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Impact of the Safe Routes to School program on walking and biking: Eugene, Oregon study

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  • McDonald, Noreen C.
  • Yang, Yizhao
  • Abbott, Steve M.
  • Bullock, Allison N.

Abstract

Policymakers in many countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, have introduced programs to increase walking and biking to school through education, encouragement, and infrastructure improvements. The U.S. government has allocated over $1.1 billion to the federal Safe Routes to School program since 2005. However, there are few evaluations of the Safe Routes to School program. Our study used a robust quasi-experimental research design to measure the impacts of Eugene, Oregon's Safe Routes to School program on walking and biking. Using data collected between 2007 and 2011 at 14 schools with and without Safe Routes to School programs, we showed that the Safe Routes to School program was associated with increases in walking and biking. Education and encouragement programs were associated with a five percentage point increase in biking. Augmenting education programs with additional SRTS improvements such as sidewalks, crosswalks, covered bike parking, and Boltage was associated with increases in walking and biking of 5–20 percentage points. The study results illustrate the potential for the Safe Routes to School program to change behavior and should encourage other communities to plan for multi-modal school travel.

Suggested Citation

  • McDonald, Noreen C. & Yang, Yizhao & Abbott, Steve M. & Bullock, Allison N., 2013. "Impact of the Safe Routes to School program on walking and biking: Eugene, Oregon study," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 243-248.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:trapol:v:29:y:2013:i:c:p:243-248
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2013.06.007
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Minnich, Aljoscha, 2023. "Gamification in the transport sector: Quasi-experimental evidence from a bicycle navigation app," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    4. Brudner, Amir, 2023. "On the management of residential on-street parking: Policies and repercussions," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 94-107.
    5. Mohammad Lutfur Rahman & Antoni Moore & Melody Smith & John Lieswyn & Sandra Mandic, 2020. "A Conceptual Framework for Modelling Safe Walking and Cycling Routes to High Schools," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-16, May.
    6. Chen, Peng & Jiao, Junfeng & Xu, Mengyuan & Gao, Xu & Bischak, Chris, 2018. "Promoting active student travel: A longitudinal study," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 265-274.
    7. Mononen, Petri & Leviäkangas, Pekka, 2016. "Transport safety agency's success indicators – How well does a performance management system perform?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 230-239.
    8. Thomas V. Vasey & Suzanne J. Carroll & Mark Daniel & Margaret Cargo, 2022. "Changing Primary School Children’s Engagement in Active School Travel Using Safe Routes to School Interventions: A Rapid Realist Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-29, August.
    9. Biondi, Beatrice & Romanowska, Aleksandra & Birr, Krystian, 2022. "Impact evaluation of a cycling promotion campaign using daily bicycle counters data: The case of Cycling May in Poland," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 337-351.
    10. Hazel Williams-Roberts & Bonnie Jeffery & Shanthi Johnson & Nazeem Muhajarine, 2015. "The Effectiveness of Healthy Community Approaches on Positive Health Outcomes in Canada and the United States," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 5(1), pages 1-21, December.
    11. Deanna M. Hoelscher & Leigh Ann Ganzar & Deborah Salvo & Harold W. Kohl & Adriana Pérez & Henry Shelton Brown & Sarah S. Bentley & Erin E. Dooley & Amir Emamian & Casey P. Durand, 2022. "Effects of Large-Scale Municipal Safe Routes to School Infrastructure on Student Active Travel and Physical Activity: Design, Methods, and Baseline Data of the Safe Travel Environment Evaluation in Te," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-17, February.

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