Safe Routes to School and

Complete Streets: Partnerships for Low-Income

Communities

Margo Pedroso, Deputy Director

Safe Routes to School National Partnership

The numbers

Poverty line is $22,000 for a family of 4; low-income is twice that

40 million people (13.2%) live in poverty

41% of children (29.9 million children) are from low-income families

Half of children in rural areas are low-income and half of children in urban areas are low-income

Income and Transportation

Low-income families spend one-third of their budgets on transportation and have lower rates of car ownership

Children from low-income families are twice as likely to walk to school as children from higher-income families

Walking and Bicycling in Low-Income Communities

Low-income neighborhoods or communities have greater traffic-related risks

Urban challenges include higher numbers of busy through streets and poor pedestrian/bicycle infrastructure

In rural areas, distances are greater, high-speed state highways often bisect communities, and sidewalks/crosswalks are lacking

These built environment challenges impact health and safety:

Children from low-income households have a higher risk of being injured or killed as pedestrians

Residents in low-income communities have lower activity levels and higher BMIs

In spite of the risks:

Walking and Bicycling in Low-Income Communities

Personal Safety: Crime and Violence

19% of students in one study feared being attacked while walking and bicycling to school

Children are 5 times more likely to walk and bicycle to school when safety is not a primary concern for parents

Community Readiness: Awareness and Attitudes

Walking and bicycling is not always commonplace or familiar in some communities and cultures; messages must be culturally sensitive

Parents who perceive physical activity as important to health who walk regularly themselves are more likely to have their children walk or bicycle to school

Challenges to Walking and Bicycling in Low-Income Communities

Traffic Safety and Shortage of Professional Expertise

Low-income neighborhoods have greater traffic- related risks

Children from low-income families are more likely to be injured or killed while walking.

But – low-income communities have less access to planners and engineers

This limits the ability to apply for and implement transportation projects to improve safety

Limited Parental Involvement

Many SRTS programs rely on parent volunteers, but in low-income communities, parents can be hard to engage due to language barriers, lack of free time, and a lack of connection to the school

51 percent of low-income parents say they have jobs that prevent them from becoming involved in school activities

Challenges to Walking and Bicycling in Low-

Income Communities

New resource guide attempts to fill that gap

Called “Implementing Safe Routes to School in Low-Income Schools and Communities”

Available at http://www.saferoutespartnership.org/lowincomeguide

Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Public Health Association

SRTS and Low-Income Communities

Moving Forward

Solving these challenges takes partnerships

The potential benefits to low-income communities from SRTS and Complete Streets are great

But, these are big challenges that require many partners to solve

It’s important for us all to ensure that low-income communities are able to safely walk and bicycle

Hope that more nonprofits, DOTs, MPOs, school districts, and community leaders offer assistance to low-income schools and communities

For More Information

Questions or comments? Contact:

Margo Pedroso

Deputy Director

Safe Routes to School National Partnership

margo@saferoutespartnership.org

301-292-1043

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