The Safe Routes to School National Partnership has grown to more than 160 non-profit organizations, government agencies, and businesses working to advance the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) national movement. New members include the American Heart Association, the National PTA, and the American Public Health Association. Bikes Belong provided initial funding for the partnership in August 2005 and continues as its primary sponsor.

Recent partnership accomplishments include:

• At the National Bike Summit, partnership coordinator Deb Hubsmith spoke about SR2S and also helped train the Safe Routes to School State Coordinators recently hired by each state department of transportation.
• The partnership created a primer called States Take Action, which explains how to work proactively with state DOTs to establish the best possible state SR2S programs.
• The partnership is setting up “teleseminars” for state advocates to encourage more collaborative work with state DOTs on program development.

Now is the time for advocates in each state to start working with their department of transportation to help ensure that the $612 million earmarked for the federal program is put to the best possible use. The partnership’s goal is to provide policy input and guidance to make this possible.