driver Safety

* Yield to pedestrians. Do not pass or drive around pedestrians in a crosswalk.
* Obey the posted speed limit.
* Do not pass other cars stopped at a crosswalk or intersection. The drivers may be stopped for pedestrians. Pedestrians may be crossing the street when the light changes.
* When making a right turn at a red light, look to the right and left for pedestrians and bike riders as well as oncoming traffic.
* In rainy conditions, your visibility may be reduced. Be aware that pedestrians may have difficulty seeing vehicles, too – especially if umbrellas or jacket hoods block their vision.
* Use extra care in school zones or areas where children may dart out into traffic.
* Do not pass a school bus with flashing red lights. Yield to buses to merging into traffic.

Pedestrian Safety

* Before crossing a street, look left-right-left for traffic in all directions. Keep looking for cars as you cross the street.
* Don’t run out into the street from between parked cars. The cars can hide you from drivers so they can’t see you until it’s too late to stop.
* Wait for a walk signal and a green light to tell you it’s your turn to cross the street. Look before you go to make sure drivers see you and have yielded or stopped. Continue looking for cars as you cross.
* When crossing railroad tracks, stop well away from the tracks, look in both directions and listen for an approaching train. Never try to beat a train across the tracks. Watch your step as you cross the tracks so you don’t stumble or fall.

Bicyclist Safety

* Check your route with a parent or other adult. Choose streets with low traffic volumes, slow speeds and few complex intersections.
* Make sure your bike is the proper size and is properly maintained.
* Always wear a helmet that has been fitted correctly.
* Ride in the same direction as traffic, not against traffic.
* Wear bright colored clothing that will make it easier for drivers to see you. If you ride when it’s dark, use lights, reflectors and retro-reflective clothing.
* Stay alert and ride predictably. Don’t assume motorists can see you. Wait until you are sure they have stopped or yielded before you go.

School Bus Safety

* Arrive at the bus stop early.
* Stand at least 10 feet away from the edge of the road.
* If you have to cross the street in front of the bus, cross at least 10 feet ahead of the bus so the bus driver can see you and you can see the bus driver.
* Never walk behind the bus or go under the bus.

Clothing Tips

* Buy backpacks and bags with reflectors. They may cost a little more, but make a big difference in visibility on overcast fall days.
* Ask for outerwear with reflectors. A child in a dark jacket can be invisible to drivers in bad weather. Brightly colored coats, umbrellas and hats are more visible to drivers.
* Shoes with reflectors show up better in low-light conditions and increase safety. Consider wet and slippery weather when choosing shoes
* If you ride a bike or a skateboard to school, wear the proper safety gear, including helmets and pads.

For more safety information, visit the ODOT Transportation Safety Division at www.oregon.gov/ODOT/.

About the WPC

The Willamette Pedestrian Coalition (WPC) is a 501(c)3 private non-profit community-based membership organization in the greater Portland area dedicated to promoting walking and making the conditions for walking safe and attractive.

a proud tradition of ACTION...

WPC was established in 1991 to provide an organized voice for pedestrians, educate people about the benefits of walking and advocate for pedestrian rights and safety. In 1996, after spearheading a series of successful pedestrian actions, WPC branched out nationally to partner with other local pedestrian advocacy groups, including Walk Boston, Walk Austin and Walk New York, to form America Walks. America Walks is a national coalition of local advocacy groups dedicated to promoting walkable communities that has since grown to sixty member groups nationwide. WPC hosted the 2003 International Walking conference, bringing walking advocates and professional from around the globe to Portland.

WPC has been at the forefront of the effort to promote walking to school in communities locally, nationally and abroad. WPC was an early adopter of the Partnership for a Walkable America’s National Walk Our Children to School Day, founding what is now Walk To School Oregon in 1998. WPC remains an active participant on the organizing committee. WPC was also a partner in the effort to organize the first International Walk To School Day in 2000. In Spring 2004, WPC embarked on a partnership with the BTA to develop a Safe Routes to School program in Oregon and jointly hired Safe Routes To School Program Director, Robert Ping.
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HOW TO REACH US
Address: P.O. Box 2252, Portland, OR 97210

Phone:503-223-1597

Email
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OUR VISION
Walking can be a pleasure, but, unfortunately the reality is, walkers often can’t get there, or risk their lives trying, or find it is not worth the effort.

We invite you to join us to change this!

It takes people working together to make good walking places.

The Willamette Pedestrian Coalition is a citizens action group which seeks to make walking a pleasure throughout the Portland Metro area.

We believe that:

Walking must be safe, so we advocate for:

* more and safer crosswalks
* sidewalks separating walkers from traffic
* police enforcement of traffic laws

Walking should get you there, so we advocate for:

* construction of sidewalks and paths where none exist
* elimination of the gaps where sidewalks are missing
* routes that go through instead of hitting dead ends
* curb ramps to ensure accessibility for all citizens

Walkable communities require careful design, so we advocate for:

* neighborhoods with a mix of activities so that trips can be short
* buildings close to the sidewalks, with entrances facing the street
* streets with trees and generous sidewalk width

Streets shared by walkers and others are the best streets, so we:

* support educational efforts to share the road
* undertake pedestrian actions so that drivers remember that we are here!

