The Safe Routes to School Program has transitioned to being coordinated by the Vermont Agency of Transportation’s Active Transportation team.

The Safe Routes to School Program has transitioned to being coordinated by the Vermont Agency of Transportation’s Active Transportation team. For more details, visit saferoutes.vermont.gov.

Local Motion will continue to offer the Bike Smart and Walk Smart programs, which can be key components of your school’s SRTS effort. We will also continue to coordinate existing SRTS taskforces. During this transition, we will continue to offer resources that can be used independently to support your SRTS events and school projects.

Why the change?

From July 2020 - December 2023, VTrans funded Local Motion’s Safe Routes to School program with federal funding. This funding was left over from years when the federal government allocated a portion of its state funding specifically for SRTS programs. 

Local Motion sought funding to continue our work and stand up a more holistic SRTS program, but we have not yet been successful in identifying adequate funding. While this announcement comes at a time of significant uncertainty with federal funding, it is not connected to recent federal actions.

Local Motion’s other programming will continue as normal, including Complete Streets Technical Assistance, Bike Smart, and Walk Smart. 

What does this mean for SRTS programming at my school?

SRTS will continue to depend on champions like you and others at your school. Local Motion will continue to offer self-serve resources on our website to support your SRTS events, while communication and support will come from VTrans.

How can VTrans help?

Vermont Safe Routes to School is managed by the VTrans Active Transportation team. The Safe Routes to School program answers questions and provides guidance to schools. You can find resources and more information on VTrans’ website. 

What about Bike Smart and Walk Smart?

Both programs are funded and unaffected by this change. You can find information about them here.

What’s next for SRTS in Vermont?

Many communities will continue to offer SRTS programming and work towards infrastructure improvements in partnership with local RPCs and VTrans. We will continue to work with VTrans to build a robust statewide SRTS program and make it safe, fun, and accessible for everyone to walk, bike, and roll in Vermont.