Safe Routes Philly promotes biking and walking as fun, healthy forms of transportation in Philadelphia Elementary Schools.

Did you know???

• Thirty years ago, 66% of U.S. children walked to school, today that number has dropped to 13%
• Being hit by a car is the leading cause of death of children ages 5 to 9
• Nearly 1 in 4 kids is overweight or at risk of obesity
• Close to 20% of morning rush-hour trips involve driving kids to school

In response to these statistics, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia developed Safe Routes Philly, a youth education and encouragement program modeled off of the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) movement. SRTS programs can improve safety not just for children, but for a community of pedestrians and bicyclists as well. SRTS provides opportunities for people to become more physically active and to rely less on single-occupancy motor vehicles. Safe Routes Philly is educating and encouraging more of our children to walk and bicycle safely to school and in so doing expanding the opportunities for all in Philadelphia County to do the same.

PUBLIC SCHOOL PROGRAMMING

As part of the "Get Healthy Philly" Campaign, Safe Routes Philly Community Representatives offer curriculum, training, support and resources for public elementary school teachers. Safe Routes Philly offers a supporting website and telephone-based assistance to help 2^nd and 5^th grade teachers in implementing pedestrian (2^nd grade) and bicycle (5^th grade) safety lessons. In addition to the curriculum, we look forward to helping individual schools create sustained encouragement campaigns to get their kids walking and biking safely on a regular basis. 

PRIVATE, PAROCHIAL, INDEPENDENT, CHARTER SCHOOL PROGRAMMING

Through federal transportation dollars our Safe Routes Philly youth instructor teaches a 45-60 minute in-class lesson to any private, parochial, independent or charter school in Philadelphia County. Our bicycle safety lesson targets fifth graders in order to provide the skills necessary for safe urban riding before they reach the critical age of twelve. City law requires those over the age of 12 to ride in the street (and not on the sidewalk). In addition to riding safely, students learn to view the bicycle as a good means of recreation, exercise and transportation. Contact us today to schedule a class for your school.

Safe Routes Philly Family Phest provides a fun day for families to learn bicycle skills and discover health- and youth-oriented community resources available to them. Bring the family out Saturday to Family Phest and Sunday to Bike Philly and make it a bicycling weekend. And don't forget about the BCP's Scenic Schuylkill Century ride. Mom or Dad can do the ride while the other brings the family to our Phest. Family Phest is held at Eakins Oval from 10:00am-2:00pm on Saturday, September 11th. Check out our Family Phest page for more information. 

Click here for a printable version of Safe Routes Philly Brochure