������Ƶ

Manchester Safe Routes to School Program Under Way

A chunk missing out of a sidewalk, a busy street to cross, a steep bank to avoid tripping down, may not seem like an obstacle to you, but to a child walking to school, it can be a daily trial.

On October 29, parents and students of the Middle School and Klager Elementary School joined with Safe Routes to School (SR2S) members, school administrators, village officials, and engineers from Michigan State and Wayne State Universities for a “walking audit” to assess the navigability of Manchester walking routes for children, adults and seniors throughout the community which will be used to help develop safe walking routes to school.

Manchester SR2S program kicked off three weeks earlier, with the district first ever “Walk To School Day,” a nationally sanctioned project that encourages students to increase their physical activity by walking to school. ������Ƶ 80 students and 17 or 18 adults participated in this inaugural effort. Students gathered at multiple locations around town, including Carr Park, Chi-Bro Park, and the Manchester District Library and walked to school in groups.

SR2S is an international movement—and now a federal program—that aims to make it safe, convenient and fun for children to bicycle or walk to school. When routes are safe, walking or biking to and from school is an easy way to get the regular physical activity children need for good health. Safe Routes to School initiatives also help ease traffic jams and air pollution, unite neighborhoods, and can even contribute to students’ readiness to learn in school.

October 29 turned out to be a beautiful fall day to hold the walking audit. Four teams assessed different routes winding through neighborhoods within the village. Each team took pictures along their routes and made written notes of areas and barriers that could deter children and/or their parents or make them feel uncomfortable. These “barriers” could include lack of sidewalks, broken sidewalks, obstructions, and even factors such as aggressive animals or abandoned buildings. Children and parents who regularly walk to school participated and were able to relate first-hand experiences and provided valuable insight.

Parents and children from eight families participated. “Even the children not within walking distance from the schools who participated in the audit did a wonderful job locating areas along the route that were in disrepair,” said Melanie Woods, the Manchester Community Schools’ SR2S Coordinator.

Funding for Manchester’s SR2S program is being provided by the Chelsea-Area Wellness Foundation. The Village of Manchester is also supporting the effort with the help of the Complete Streets Program. The funding for the infrastructure and non-infrastructure projects required to improve the routes leading to the schools will be provided by Michigan Department of Transportation (M-DOT).

As the walking audit concluded, participants were rewarded with a meal provided by Manchester High School Healthy Chefs. Following dinner, the SR2S committee met with dedicated parents, SR2S members, engineers, principals, the superintendent, village officials, and an officer from the local Washtenaw County Sherriff Department. Information was collected from the walking audit and improved routes were suggested.

The SR2S program is now well under way as engineers are studying the information that was gathered during the audit. In addition to the audit, parent and student surveys are being completed at the schools. The input from the surveys will added to the audit information and used in developing to the plan to provide Manchester Community School students with better, safer, and more accessible routes to school in the future.

by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.