{"id":15734,"date":"2025-06-26T07:47:15","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T07:47:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/15734\/"},"modified":"2025-06-26T07:47:15","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T07:47:15","slug":"transportation-department-plans-grant-application-for-safe-routes-to-school-pilot-program-in-san-antonio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/15734\/","title":{"rendered":"Transportation Department plans grant application for Safe Routes to School pilot program in San Antonio"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\"><strong>SAN ANTONIO<\/strong> \u2013 The City of San Antonio\u2019s Transportation Department is seeking approval this week for a grant application that, if approved, could lead to the implementation of a Safe Routes To School (SRTS) program at area schools.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">The ordinance for approval is listed on Thursday morning\u2019s city council agenda. <\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">If approved, the department would submit the application to the Texas Department of Transportation. The estimated cost of preparing the planning and concept design is $800,000, according to a city memo describing the ordinance. <\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">The city would know by October if the application is approved, according to Joe Conger, a public relations manager for the department.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">\u201cFunding allocation and procurement of a consultant could take nine to ten months. Work could begin at the end of summer 2026,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\"><b>Where would the program be implemented?<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">SRTS is a national initiative that aims to make walking and biking to school safer and more accessible for children,&#8221; according to a city memo describing the grant. <\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">It was launched in 2005 with federal funding and, in 2012, was integrated into the Transportation Alternatives Program, which funds active transportation projects nationwide. <\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">The SRTS program, according to the memo, would benefit from the city\u2019s Vision Zero plan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Conger said the department had already begun early-stage creation at three schools in the city:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 kDvXdO font_openSans articleList\">\n<li class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__StackBase-sc-1fnzlkn-7 ecGWWE iQviKm\">\n<p>Coker Elementary<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__StackBase-sc-1fnzlkn-7 ecGWWE iQviKm\">\n<p>Loma Park Elementary<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__StackBase-sc-1fnzlkn-7 ecGWWE iQviKm\">\n<p>Mark Twain Dual Language Academy<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">\u201cWe decided to utilize the grant to build onto those programs and develop a gameplan to scale the program across San Antonio,\u201d Conger said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">In April, the department <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ksat.com\/news\/local\/2025\/04\/30\/loma-park-elementary-students-encouraged-to-participate-in-walk-and-bike-to-school-day\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">hosted an SRTS event with students from Loma Park Elementary<\/a>, accompanied by volunteers on a half-mile ride from a nearby park.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Additional outreach and engagement measures would be included in the grant\u2019s full scope. The grant would provide a \u201csolid planning template\u201d to help the department identify schools seeking supported infrastructure in their communities, Conger said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Conger, citing positive responses from parents and school districts during past events, said the department hopes the proposed SRTS program could alleviate traffic congestion around area schools.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">\u201cLong-term, we hope to build a culture in San Antonio that supports and normalizes walking and biking to schools and eventually, that carries over into other aspects of daily life,\u201d Conger said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\"><b>Selecting the schools for the pilot<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Mark Twain Dual Language Academy, being one of the schools listed in the application for the pilot, makes sense for Emily Hutcheson, a resident of the nearby Beacon Hill neighborhood.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">During the city\u2019s process, ultimately leading to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ksat.com\/news\/local\/2025\/01\/31\/san-antonio-adopts-new-multi-billion-dollar-bike-plan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.ksat.com\/news\/local\/2025\/01\/31\/san-antonio-adopts-new-multi-billion-dollar-bike-plan\/\">adoption of its updated Bike Network Plan<\/a> earlier this year, Hutcheson and other residents <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ksat.com\/news\/local\/2024\/12\/12\/a-step-in-the-right-direction-beacon-hill-residents-echo-support-for-continued-bike-network-plan-updates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.ksat.com\/news\/local\/2024\/12\/12\/a-step-in-the-right-direction-beacon-hill-residents-echo-support-for-continued-bike-network-plan-updates\/\">echoed their support for the plan<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Hutcheson organizes a \u201cbike bus\u201d for neighborhood students, and on National Bike to School Day last month, said about 35 people biked from the neighborhood to Mark Twain Dual Language Academy. <\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">\u201cAs a parent, I am thrilled with the Transportation Department\u2019s efforts to seek SRTS Funding,\u201d she said in an emailed statement to KSAT on Wednesday, \u201cWalking and biking to school gives kids a sense of autonomy and independence, allows them to enjoy the fresh air, and provides opportunities to get to know their neighborhood all while arriving at school physically and mentally ready to start their day.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Hutcheson said, despite having multiple area schools for people to walk or bike to, the \u201cinfrastructure that could help kids and parents feel comfortable doing so is currently lacking.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Conger said infrastructure improvements, among several things, make up a successful SRTS program.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">\u201cThe grant would also provide an area analysis at the three pilot schools, assess which improvements are necessary, analyze how to fund it, and provide metrics to measure the effectiveness of the improvements,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Potential city input could come in the form of future implementation grants to fund those improvements, should the grant application be approved, Conger said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\"><b>Read more:<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Copyright 2025 by KSAT &#8211; All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"SAN ANTONIO \u2013 The City of San Antonio\u2019s Transportation Department is seeking approval this week for a grant&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":15735,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5133],"tags":[5229,5302,407,7202,7203,3060,358,522,3187,67,586,132,5230,68,2969],"class_list":{"0":"post-15734","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-san-antonio","8":"tag-america","9":"tag-bikes","10":"tag-education","11":"tag-san-antonio","12":"tag-sanantonio","13":"tag-schools","14":"tag-texas","15":"tag-transportation","16":"tag-tx","17":"tag-united-states","18":"tag-united-states-of-america","19":"tag-unitedstates","20":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","21":"tag-us","22":"tag-usa"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114748564867377679","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15734","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15734"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15734\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15735"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15734"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15734"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15734"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}