Walking is transportation which builds better communities:

* no air pollution
* a chance to know your neighbors
* independence and mobility for our children

The Willamette Pedestrian Coalition is your opportunity to:

* Engage in Pedestrian Actions to educate drivers to share the road
* Learn how to make your neighborhood or work are a better place for pedestrians
* Seek changes in laws to strengthen pedestrian rights
* Advocate for funding for pedestrian improvements
* Tell others about the benefits of walking, and what makes a good walking place
* Work with local governments to shape the regulation of land use, building and street designs that foster good communities which meet the needs of walkers.
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About the BTA

...opening minds and roads to bicycling...

The BTA's Mission: to create healthy, sustainable communities by making bicycling safer, more convenient and more accessible.

The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) is a non-profit organization working to promote bicycle use and to improve bicycling conditions throughout the state of Oregon. Since 1990, the BTA has worked in partnership with citizens, businesses, community groups, government agencies and elected officials to create healthy, sustainable communities by making bicycling safer, more convenient and more accessible. The BTA is a membership organization, with more than 4000 members in Oregon and SW Washington. Members provide steady financial support and act as the BTA's eyes and ears in the community, helping to monitor advocacy needs. The BTA also receives funding through individual gifts, corporate sponsorships, contract activities and government and foundation grants. The BTA is guided by a volunteer board of directors from across the state and has a staff of 7 in their Portland office, as well as 7 contractors around the state who teach the BTA's Bicycle Safety Education Program. To promote bicycle riding among adults and youth, our innovative education and promotion programs include:

* practical, hands-on "Bike Commuting 101" workshops designed to help new commuters feel more comfortable on the road; * a series of humorous but hard-hitting "share the road" TV commercials that promote cycling and teach motorists and cyclists about their rights and responsibilities on the road; * the Bike Commute Challenge each September, where more than 200 companies compete to get the most employees cycling to work during the month; * an intensive on-the-bike Bicycle Safety Education Program for middle-school youth. Taught to almost 10,000 students around the state, the program has received rave reviews from parents, teachers and kids alike; and * working in concert with local, statewide and national efforts to ensure that all students have safe streets for biking and walking. Our Safe Routes to School (SR2S) effort combines a comprehensive, in-school bicycle safety education program, parent outreach, technical service, and community involvement to help develop transportation policies, events and school teams that encourage children to bike and walk to school. Our Safe Routes to School Director works through a partnership with the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition and our Safe Routes to School Manager runs acts as the SR2S Technical Service Provider for the City of Portland.

Since 1990, the BTA has:

* Initiated the concept of "Bikes on Tri-Met," gathering 5000 signatures and working with Tri-Met to institute this innovative program. Today, all bus routes in Portland, Eugene, and Salem are bike accessible. * Stopped legislation that would have repealed Oregon's 30-year old Bicycle Bill. Citizens from around the state joined forces with the BTA to let their legislators know that Oregonians care about bicycling in their communities. * Taken cyclists' rights to the Oregon Court of Appeals to make sure that bike lanes are included on all major new or rebuilt streets throughout the state, as called for in the Bicycle Bill. (Research shows that bicycle/motor vehicle crashes drop by more than half when bike lanes are provided on busy streets.) * Provided secure bicycle parking for hundreds of cyclists at events such as the Oregon Brewers Festival, the Waterfront Blues Festival, The Bite of Portland, The Taste of Beaverton and the Mt. Hood Jazz Festival. * Convinced the City of Portland and Multnomah County to widen the sidewalks on the Hawthorne Bridge during bridge repairs in 1998-99. The bridge re-opened with vastly improved bicycle access in April 1999. * Helped plan, implement, and recruit more than 675 volunteers for the annual Providence Rose Pedal. The Bridge Pedal, part of this week long festival of cycling, is the second largest bicycle ride in the Northwest, where more than 17,000 people celebrate cycling in Portland. * Administered a free bike locker project, in partnership with Tri-Met, at transit stations in the metro area. * Contributed changes to the Oregon Vehicle Manual that give bicyclists' rights more prominence and enhance cyclist safety. * Organized a statewide letter-writing campaign to protect funding for bicycle and pedestrian programs when the Department of Transportation threatened budget cuts that would have eliminated funding. The bicycle and pedestrian programs survived fully funded. * Successfully passed the 2001 "Safe Routes to School" law requiring cities, counties and school districts to plan for bicycling and walking routes to school.

------------------------------------------------------------------------ HOW TO REACH US Mailing Address: PO Box 9072, Portland, OR 97207-9072 E-mail: info@bta4bikes.org Phone: 503.226.0676 Fax: 503.226.0498 Location: 717 SW 12th Ave, Portland, OR Hours: Tuesday-Friday 9am-5pm

------------------------------------------------------------------------ BTA STAFF
Evan Manvel, Executive Director; Scott Bricker, Policy Director; Kristie Perry, Development Director; Lynne Mutrie, Safe Routes to School Manager, Portland; Angela Koch, Safe Routes to School Director, Statewide; Michelle Poyourow, Events and Outreach Director; Emily Gardner, Policy Advocate; Gretchen Horton, Finance and Development Assistant; Christopher Duran, Office Manager; Scott Lieuallen, Safe Routes to School Coordinator; Stephanie Noll, Safe Routes to School Coordinator; Jacqueline Villnave, Safe Routes to School Coordinator; Tom Rousculp, Safe Routes to School Program Assistant
------------------------------------------------------------------------ BTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS All board members may also be contacted through the BTA at 503.226.0676. Hugh Bynum, president, Craig Bachman, vice president, Mary Fetsch, secretary, Drew Corrigan, treasurer, John Bloss, Debra Carus, Linda Ginenthal, Jay Graves, Jim Meakin, Jane Moore, Doug Parrow, Mary Roberts.
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evan@bta4bikes.org 

