ABOUT BROOKLINE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL
The Brookline SRTS Task Force is a coalition of stakeholders including parents and teachers representing the town’s K-8 schools and BHS, and representatives from the School Committee, Transportation Division, Police Department, Public Health Department, and the PSB Facilities Department. We meet monthly and work closely with school principals.
Our task force is an alliance partner of the Massachusetts SRTS Program, which as you are likely aware “works to increase safe biking and walking among elementary and middle school students by using a collaborative, community-focused approach that bridges the gap between health and transportation. SRTS utilizes the six E’s to implement its program- Education, Encouragement, Engagement, Evaluation, Engineering, and Equity.”
Working with our regional MA SRTS coordinator we are able to access a multitude of benefits, including grant funds for school safety improvements, school walkshed mapping, walkability and arrival/dismissal audits, free pedestrian and bicycle safety training opportunities, as well as curriculum options that integrate across many K-8 subject areas.
Since its inception in 2018 the task force has been gaining momentum and focusing on several interrelated issues including:
Identifying and addressing safety issues in the vicinity of Brookline schools.
Promoting walking/biking/rolling/busing to school to improve health, ease congestion, and reduce CO2 emissions, including via the state’s flagship fall, winter, and spring car-free days.
Encouraging adherence to the state’s anti-idling laws adjacent to schools.
We address these issues by bringing them to the attention of town personnel; promoting them through school communities and PTOs; and taking advantage of the many offerings from the state SRTS Program.
In addition to these ongoing school-specific topics, we are presently pursuing two additional goals that are more district-wide and that may be of particular interest to you:
Promoting attention to SRTS issues in the design of new school facilities, focusing on the current Pierce redesign project.
Incorporating SRTS concepts, particularly pedestrian and bike safety, into the school curriculum.
