The Monroe County Safe Routes Child Walk and Bike Safety Education Program (Walk + Roll) provides safety education resources to children, families, and the school community on how to safely walk, bike, and roll to schools, recreation areas, and other activities. The program takes a holistic approach to child safety by bringing education and awareness to everyday travel decisions.
The materials are designed to reflect how children learn and make decisions: developmentally appropriate, interactive, accessible to families, culturally responsive, and focused on measurable outcomes. Walk + Roll complements and expands existing Safe Routes to School efforts in Monroe County, including the county's portable safety village and current programming from the Office of Traffic Safety.
Project Goals
By May 2027, Monroe County will have a structured and effective child walk and bike safety education program that is ready to pilot, evaluate, and expand across school districts. A successful program will:
- Work across urban, suburban, and rural conditions while reinforcing consistent safety behaviors for children who walk and bike.
- Integrate into school lessons, earn adoption by families, and improve children's safety awareness and decision-making.
- Offer a practical, scalable approach for educators that supports the county's long-term Safe Routes and child safety goals.
Project Framework
Walk + Roll is aligned with the nationally recognized Safe Routes to School framework. The program focuses most on Education, Encouragement, and Evaluation, while supporting the full set of "E's":
- Education: Skills to walk and bike safely, and an understanding of transportation choices.
- Encouragement: Events and activities that build enthusiasm for walking and biking.
- Engineering: Physical improvements that make walking and biking safer and more comfortable.
- Engagement: Listening to students, families, teachers, and community partners throughout.
- Evaluation: Measuring what works and improving the approach over time.
- Equity: Safe, healthy, and fair outcomes for students of all backgrounds and abilities.
Where will the program be tested?
After a countywide engagement period, the project team will select a small group of school districts and schools to pilot the materials. Sites are chosen to reflect Monroe County's urban, suburban, and rural conditions so the final toolkit works across many different settings.
