Supporting Healthy Kids and Communities Through Safe Routes to School in Minnesota

The coalition successfully got the state to establish an SRTS program, but the program had no funding for the first year due to a significant state budget shortfall. In 2013, despite a continuing budget shortfall, the coalition built bipartisan support that led to $500,000 in funding over two years.

With a grant from Voices for Healthy Kids, a joint initiative of the American Heart Association and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, in 2014 the coalition went back to work on a new campaign initiative to build broad, bipartisan public and legislative support for more SRTS funding. In response, the legislature approved $1 million for SRTS infrastructure funding and an additional $250,000 per year for programming, yielding a total of $500,000 annually for non-infrastructure funding.

“Prior to 2012, the majority of investments in SRTS in Minnesota were focused on infrastructure,” said Dave Cowan, Minnesota’s SRTS state coordinator. “We were funding a lot of sidewalks and crossings near schools, which were needed, but we weren’t delving into education and encouragement. Since 2014, when the current funding structure was established, we have been able to use the non-infrastructure dollars to support communities through rigorous planning processes and strategically select projects that were included on the non-infrastructure side.”

The annual non-infrastructure funding has also bolstered the state’s bicycle and pedestrian safety education program, which has trained more than 700 teachers to provide walking and bicycling skills lessons to students.

Minnesota also received full points in the State Report Cards for having retained its full-time SRTS coordinator position, even though it’s not required.

“Having a dedicated state coordinator focused on SRTS within the DOT is critical,” said Cowan. “There is a lot of work to do beyond administering funding – it’s crucial to also focus on relationship-building and education both within and outside of the agency around the value and importance of walking and biking to school. The more staff you have doing that, the more impact you’re going to have over time.”

Minnesota also earned the maximum number of points for providing technical assistance for SRTS initiatives. The program helps communities with funding applications by offering webinars, workshops, guides, and other outreach. The state also launched its SRTS Academy in 2016, which offers a free training to help communities build a comprehensive SRTS program or take their existing program to the next level. “We customize the training based on the community’s level of experience, and provide it to any community that requests it,” said Cowan.

Minnesota’s strong score in the State Report Cards gives advocates even more leverage to build support for prioritizing SRTS through the federal Transportation Alternatives Program, and demonstrates how a state’s commitment to supporting SRTS can lead to better health and activity outcomes for kids.

“Even in just the past few years, I’ve noticed a shift in culture and in the way people talk about transportation at the state level,” says Cowan. “It’s not just SRTS program staff that care about prioritizing walking and biking. Public health professionals, policymakers, education partners, and DOT staff across departments are working together in many ways to support safe, equitable streets for people who walk and bike.”