Project Purpose
The mission of the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is to provide the best multi-modal transportation system for Colorado that most effectively and safely moves people, goods, and information. The purpose of this project is to coordinate the Colorado Safe Routes to School (CSRTS) program, which supports CDOT’s mission by increasing opportunities for safe walking and biking to and from school for children in Kindergarten through 8th grade.
In 2004, the Colorado Legislature codified a law that tasked CDOT with establishing and overseeing a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program that encourages and enables more children K-8 to bike and walk to and from school. Since that time, the program has grown and now, in addition to distributing $5 million in infrastructure and non-infrastructure grants every two years, CSRTS works on other initiatives to increase awareness and provide resources, including webinars, toolkits, and other training materials related to SRTS.
As part of the Main Streets & Active Transportation Section within CDOT’s Division of Transportation Development, CSRTS supports CDOT’s larger vision of zero deaths and safety for all road users. By working to improve safe routes for children, this program benefits families, promotes student health, and reduces congestion and pollution in the vicinity of schools. This program works internally with CDOT as well as externally with numerous stakeholders to improve infrastructure as well as to educate individuals on safe biking and walking.
Utilizing a comprehensive approach that incorporates the “7 E’s,” of programming – engagement, equity, education, encouragement, engineering, evaluation and enforcement – CSRTS has primarily been focused on its grant program. In early 2024, CDOT will finalize a five-year strategic plan for CSRTS that will identify goals to strengthen the program. A nine-member Advisory Committee selects and recommends projects to the Transportation Commission and when requested, provides input on other policy and programs related to CSRTS.
Statewide