Busy summer ahead in Idaho

It may be summer, but we’re still hard at work, traveling across the state visiting communities working on pedestrian safety projects and improving safe routes to schools.

In 2017 the Idaho Strategic Initiatives Program, which funds transportation infrastructure, included child and pedestrian safety projects as eligible proposals for competitive funding. This allowed approximately $2 million dollars to be awarded to grant projects statewide that would improve access and safety for children and others to walk or bike to school. These projects are currently under construction in places like Burley, Idaho Falls, Driggs, Moscow, and eight other cities across the state. This is a significant step that will allow more children to include regular physical activity in their day and grow up healthy and safe.

While these projects are very exciting, we know that almost 60 other communities submitted applications for walking and biking projects and did not receive funding. We are visiting these communities as well, to understand the obstacles they face, and help them demonstrate the need for additional funding dedicated to these projects. And we know sidewalks and bike paths don’t get rolled up and put away at the end of the school year, and they aren’t just for kids! These safety projects will encourage more people in a community to increase their physical activity with a safe place to do so, and help improve economic opportunities, and so many other community benefits!

If you support improved health by developing safe walking and biking paths, as well as advancing the local economy, expanding elderly and disabled individuals’ personal freedoms, increasing test scores for students, and creating a more cohesive community, you can support our work on Safe Routes to School year-round through You’re the Cure! If you’d like to learn more, or find out how you can help, please contact me, Erin Bennett, at [email protected].