Schools

This morning, Brooklyn's MS 51 became the first school in the five boroughs to host a bike-to-school day. Students biked in two escorted rides, one starting in Sunset Park and the other in Carroll Gardens, with more riders joining each bike pool at pick-up spots along the way.

The percentage of U.S. students between ages five and 14 who walk or bike to school has remained stable over the past 15 years but remains three-quarters below where it stood 40 years ago, according to a new analysis of government data by two groups working on the Safe Routes to School (SRtS) program.

After 14 months of drama, deal-making, and declarations of its demise, the health care legislation envisioned by President Obama and congressional Democrats finally cleared its biggest hurdle last night, with the House approving the Senate-passed measure on a 219-212 vote.

First Lady Michelle Obama took to the mikes this afternoon to kick off a national campaign to combat childhood obesity, emphasizing new initiatives to promote biking and walking alongside a strong focus on healthier food options in schools.

A report from NY1's Susan Jhun today describes the dangerous conditions at an intersection right next to P.S. 8 in the Norwood neighborhood of the Bronx, where parents and students constantly contend with cars darting the wrong way down the block.

Over the past few months, Livable Streets Education has worked with schools across New York City on We're Walking Here NYC. Educators were asked to engage students in an exercise that highlights the importance of safety, healthy choices, walkable streets and sustainable transportation, and to share that message with others. This was the pilot run of our web-based project and we had a great group of participants. Next fall we plan to continue the initiative and invite any and all NYC schools to join in. 

Mayor Bloomberg has already shown how much his administration can accomplish in just a few years. Since Janette Sadik-Khan's appointment to head the DOT in 2007, the city has striped hundreds of miles of bike lanes, reclaimed acres of street space for pedestrians and improved bus travel for tens of thousands of New Yorkers. "More of the same" is no longer a dirty phrase when it comes to local transportation policy. During the next four years, the mayor needs to accelerate this progress, and introduce a few key innovations to maximize the value New Yorkers get from their new streets.

Last April, DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan announced the "New York City Model" -- mapping out a strategic plan to prioritize greener, more efficient modes and turn city streets into world-class public spaces. We've seen some major changes in the year-and-a-half since. Among the big accomplishments: the transformation of Broadway, an expanded bike network with more protected routes, and a new street design manual that codifies the progressive treatments DOT has started to adopt. Plans for new rapid bus corridors are approaching fruition, with a route on First and Second Avenues scheduled for completion next year and several more in the pipeline.

Last month, more than 500 people gathered in Portland, Oregon for the second National Safe Routes to School Conference. Maybe it's the fact that Congress might triple national funding for safe routes to school programs. Or maybe it’s the way that walking and biking to school fits so well with efforts to improve public health, safety, and the environment. Whatever the reason, you definitely got the feeling at this event that you were part of something that’s gaining momentum.