Safe Routes to School
 Join the Fun - Bike to School Day on May 7
National Bike and Roll to School Day is May 7! Whether big or small, SRTS day events promote physical health and safety while giving students and families an easy way to try walking, biking, or rolling to school. Parents and caregivers may be surprised at how little time it takes.
Register your event to receive stickers, spoke cards, and reflective zipper pulls. Use our promotional materials to spread the word and inspire more families to choose active school commutes.
New this year: Safe Routes to School Yard Sign Design Contest! This new engagement active is a way for students to use their creativity to help promote safe roads for walkers and bikers in their communities. Students are encouraged to create a poster that reflects the theme "Slow Down in School Zones" and submit their designs by May 16.
Resource: MnDOT Safety Education for Pedestrians.
Save the Date! MnSRTS Meet-Up on July 25
MnSRTS will be hosting our annual free, one-day Meet-Up training on Friday July 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in St. Paul. This event is a great opportunity to connect with Safe Routes to School partners, share ideas, and gain new strategies to support walking, biking, and rolling in your community.
Register here today.
Call for Proposals: We are seeking proposals for presentations and breakout sessions that highlight innovative programs, best practices, and successful strategies in Safe Routes to School. Deadline to submit is Friday, April 25, with notification of selection on Friday, May 9.
New and Noteworthy Resources
Safe Routes to School Event Engagement Toolkit This toolkit is ideal for engaging parents and students at school events or SRTS team meetings. The tool can print in a large format and allows parents and students to vote (with stickers) for the answers that most resonate with their concerns. Based on the SRTS parent survey questions, this is a great conversation starter. Translated versions in Spanish, Somali, and Hmong.
School Times Impact on Students Walking or Biking to School: Safe Routes to School Research Study
A webinar on how school start times influence in student’s decision to walk and bike to school. Led by MnDOT’s Safe Routes to School (MnSRTS) Program, this webinar will share research findings, policy considerations, and strategies to make active transportation a safe, convenient, and confident choice for all students.
Video/Webinar: Safe Routes to School Network Call November 2024
New Resource for Bike Fleets
Bike MN created a playlist of videos to help with the check-in/out process for bike fleets – check them out here.
Grant Opportunity – School Bus Replacements
The MPCA is offering $630,000 in grant funds to help replace older diesel school buses with cleaner alternatives across Minnesota. Funding is available for both Greater Minnesota and the Twin Cities metro, with up to $20,000 per bus for eligible districts. Applications are due by May 14, and an info session is on March 25. Learn more and apply through the School Bus Replacement Grant webpage.
Upcoming Walk! Bike! Fun! Trainings
Help us spread the joy of teaching children how to ride a bike! The Walk! Bike! Fun! curriculum meets Minnesota Department of Education standards for Physical Education classes.
The educator training is free and sub-pay is available to reduce barriers for attending.
Dates and registration links:
- April 21: Austin
- May 1: St. Paul
- May 5: Belgrade
- June 10: Hutchinson
- June 17: Bemidji
- July 15: St. Cloud
Learn more about the Walk! Bike! Fun! curriculum, bike fleet trailer request, and future training opportunities.
|
SRTS Office Hours:
Have questions about the SRTS program? Looking to brainstorm ideas, get feedback, discuss challenges and solutions, or share success stories? These office hours are designed just for you to engage directly with our SRTS team.
Weekly on Weekly on Tuesdays from noon to 1 p.m.
Share Your SRTS Story
The MnDOT SRTS team wants to highlight the incredible work you’re doing in your community! Your experience – both successes and lessons learned – are valuable in shaping the future of Safe Routes to School. We can’t wait to hear your voice and share your impact.
Click to express your interest, and our team will follow up.
Upcoming events:
-
May 7, 2025 – Bike and Roll to School Day
-
July 25, 2025– MnSRTS Meet-Up in St. Paul
-
Oct. 1, 2025 – Walk and Roll to School Day
-
Oct. 28- 30, 2025 – National SRTS Summit (Virtual)
-
Feb. 4, 2026 – Winter Walk and Roll to School Day
-
May 6, 2026 – Bike and Roll to School Day
MN SRTS Network Call – first Thursday of the month from 10-11 a.m.
2025 MnSRTS Network Call Topic Schedule
- April 3 – Guidance on how to engage and garner support from SRTS with elected officials
- May 1 – Inclusion of SRTS with high school students
- June 5 – MnDOT Bike+ plan engagement activity
- July TBD – MnSRTS meetup
- Aug. 7 – Back to School with SRTS and AT Safety Training Program
- Sept. 4 – Implementing a Trauma-Informed Approach in SRTS programming
- Oct. 2 – Grants! Grants! Grants!
- Nov. 6 – Developing and sustaining school partnership / sustaining SRTS strategies and programs
- Dec. 4 – Engineering and SRTS
Share and learn with whose working on SRTS from across Minnesota. Please email saferoutes.dot@state.mn.us to join the Minnesota Safe Routes to School Network and received log in information.
View past recordings and slides
More about MnSRTS
|