Walk + Bike to School Challenge Contest

WHAT IS IT?
The Walk + Bike to School Challenge contest is a program that encourages kids and families to engage in physical activity and healthy lifestyles. The contest rewards children with a point each time they ride their bikes, walk, carpool, or take transit to school. Participating students compete for the most points earned, win ‘Insta-Prizes’ during the contest, and are allowed to submit their names in a drawing for larger prizes.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
• Increase the number of students that bike, walk, carpool, or take transit to school
• Increase interest in physical activity, healthy lifestyles, and environmental sustainability through promotion programs that engage in physical activity and that focus on fun activities such as bicycling and walking.
• Decrease vehicle congestion, improve safety, and relieve adults from constantly chauffeuring their children to school.

HOW DOES THE PROGRAM WORK?
The Walk + Bike to School Challenge contest is promoted at each school through assemblies, classroom presentations, posters, and mail-home information, to encourage physical activity. The event can run periodically, every day, every week, etc., and should start during a kick-off promotional event, such as Walk + Bike to School Day in October, and ongoing promotional days through the school year, to increase participation and maintain momentum.

Students will earn points and win prizes for participation. Smaller Insta-Prizes are periodically awarded to participants, and larger prizes are available to students who win a drawing or earn the most points. These large prizes can be given away at a school assembly or on the final day of the program during an event.
Events are to be coordinated by a lead teacher or parent and supporting adults and students. Oregon Bike + Walk to School Team staff or volunteers can assist in developing and coordinating the programs.
Contact: info@walknbike2school.org (NOT YET AVAILABLE).

Organizing the Contest
The Walk + Bike to School Challenge may tally student travel behavior every day, or only on periodic event days. If running every day, a pre-set time and place must be set for children to have their tally cards marked. Completed cards, after 5 trips to school, for example, will be put into a raffle. The raffle winners will by picked periodically in a special event, such as an assembly.

FAQ

How do we get the program in our school?
The Walk + Bike to School Challenge program requires a lead teacher, administrative support, and a willing student body. Contact info@walknbike2school.org for more information and our team will support your school by providing overview materials, site visits, training, and logistical support.

How much does the program cost?
Our goal is to bring this program to your school at no cost. However, this program does cost money to administer and therefore we may have limited capacity to serve your school without specific funding. The total cost depends on the program level. Funding sources typically include grants, events and corporate donations.

How long does the program take?
The program generally runs over the course for a 4 – 10 week walking/biking season. For example, the promotion program may run weekly during April, May, and early June. A School Team leader must help coordinate the program, which requires time, however our Oregon Walk + Bike to School Team staff or volunteers may be able to provide support. Each promotion day requires volunteers along the route biking and walking with kids, acquiring and serving snacks and small prizes.

> Contact the Bike + Walk to School Team for help with some of these logistics at: info@walknbike2school.org (NOT YET AVAILABLE).

What type of technical support is available?
The Oregon Bike + Walk to School Team offers a variety of support. Our Call Center provides both phone and email technical advise; our website - www.walknbike2school.org - provides materials, information and other resources to help run a Safe Routes to School program. We will do a site visit and work to help your school establish a Safe Routes to School program.

Our Team also conducts trainings and on-site support for participating schools. See www.walknbike2school.org/training.html (not yet available) for more information about trainings.

Safe Routes to School (SR2S) Legislation and Funding

Two legislative victories will create opportunities to get more kids walking and biking to school safely in Oregon!

SAFETEA-LU - federal
The federal transportation enhancements act approved by Congress on July 29, 2005, authorizes a national Safe Routes to School program.  At least one million dollars will be made available to Oregon each year until at least 2009. Oregon Communities that organize coalitions or Task Forces and develop Safe Routes to School plans will be eligible for grants from the Oregon Department of Transportation to implement engineering, education and enforcement programs in their communities. At least 10-30% of the grant monies will have to be spent on non-engineering projects: education, encouragement and/or enforcement programs.

Section 1404, Subsection D, Title I of the “Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) authorizes a $612 million, five-year program aimed at making bicycling and walking to school “a safer and more appealing transportation alternative, thereby encouraging a health and active lifestyle from an early age.”  Under this program, state departments of transportation will receive federal grants to carry out planning, design, and construction projects that improve the ability of students to walk and bicycle to school. 

Engineering projects may include:
 
    •     Sidewalk improvements
    •     Traffic calming and speed reduction improvements
    •     Pedestrian and bicycle crossing improvements
    •     On-street bicycle facilities
    •     Off-street bicycle and pedestrian facilities
    •     Secure bicycle parking facilities; and
    •     Traffic diversion improvements near schools
 
States may apportion their grants to local, regional, and nonprofit organizations that demonstrate an ability to advance the objectives of the Safe Routes to School Program.
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Safe Routes to Schools - HB 2742 - Oregon
The Oregon legislature approved HB 2742 to create a statewide Safe Routes to School program that will help communities increase bicycling and walking to school.  This measure authorizes the Oregon Department of Transportation to award grants from the Safe Routes to School Fund.  Cities, counties, and school districts with plans to reduce barriers to walking or biking to school may apply to ODOT for assistance under this program.

