2020 Golden Snow Boot winner, funding opportunities and events
Golden Snow Boot winner: Oak Ridge Elementary in Eagan
During each Winter Walk to School Day, Minnesota Safe Routes to School asks participating schools to submit stories and photos of their event to compete for the Golden Snow Boot Award. After reviewing the stories and photos from participating schools, Oak Ridge Elementary in Eagan stood out as the 2020 Golden Snow Boot winner! All 550+ students and their teachers took a winter walk at school:
Oak Ridge’s second Winter Walk Day was beautiful! Our whole school (all 550+ students and their teachers) went out for a walk in the woods and prairie adjacent to our school. It was great to get out and enjoy the sunshine and temps in the 20s. We heard our boots crunching in the snow mixed with students’ happy chatter. Occasionally, classes decided to get quiet and listen to the birds chirping all around us. Everyone enjoyed the fresh air, exercise, and a break from the hard work we do in the classroom!
- Amy Kupinski and Karla Bisco, school coordinators for Winter Walk events
Congratulations Oak Ridge for your amazing Winter Walk to School Day event!
Runner up: Great River School in St. Paul
More than 50 students and parents at Great River School in Saint Paul participated in national Winter Walk To School Day on Wednesday, February 5th. Great River School faces challenges from being bounded by high-traffic county roads to the north and south. But our school community is determined to increase the numbers of kids walking and biking to school, and cold temperatures did not deter us at all! To help address safety concerns, parent volunteers assisted students coming from the south of school with crossing Pierce Butler Road, including making sure to activate the flashing beacon at the crosswalk. Students who come to school from the northeast face not only high traffic, but many intersections and driveways into residences, businesses, and schools. To ensure the safety of these students and also raise awareness of pedestrians in this busy area, parent volunteers led a walking school bus, safely helping the group cross 6 driveways and intersections along Energy Park Drive. About 35 students and parents were part of the walking school bus (and of those, the breakdown was about 30 kids, 5 parents). We were thrilled with participation and are hoping more families will be inspired to continue walking as part of our Walking Wednesdays program!
- Karen Solas and Susan Sochacki, school coordinators for Winter Walk events
Check out some of our other favorite photos, learn more about Minnesota Winter Walk to School Day and find resources for future events.
Met Council TA solicitation open
The Metropolitan Council released the 2020 Regional Solicitation online on Feb. 24, 2020 and will accept applications for federal transportation funding until April 16, 2020 at 4 p.m. After technical experts from across the region rank and score the projects, the Transportation Advisory Board will select projects for funding in late 2020. Approximately $180 million in federal transportation funds will be available for allocation in 2024 and 2025.
Eligible metro-area applicants include the seven counties, cities and townships, state agencies, American Indian tribal governments, transit providers, and non-profit organizations (travel demand management applications only).
Safe Routes to School projects are one category eligible for funding.
Have you registered for the SRTS Statewide Meet-Up, April 14 in Willmar?
Join us for a day of networking, peer sharing and learning about Minnesota-specific SRTS tools. The SRTS Meet Up will be on Tuesday, April 14 in Willmar from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This day-long training will be highly interactive and allow you to build your knowledge of engineering and demonstration projects, equity and enforcement strategies for SRTS and network with SRTS practitioners from around the state. This free workshop is brought to you by Minnesota departments of transportation and health, Bicycle Alliance of MN and the Center for Prevention at Blue Cross.
Join us a day early to be trained as a Walk! Bike! Fun! Ambassador on Monday, April 13 in Willmar from 1-4:30 p.m. This training will help you learn how to support implementing Walk! Bike! Fun! in your community including skill building with walking school buses, bike rodeos, bus stop and walks, and mapping. Participants will leave the training with the Walk! Bike! Fun! Ambassador’s guide and kit.
Grant opportunity at QBP
Local bike shops know their communities best, making them uniquely equipped to make change happen. Founded on the belief that getting more butts on bikes is crucial for the health of our communities, the QBP Community Grant helps bike shops create and encourage ridership among youth and underserved populations, while improving the sustainability of the industry. Applicants may collaborate with non-profit entities who are in support of their proposal.
Initiatives eligible include youth ridership and educational programs. Application due March 3, 2020.
Governor Walz announces $10 Million for SRTS in budget proposal
Governor Walz recommends $10 million for infrastructure projects that increase safe and convenient opportunities for children to walk and bicycle to school. Project examples include new or enhanced sidewalks and bicycle trails, ADA improvements, traffic diversion and speed reduction, and enhanced crosswalk devices and markings. In addition, a portion of the funding is set aside to partner with Minnesota Tribal Nations to develop pedestrian safety projects on reservations.
Register for regional Toward Zero Deaths events
Regional TZD partnerships hold annual workshops to help facilitate the implementation of TZD in their local communities. There are upcoming workshops in all regions of the state!
Upcoming events
March 12, 10-11 a.m. – MN SRTS Network Call
Share and learn with whose working on SRTS from across Minnesota.
- Join Webex meeting
- Meeting number: 598 105 138
- Meeting password: SRTS
- Phone only: 1-800-504-8071 Access Code: 662 219 2
To join the Minnesota Safe Routes to School Network, email center.communications@bluecrossmn.com
May 6 – Bike to School Day - Event resources available
More about MnSRTS
Find much more information and helpful resources at the Minnesota Safe Routes to School Resource Center
Visit: http://www.mnsaferoutestoschool.org
Follow us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/MinnesotaSafeRoutestoSchool/
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