Keeping Our Students Safe

September 11, 2018 8:35 AM
by Cory Keen

This article originally appeared in the September edition of Seascape.

Santa Monica students went back to school a few weeks ago. We wish all students and parents a successful and rewarding year. Each new year is a fresh opportunity to try to learn new skills – like learning a new language or trying a new sport. It’s also a time to try new ways of getting to school. Did you know that walking and biking to school increase a student’s readiness to learn, while also taking cars off the road, especially in sensitive areas near neighborhood schools? How you get to school can help improve grades and make Santa Monica a more sustainable, livable and safer city.

The City’s Safe Routes to School program provides information to students and parents on safe travel behaviors to and from school. Safe Routes also constructs safety improvements in the vicinity of school campuses. A collaboration between the City, SMMUSD, Santa Monica Spoke and local private schools, the program has catalyzed more students who walk, bike, skate, scoot and take transit to school.

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Construction is wrapping up on safety improvements near the Edison Language Academy (Intro photo). Over the past summer, 11 sidewalk curb extensions and painted crosswalks were added to improve walking to the recently rebuilt campus. Curb extensions improve safety by reducing the crossing distance for pedestrians and by improving visibility for all users. The project was funded by a Safe Routes to School grant from the state, and the project implements improvements identified in the Michigan Avenue Neighborhood Greenway and Bike Action plans, and in community outreach meetings in 2016-17.

For more information about the work being done by the City’s Safe Routes to School program to improve safety for our youth visit santamonicasaferoutes.org.

Authored By

Cory Keen
Transportation Management Specialist