* Oregon Walk + Bike to School is actively involved in Safe Routes to School efforts throughout Oregon. Contact Robert Ping, Safe Routes to School Program Director, to get involved in Oregon SR2S program efforts and/or learn more about SAFETEA-LU or HB 2742.

THE BASICS
Safe Routes to School programs include infrastructure improvements, educational initiatives, and encouragement activities to make bicycling and walking to school a safer and more appealing alternative. Safe Routes to School programs have also proven a great starting place for wider community health, transportation and safety improvements.

A national poll by the Surface Transportation Policy Project found that 74% of Americans favor using state transportation money to create safe routes for children to bike and walk to school, even if this means less funding for new highways. A strong national and local Safe Routes to School program will give parents the option of getting their kids out of the backseat and onto their feet.

FEDERAL LEGISLATION and FUNDING

Safe Routes to School: A National Movement building strong Federal Support   
Safe Routes to School began as a grassroots movement in the US five years ago to make it safe, convenient and fun for children to bicycle and walk to school. The concept was invented in Europe in the 1970's. Communities across the US are now developing Safe Routes to School programs, and the United States Congress embraced the concept by passing SAFETEA-LU in August 2005, which includes Safe Routes to School funding for every state.
 

STATE LEGISLATION, FUNDING AND PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

2001 Oregon Legislative Session
In 2001 Senator Vic Backlund (R-Keizer) introduced HB 3712, which would have established a “Safe Routes to School” grant fund containing at least $5 million per biennium. Funds would be used to remove hazards that keep children from walking and bicycling safely to school. Projects could include crosswalks, signals, flashing beacons, bike lanes or sidewalks. An amended HB 3712 passed through the 2001 Legislature and was signed by the Governor. The bill that passed removed dedicated SR2S funding and simply required that cities, counties and school districts to collaborate on identifying hazards to bicycling and walking and recommending that they develop a plan to address those hazards.

2003 Oregon Legislative Session
In 2003 the Oregon Transportation Safety Coalition worked to pass a bill to increase traffic fines and create a state program to fund Safe Routes to School and other traffic safety programs. This bill died, but a larger fine increase passed.

In 2004, Portland’s Community and School Traffic Safety Partnership capitalized on new traffic fine revenues to secure a $2.5 million-per-year Traffic Safety Fund. Safe Routes to School is an integral element of this program. The City is working with a diverse group of community partners to create a model program.

2005 Oregon Legislative Session
In 2005 another coalition of traffic safety, health organizations, community groups and corporations was formed by the Bicycle Transportatin Alliance to push a stronger Safe Routes to School bill through the Legislature. Ideas included seeking funding for new SR2S programs, addressing school zone and neighborhood traffic and speeds, and defining a statewide Safe Routes to School program in Oregon.

Safe Routes to Schools, HB 2742, passed unanimously in the House, and with only 8 Senators opposing. The governor signed it into law in August 2005!

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Other State Legislation and Funding
•  California invests one-third of its federal safety set-aside funding into a ‘construction grant’ program available to local jurisdictions to make it safer for children to walk and bicycle to school.  The $20 million annual program began as a two-year pilot in 1999, and has been extended for three more years. Grantees can be found at: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/LocalPrograms/saferoute2.htm.

•  Texas created a Safe Routes to Schools program in honor of Matthew Brown - a child killed while riding his bicycle. The program funds construction projects designed to improve children’s safety around schools.  Initial funding of $3 million was increased to $5 million after more than $45 million in applications were received for the first round.  Funds were awarded in February 2003. See www.saferoutestexas.org for more information.

•  Eight other states have instituted statewide Safe Routes to School programs with varying commitments in funding: Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington.

> Learn More about Washington’s program

> Learn More about Maine’s program

> Learn More about Colorado’s program

Press Release -- August 13, 2004

U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona Visits Boise-Eliot Elementary School to Launch 2004 Oregon Walk + Bike to School Day
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Download nike_press_advisory_8_13_04

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Bicycle Transportation Alliance and Willamette Pedestrian Coalition
Robert Ping
Safe Routes to School Program Director
(503) 226-0676 x18
robert@bta4bikes.org

U.S. Surgeon General Announces
Oregon Walk + Bike School Day Is October 6, 2004

- Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) and Willamette Pedestrian Coalition (WPC) Receives $25,000 NikeGO Grant to Extend Oregon Walk + Bike Day Program to 16 Local Schools -

PORTLAND, Ore. (August 13, 2004) – United States Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona today joined the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) and the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition (WPC) in announcing that October 6, 2004 is Oregon Walk + Bike to School Day, and urging all Oregonians with school-age children to walk and bike to school on October 6th as a means of being physically fit and active.

