Safe Routes to School programs enable community leaders, schools and parents across the United States to improve safety and encourage more children to safely walk and bicycle to school. In the process, programs are working to reduce traffic congestion and improve health and the environment, making communities more livable for everyone. Community leaders, parents, and schools across the U.S. are using Safe Routes to School programs to encourage and enable more children to safely walk and bike to school.

A few ways to keep children safe while they have fun outdoors are to teach students to walk in groups, make and distribute walking maps of the neighborhood, and reward students who walk or bike to school. Routes to school can be made safer with crosswalks and sidewalks.  Solutions don't have to be expensive or complicated to help many students!

If you want to make it easier and safer for schoolchildren to walk or bicycle to school instead of getting dropped off by adults, visit the New Hampshire SRTS Program and the National Center for Safe Routes to School.  Both websites have information on how to get started making your school more accessible by bike or by foot.  You can also read about successful programs and find many other resources for training and technical assistance.

Three different SRTS grants are available:

• Startup grants of up to $5,000
• Comprehensive travel plan grants of up to $15,000 per school
• General Grants of up to $250,000 per school ($100, 000 if school has not completed a comprehensive travel plan)

CNHRPC has four member communities applying for Round 4 SRTS Funding:

The timeline for Round 4 SRTS applications in FY2010 is as follows:

• Sept. 14, 2009: Application period opens
• Nov. 9, 2009: Deadline for submitting application to Regional Planning
  Commissions (RPCs) and N.H. Department of Transportation (NHDOT)
• Jan. 5, 2010: RPCs complete reviews
• Week of Feb. 8, 2010: Statewide Advisory Committee (SAC) meeting with applicants
• Week of Feb. 22, 2010: SAC deliberative session
• March 15, 2010: SAC recommendations to NHDOT commissioner
• March 29, 2010: Announce awards

CNHRPC has worked with a number of its member communities to successfully receive SRTS funding, and is currently working with four additional towns on their applications.

If you have questions about the program or would like to get started applying for a SRTS grant, please contact our office at (603) 226-6020 or e-mail us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .