With school getting back in session this week throughout San
Benito County and students beginning to pack local sidewalks and
roadways, the Council of Governments has released
”
Safe Routes to School
”
brochures designed to make the trip to and from school less
hazardous.
With school getting back in session this week throughout San Benito County and students beginning to pack local sidewalks and roadways, the Council of Governments has released “Safe Routes to School” brochures designed to make the trip to and from school less hazardous.
“We’re trying to encourage students to walk or ride their bicycles to school, especially when there’s nice weather,” said Veronica Lezama, transportation planner for COG. “Oftentimes it gets busy around the schools, so we’re trying to eliminate some of that traffic for safety and congestion purposes. We’re working to make the school sites a little more pedestrian-friendly.”
As part of the county’s 2009 Bikeway and Pedestrian Master Plan, COG included funding for the Safe Routes to School maps, which offer tips on getting to school safely as well as maps indicating the safest ways to do it by foot or on a bike. Maps were created for the following schools: Calaveras, Cerra Vista, Gabilan Hills, Ladd Lane, Marguerite Maze, Rancho San Justo, R.O. Hardin, San Andreas Continuation High School, San Benito High School, San Juan Elementary and Sunnyslope.
All of these schools were given 300 printed copies of the maps and some of them have also posted the maps on their websites. Printable versions are also available on the Hollister School District and COG sites.
The Hollister School District has made additional copies for distribution to students and parents and Lezama said her agency is finalizing a Spanish version of the brochure, which was delayed when funding ran out.
“We’re hoping to finalize that within the week,” she said, noting that a grant that COG is seeking would provide funding to print another 10,000 Safe Routes brochures.
The goal, Lezama said, is “to make the general public aware and to show caution around schools because we have a lot of residents under the age of 18.”
A general bikeway map that will show all existing bike routes throughout the county is in the works and is expected to be ready by October. Work on one of the newest – the San Juan Highway Bike Lanes Project – is scheduled to begin in February. It will link San Juan Bautista to Anzar High School and provide students and others more room to maneuver in the rural area.
In other transportation news, Lezama is encouraging anyone interested in bicycle and pedestrian issues to apply for a seat on the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, which meets on a quarterly basis. For more information, contact Lezama at 637-7665.
