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Safe Routes to School funds go to states for FY05-09

States receive funding as part of reauthorization of federal transportation programs.
See Guiding Principles developed by Safe Routes to School National Partnership

From National Center for Bicycling & Walking

	Palm Bay, Florida, on International Walk to School Day, October 2003

Section 1404. Safe Routes to School Program

Funding allocated to the Safe Routes to School Program:

• FY05 $ 54 Million
• FY06 $100 Million
• FY07 $ 125 Million
• FY08 $ 150 Million
• FY09 $ 183 Million

The amount apportioned to each State shall be administered by the State's DOT. No State shall receive less than $1M per fiscal year. USDOT gets up to $3M per year to administer the program (note: this is to cover the cost of the clearinghouse and task force, too).

Eligible recipients: State, local, and regional agencies, and nonprofit organizations.

Eligible projects and activities: planning, design, and construction of infrastructure- related projects that will substantially improve the ability of students to walk and bicycle to school, on any public road or any bicycle or pedestrian pathway or trail within approximately 2 miles of a primary or middle school; and noninfrastructure- related activities to encourage walking and bicycling to school, including public awareness campaigns and outreach to press and community leaders, traffic education and enforcement, student training, and funding for training, volunteers, and managers of SR2S programs.

Allocation: not less that 10% and not more than 30% shall be used by a State for noninfrastructure-related activities.

Each State shall use a portion of its funds for a full-time State SR2S program coordinator.

The USDOT shall make grants to a national nonprofit organization to operate a SR2S clearinghouse.

The USDOT shall establish a national SR2S task force to study and develop a strategy for advancing SR2S program nationwide (and they'd better get a move on it because the Secretary is supposed to report the results to the study to the Congress by March 31, 2006!).

The Federal share of the cost of a project or activity shall be 100%. The program applies to primary and middle schools (K-8).

Related topics:

Building trails
Accessibility
Rails to trails
Management and maintenance
Health & fitness
Safety & liability
Planning

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