At a morning press conference at Boise-Eliot Elementary School, BTA and WPC also announced that and that they have received a $25,000 grant from NikeGO to expand the event -- to revitalize the great American ritual of kids walking and biking to school -- to Portland, Beaverton, Tigard-Tualatin, Lake Oswego, Eugene and Ashland school districts. NikeGO is Nike’s signature community affairs program and the company’s long-term commitment to get kids moving and give them the means to do it.

"The number of children who are overweight in this country is at an all-time high and continues to grow. It's important for all of us -- parents, educators, companies, government, and non-profit organizations -- to work together to address this public health crisis," said Surgeon General Richard Carmona. "The people of this state are fortunate to have a private partner such as Nike that is so willing to help the kids of Oregon stay healthy."

Dr. Carmona was joined by Nike President Charlie Denson; Superintendent of Portland Public Schools, Dr. Vicki L. Phillips; Safe Routes to School Program Director for BTA/WPC, Robert Ping; U.S. women’s soccer standout and the new coach of Tigard High School’s varsity girls soccer team, Tiffeny Milbrett; and numerous children from the Portland and Westside Police Activities League (PAL), as well as youth representatives from the BTA. 

The Surgeon General led the children and special guests on a ceremonial walk and bike ride in the surrounding neighborhood to celebrate the expansion of this year’s Walk + Bike to School event.  Dr. Carmona then addressed Portland City Club’s Friday Forum, where he delivered a speech: "Undoing the Obesity Epidemic: Making the Connections, Meeting the Challenges."

Walk and bike to school programs represent one of the few proven strategies to get kids more physically active, as called out in publications such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)’s Promoting Physical Activity: A Guide for Community Action, the Oregon Statewide Physical Activity Plan and the CDC’s Healthy Choices 2010 Report.

"The launch of the expanded Oregon Walk + Bike to School program begins an exciting new era for Oregon's kids,” said Robert Ping, Safe Routes to School Program Director for BTA/WPC.  “We hope to dramatically increase the number of kids and parents walking and biking to school, which will improve health and well being, make kids safer, and ultimately make neighborhoods more livable."

Oregon Walk + Bike to School Day is designed as a vehicle to raise awareness, promote active, healthy lifestyles for children and make streets safer and friendlier for students walking and biking to school, the event is part of the BTA/WPC’s Safe Routes to School Program.  This year’s event coincides with International Walk to School Day.

“NikeGO is proud to help the Oregon Walk + Bike to School program expand its annual event and support services,” said Charlie Denson, Nike Brand President.  “We believe that the real benefit for Oregon, and our kids, is that Oregon Walk + Bike to School Day will help kids reap the benefits of a physically active lifestyle by making it safer and more fun to walk and bike to school.”

Oregon Walk + Bike will use the NikeGO grant to increase walking and bicycling to school 100% by coordinating outings at approximately 16 elementary and middle schools during this year’s event.  These schools are located within the Portland, Beaverton, Tigard-Tualatin, Lake Oswego, Eugene and Ashland school districts.  During this year’s event, adult-led “Walking School Buses” will begin walking a designated route to selected schools, picking up kids at houses, street corners and/or businesses along the way.  After school, adult-led groups will lead the children home along the same route used in the morning. 

Parents, teachers and volunteers from schools who wish to participate in this year’s event can find training materials and other information online at www.walknbike2school.org. 

In addition to helping expand this year’s Oregon Walk + Bike to School Day event, the NikeGO funds will be used to:

- Provide trainings to programs coordinators, service providers, and interested persons or groups.
- Offer low-cost coordination and administrative support by expanding the services provided by local BTA instructors. Activities could include coordinating in-school educational and promotional programs, recruiting volunteers, gathering prizes, and on-the-ground help with public relations and media outreach.
- Connect local community groups through statewide trainings and gatherings.

Other community partners working together to present this year’s Oregon Walk + Bike to School Day include: Alliance for Community Traffic Safety in Oregon, City of Portland Office of Transportation, Cycle Oregon, Oregon Department of Health Services, Oregon Department of Transportation, Oregon Safe Kids Coalition, Oregon Health & Science University/Think First Program and the Oregon Medical Association.

About the Bicycle Transportation Alliance
The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) is a non-profit organization working to promote bicycle use and to improve bicycling conditions throughout the state of Oregon. Since 1990, the BTA has worked in partnership with citizens, businesses, community groups, government agencies and elected officials to create healthy, sustainable communities by making bicycling safer, more convenient and more accessible.

The BTA is a membership organization, with more than 3,000 members in Oregon and SW Washington. Members provide steady financial support and act as the BTA's eyes and ears in the community, helping to monitor advocacy needs. The BTA also receives funding through individual gifts, corporate sponsorships, contract activities and government and foundation grants.  The BTA is guided by a volunteer board of directors from across the state and has a staff of 7 in their Portland office, as well as 7 contractors around the state who teach the BTA's Bicycle Safety Education Program. There are BTA chapters in Central Oregon, Clatsop County, Columbia County, Corvallis, Eugene, Salem and Washington County.

About the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition
The Willamette Pedestrian Coalition (WPC) is a 501(c)3 private non-profit community-based membership organization in the greater Portland area dedicated to promoting walking and making the conditions for walking safe and attractive. WPC was established in 1991 to provide an organized voice for pedestrians, educate people about the benefits of walking and advocate for pedestrian rights and safety. In 1996, after spearheading a series of successful pedestrian actions, WPC branched out nationally to partner with other local pedestrian advocacy groups, including Walk Boston, Walk Austin and Walk New York, to form America Walks.  America Walks is a national coalition of local advocacy groups dedicated to promoting walkable communities that has since grown to sixty member groups nationwide. WPC hosted the 2003 International Walking conference, bringing walking advocates and professional from around the globe to Portland.

