2 Local School Districts Get $$$ For Walk-To-School Safety Programs

February 9, 2012 1:17 PM

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Reporting Michelle Durham

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By Michelle Durham

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. (CBS) — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has just released thousands of federal dollars to help make it easier for children to walk or bike to school.

Officials there hope to instill the walking habit early, to promote good health and exercise, and they want to make sure it’s done safely.

“Two elementary schools in the Methacton School District in Montgomery County will receive nearly $20,000,” says Penndot spokeswoman Erin Waters. “They will implement what we call a ‘walking school bus program,’ where groups of students walk together with an adult, so everyone is in a group. And they will also develop educational materials.”

In the Philadelphia School District, she adds, “there will be nearly $10,000 to purchase safety equipment and some materials for crossing guards. They will also hold educational efforts for students, teachers, and parents about biking safety.”

As for when the programs will be implemented, Waters was not precisely sure, but she says it will be relatively soon as the districts have to use the money by a fixed date next year.

More information is available at www.saferoutespa.org.

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2 Local School Districts Get $$$ For Walk To School Safety Programs

wilma fingerdoo

@Cynthia Petillo-Yes, it is a different world out there now- statistics show it’s actually much SAFER than when I grew up in the 70′s and 80′s. We didn’t have helicopter parents who insisted on doing everything for us, and we weren’t driven everywhere in the back of an SUV for our own “safety”.
Look it up- the number one killer of chidren is AUTO ACCIDENTS. Your child is more likely to be struck by lightning on the soccer field than get abducted on their way to school. Kids SHOULD be encouraged to walk and bike to school. Cutting down on all this driving will make it safer for all of us, and healthier, too.
Cynthia Petillo

Walking was the only mode of transportation for me and my siblings. Of course, we always walked in packs and neighbors had our backs. I think this is a terrific idea, provided it can be done safely. It’s a different world out there than what I grew up in.