About the program
At the Nebraska Department of Roads and Safe Routes Nebraska, we’re committed to helping build safe routes to school, so kids can walk and bike more . . . getting the exercise they need for happy, healthy lives. Here’s how we do it:
- Funding projects to make communities more walker/biker-friendly
- Educating teachers, students, parents, and communities on safe walking and biking
- Encouraging kids to walk or bike to and from school—after all, it’s fun!
How Safe Routes Nebraska works
Each year, school, community, and governmental groups apply to Safe Routes Nebraska for funds to help them build safe routes for kids to walk and bike to school.
For example, some groups may want to build a walking/biking path near the school or install a traffic-calming device. Other groups may want to put together a walking/biking safety Web site and develop awareness and encouragement strategies to help more kids walk and bike to school safely.
Safe Routes Nebraska is here to help make sure these groups have the funds they need to make projects like these happen.
The 5 E’s
Groups submitting proposals to Safe Routes Nebraska should keep the 5 E’s in mind. These will ensure that your proposal is comprehensive and addresses all the important points of a successful Safe Routes to School plan.
| Engineering | Education | Encouragement | Enforcement | Evaluation |
| Improving infrastructure around schools to establish safer and fully accessible crossings, walkways, trails, and bikeways | Teaching children the health benefits of walking, and informing both children and drivers of safety skills | Promoting walking and biking to school as healthy, safe, and fun | Partnering with local law enforcement or initiating community enforcement to ensure laws are followed by drivers and pedestrians | Measuring outcomes of the project to determine success |