About NikeGO
NikeGO is Nike's signature U.S. community affairs initiative and the company’s long-term commitment to getting kids more physically active. The program's mission is to increase physical activity in youth ages 8-15, offering them the support and motivation to become physically active, stay healthy and have fun. Nike committed more than $10 million last year in cash and products to get kids moving and targets to increase that amount in the current year through programs such as PE2GO. Visit www.nikego.com for additional information.

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Oregon Walk + Bike To School Day

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Register here to make your school eligible for Walk + Bike to School Day event incentives for kids, and to receive other resources and support for this fun event.

See the list of registered schools.

Contact us at Oregon Walk+Bike to School -or- 503-226-0676 x18 or lynne@bta4bikes.org

Resources for Coordinating Walk and Bike to School Day:

• Incentives and prizes for kids

• Walk + Bike to School Day PLAYBOOK (18.8 Mb PDF) a 16-page full-color manual which takes you step by step through the process of creating a successful Walk + Bike to School Day event

• Walk + Bike School Bus GUIDEBOOK (10.6 Mb PDF) a 26-page full-color manual which takes you step by step through the process of creating an ongoing walking or biking School Bus

• Walk and Bike Key Media Messages

• Obesity and Inactivity 

What is Walk + Bike to School Day?
A Promotional Tool for Ongoing Walk and Bike To School Programs
A Promotional Tool for Safe Routes To School
A Positive Way to Raise Awareness of the Health Benefits of Walking and Biking
A Way to Show How Much Fun Walking and Biking Is!
A Way to Identify Barriers to Walking and Biking to School
A Teaching Tool to Help Kids Learn Safe Walking and Biking Behaviors

Why do we need it?

• Prevalence of children considered over an ideal weight has tripled to almost 25% since 1970 (CDC 2000).

• Sharp increase in cases of heart disease, certain types of cancer, Type 2 Diabetes, stroke, arthritis, and breathing problems.

• Pedestrian and bicycle injuries are the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children.

• Asthma rates have increased 160% in the past 15 years in children.

• Motor vehicle use is the source of more air pollution than any other activity.

• Cost of health problems associated with being overweight in the U.S. in 2000 was $117 billion!

What does a typical Walk + Bike to School Day look like?
7am - Volunteers, officials and celebrities meet at designated meeting spots within one mile from the school with banners, vests and signs. Team leaders teach group pedestrian and bicycle safety skills.
7:30am - Adult-led Walking/Biking School Buses begin traveling a designated route to the school, picking up kids at houses, street corners, and/or businesses along the way
8:15am - Groups begin arriving at the school press conference/assembly location
8:30-9am - Principal facilitates assembly/press event, which includes officials, celebrities and other speakers and performers
9am - Students go to class, participants are thanked, and media interviews take place
…………………………………

When Did It Start?
In 1994, the Pedestrians Association organizes the first walk to school week in Great Britain.
In 1997, the Partnership for a Walkable America launches walks in Chicago and Los Angeles.
In 1998, 16,000 Canadians from 5 provinces join over 170,000 Americans from 58 United States' communities.
In 1999, Ireland joins the walk along with 44 schools from New Zealand. 10,000 schools from Great Britain take part along with 250 schools from Canada, and 525 schools from the United States.

* The Oregon Walk to School Committee was formed by Bicycle Transportation Alliance and others.
In 2000, the first ever International Walk to School Day took place on October 4th. Canada, Great Britain, United States, Ireland, Cyprus, Gibraltar and The Isle of Man participated. Over two and a half million walkers were estimated to have participated.
In 2004, 36 countries and 3 million walkers participated in International Walk to School Day on October 6, 2004, including 45 Oregon schools.
* In 2007, 12,500 children officially participated from 86 schools all over Oregon, with 2,000 adults (actual numbers may be higher, since some schools do not register).

Who Supports It?

Our Partners
The Oregon Walk + Bike to School program is led by the Oregon Walk + Bike to School Committee whose members include the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, Oregon Department of Transportation,  Oregon Health & Science University Think First Program, City of Portland Office of Transportation, Oregon Medical Association, American Heart Association and assorted others.

The 2008 Oregon Walk + Bike to School Day events received asssistance and incentives from ODOT's Safe Routes to School Program, ODOT's Region 1 Bicycle and Pedestrian Program, Department of Human Services, Nutcase Helmets, Clif Bars, Planet Bike, Fred Meyer Foundation, REI and TriMet. 

The most important partners include all of the schools, parents, teachers, students, and community members who are actively involved in getting kids walking and biking to school.

Thank you!

Oregon Statewide Physical Activity Plan
The Oregon Statewide Physical Activity Plan and its companion document, the Oregon Statewide Public Health Nutrition Plan, are calls to action for all who can have an impact on promoting daily physical activity and healthy eating to improve the health of Oregonians.
*    Goal 1: Youth in Oregon participate in daily physical activity.
*    Objective 1: Increase the percentage of trips to school that youth make by walking and biking.
*   Strategy A: Expand and promote walking and biking to school by implementing designated routes, programs, and promotional events.
*    Strategy B: Increase the percentage of schools with safe and accessible sidewalks, bike lanes, and crosswalks.
*   Strategy C: Promote retaining existing neighborhood schools and siting new schools in areas that facilitate walking and biking to school.

