Supporting Kids’ Active Travel during the Pandemic: Milwaukee SRTS Program

Abstract

The Milwaukee Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program, a partnership between the city of Milwaukee Department of Public Works and the Wisconsin Bike Federation continued their commitment to children’s active travel during the COVID-19 pandemic through offering “walk audit”-style traffic safety community walks and a variety of other biking and walking programs in neighborhoods with majority Black or Latine residents. These efforts included public involvement activities to discuss and incorporate preferences for planned infrastructure improvements; urban summer bicycle camps for kids; and support for teachers as SRTS champions. Staff made modifications such as conducting programming outdoors; modifying materials and facilitation methods to support physical distancing; providing face coverings and minimizing touching equipment. The National Center for Safe Routes to School recognized their efforts with the 2021 Vision Zero for Youth Innovation Award.