Grandparent’s Day is always a special event for kids in school.  But when one of the grandparent’s is the U.S. Secretary of Transportation and the school just completed a Safe Routes to School Program, the day takes on added importance. 

Attending the April 23,2010 event with his grandchildren, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood joined in a “walking school bus” to St. Thomas Aquinas School in Indianapolis.  Later in the morning, he spoke to a gathering of school officials, parents and grandparents.  Calling the St. Thomas Aquinas program “a model,” he extolled the benefits of successful SRTS programs such as this one.  The SRTS plan, the first to be completed in Indianapolis, was developed with assistance from LSL and Parsons Brinkerhoff.  Since completing the plan, the school has been awarded a second SRTS grant for implementation.  LSL continues to advocate the SRTS approach through our many comprehensive plans, transportation plans, seminar speaking and  several other elementary school SRTS projects.

The Safe Routes to School initiative has supported community-based efforts to improve safety and reverse the trend of fewer and fewer children walking and biking to school.  The most effective measures encourage kids to walk and bike and, concurrently, promote street and non-motorized connectivity to neighborhoods, reduce traffic congestion and improve community health.