Healthy Choices 2010
Healthy Choices 2010, a report produced by The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, identifies two strategies related to Safe Routes to School.
*    Children 5-15 years who live within 1 mile of school and regularly walk to school will increase from 30% in 2001 to 50% in 2010.
*    Children 5-15 years who live within 2 miles of school and regularly bike to school will increase from 5% in 2001 to 12% in 2010.

Oregon House Bill 3712
Passed in 2001, this bill states that "City and County governing bodies shall work with school district personnel to identify barriers and hazards to children walking or cycling to and from school." In its current form, it is unfunded.
Subsequent to its passage, the Oregon Department of Education and the Oregon Department of Human Services/Health Services Division received a grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to establish a Safe Routes to School program in Oregon. Six schools, five of which were in Portland, received small grants ($2,000 each) to establish community Task Forces for the development of school plans identifying recommended walking and biking routes.

Neighborhood Traffic Safety Partnership Strategy
Portland Transportation, with the assistance of a citizen advisory committee (Safe Communities Coalition), is currently developing a Community and School Traffic Safety Partnership. The CSTSP is a community-based education, enforcement, and engineering tool designed to minimize traffic safety concerns and support safe, healthy, and efficient transportation choices. It identifies Safe Routes to School as a strategy that will help maximize the ability of our streets, sidewalks, and pathways to support a safe, multi-modal transportation system that enhances neighborhood livability.

Why Promote Bicycling and Walking?

Physical Activity
Air Quality and the Environment
Safety
Traffic Congestion and Calming

Physical Activity

There are plenty of great reasons to walk and bike to school – less traffic, safer streets, cleaner air – but one of the best is that children and parents will be healthier. With obesity rates skyrocketing and only one-quarter of Americans getting the Surgeon General's recommended daily dose of exercise (just 30 minutes), it's an ideal time to encourage people to walk + bike to school for their own health and well-being.

Kids Need to Move
Walking and biking are a great way for adults and kids to be active. Lack of physical activity is a major cause of chronic illness and death for our country’s adults. Being overweight can cause health problems like diabetes during childhood and research shows that physically inactive kids are more likely to grow up to be physically inactive adults – and are therefore at high risk for obesity and related illnesses.

Obesity rates among children have more than doubled in the past twenty years, according to the National Longitudinal Study of Youth. Even worse, rates of obesity are much higher among minority children than among white youth, suggesting a grave social inequity in the availability of safe, healthy recreational opportunities.

Add walking + biking to the mix. Physical activity recommendations for children suggest that they need a variety of activities each day - some intense, some less-so, some informal, some structured.

Walking or cycling to and from school is an ideal way to get some of that activity at no extra cost to the child or family.

Walking + biking to school is a missed opportunity. Roughly 10% of children nationwide walk to school regularly, and only 2% regularly bike to school. Even among those kids living within a mile of their school, only 25% are regular walkers.

Parents who walk or bike to school with their kids get to be sociable. Nearly nine out ten parents who walk their children to school see it as an ideal way to meet new people, according to a survey in the UK. Many said that the school entrance was a better place to meet new people than pubs, clubs, evening classes or the supermarket.

More on physical activity:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describe the importance of physical activity

How much activity?
Are there special recommendations for young people?
How much activity should kids get? Elementary school-aged children should accumulate at least 30 to 60 minutes of age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate physical activity from a variety of activities on all, or most, days of the week.

How active do adults need to be to gain some benefits?
What about adults? To promote their general health, adults are encouraged to meet or exceed recommendations of at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity "most" days of the week.

What you can do…
Promote bicycling and walking to school through Walk to School events and Safe Routes to School programs which enable children to incorporate physical activity into their daily routines.

State-based Physical Activity Program Directory
Partner with others that care about kids' health. Find people in your state that are encouraging physical activity and fighting obesity among children.

CDC kids' sites
Give kids access to physical activity information that's actually relevant and presented for them. Go to the CDC's sites:
http://www.verbnow.com
http://www.bam.gov

Health Resources and Information Links
For a comprehensive listing of links and organizations related to physical activity, nutrition, and health, go to the CDC's resource list.

Air Quality and the Environment

Walking or biking to school protects the environment and your health. When children decide to lace-up their sneakers to walk, or strap on their bike helmets to pedal to school instead of riding in a car, they reduce the amount of air pollutants emitted by automobiles.

These air pollutants can be especially harmful to children. Children have respiratory systems that are not fully developed, they spend more time at higher activity levels, which can cause them to breath more deeply and take in more air pollution. They are also more likely to have asthma or other acute respiratory problems that can be aggravated by air pollution than other age groups. By walking or riding a bike to school, children lower the amount of vehicle miles traveled (VMT), which helps reduce toxic air pollutants.

Vehicles emit a variety of air pollutants. For example, ground level ozone is created by a chemical reaction between nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compound gases in the presence of heat and sunlight. Visit www.epa.gov/air/urbanair/ozone/what.html or www.epa.gov/oar/oaqps/regusmog/infozone.html to find more about ozone and www.epa.gov/air/urbanair/nox/hlth.html to learn about nitrogen oxides.

Particulate matter are particles of dust, soot, smoke, dirt, and liquid droplets that are also released into the air by cars, trucks and other vehicles. Go to www.epa.gov/air/urbanair/pm/index.html to learn more about particulate matter.

Hazardous or toxic air pollutants like the ones mentioned above are known or suspected to cause serious health effects such as cancer, birth defects, or respiratory, neurological, immune, or reproductive effects. To find out more, visit www.epa.gov/air/toxicair/newtoxics.html.

Ozone can cause these health effects:

irritated lung airways
shortness of breath
chest pain
wheezing and coughing
reduced lung function
asthma attacks
damaged lung tissue
chronic respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia and bronchitis

Particulate matter can cause these health effects:

persistent coughs and phlegm
respiratory and cardiovascular problems
chronic bronchitis
decreased lung function
premature death

Carbon monoxide can cause these health effects:

reduces cardiovascular and central nervous system functions
cardiovascular health effects: chest pain,
central nervous system health effects: vision problems, reduced ability to work or learn, reduced manual dexterity, and difficulty performing complex tasks. At high levels, can cause death.

To learn more about carbon monoxide check out www.epa.gov/oar/oaqps/cleanair.html

Toxic air pollutants can cause these health effects:
damaged immune system
reproductive problems (reduced fertility)
respiratory problems
developmental disorders
nervous system disorders
cancer

A few considerations for walkers and bicyclists

Consult the Air Quality Index (AQI)
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) encourages everyone to drive less and to walk, bike, or ride public transportation on bad air quality days. However, those who suffer from respiratory illness like asthma should not walk or ride on these days. When walking or riding on these days, play it safe. If possible, walk or ride in the coolest parts of the day. Consult the air quality index to find out how clean or polluted the air is on a particular day. See www.epa.gov/airnow/ for real-time animated maps and forecasts of the air quality in your area. Parents should check the AQI forecast each day to help protect children from poor air quality.

Pick the route with least traffic
Children may be exposed higher levels of air toxins near roadways with heavy traffic. If possible, try to find routes with less traffic volume, or walk or ride when traffic volumes are lower.

Safety

The promotion of bicycling and walking to school provides an opportunity to address safety. Every year, about 25,000 child pedestrians are injured by motor vehicles. Reducing the risk of injury includes teaching children pedestrian and bicycle skills. It also means reminding drivers to watch for others using the road. Hazardous conditions along routes to school need to be identified and fixed.

Some of the best ways to increase the safety of a child's walk or bike to school are to:
- provide safe, well-maintained walkways separate from vehicles;
- teach children to cross streets at marked crossings, and provide ample, well-designed, accessible, and when necessary monitored crosswalks;
- slow traffic in neighborhoods and near schools;
- organize Walking + Biking School Buses - adult-led groups walking and biking safe routes to school - in your neighborhood;
- teach bicycle and pedestrian safety at home and in school classrooms

Traffic Congestion and Calming

Did you know that up to 25% of traffic congestion is caused by parents driving their kids to school? Did you know that the primary cause of accidental death among youth is bicycle and pedestrian collisions with an auto?

Our Safe Routes to School program contains engineering and enforcement components that can alleviate the conditions that cause these problems. Through improved street design, such as crosswalk improvements, installation of sidewalks, speed bumps, roundabouts, curb extensions and other engineering techniques, pedestrian and bicyclist safety can be markedly improved, reducing accidents, and calming streets.

School drop-off and pick-up zones can be moved or altered to reduce the impact to traffic flow-through, and improve safety. For instance, the zone can be moved a block away to a less busy street, so that the front of the school is not congested, and kids can then walk the block to school, getting some physical activity while they travel. School guards are posted at intersections along the way, and parents are encouraged to drive away on an alternate route to avoid the 'walk to school' route.

Oregon Walk + Bike to School

Walk and bike to school programs represent one of the few proven strategies to get kids more physically active, as called out in publications such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)’s Promoting Physical Activity: A Guide for Community Action, the Oregon Statewide Physical Activity Plan and the CDC’s Healthy Choices 2010 Report.

The launch of the expanded Oregon Walk + Bike to School program begins an exciting new era for Oregon's kids. We hope to dramatically increase the number of kids and parents walking and biking to school, which will improve health and well being, make kids safer, and ultimately make neighborhoods more livable.

Oregon Walk + Bike to School is designed as a vehicle to raise awareness, promote active, healthy lifestyles for children and make streets safer and friendlier for students walking and biking to school, the program is part of the BTA/WPC’s Safe Routes to School Program.  This year’s Walk + Bike to School Day event coincides with International Walk to School Day.

Parents, teachers and volunteers from schools who wish to participate in this year’s event can find traning materials and other information at: Resources

Other community partners working together to present this year’s Oregon Walk + Bike to School Day include: Alliance for Community Traffic Safety in Oregon, City of Portland Office of Transportation, Cycle Oregon, Oregon Department of Health Services, Oregon Department of Transportation, Oregon Safe Kids Coalition, Oregon Health & Science University/Think First Program and the Oregon Medical Association.