We frequently hear from communities that the most helpful information to have about the planning process are examples of how Safe Routes to School has been implemented in other communities.
These case studies are a selection of past projects to respond to these requests. They are meant to provide a view into the work done with SRTS funding. Each highlights work across the state which emphasis on the importance of the planning process and how various partnerships come together to deliver a successful SRTS program.
- Argentine Township Builds a Community Pathway Through a Collaborative Effort.
- City of Harrison’s Multi-use Path SRTS project. This case study highlights the identification and success of a multi-use path for students at Larson Elementary, Hillside Elementary and Harrison Middle Schools.
- City of Hastings with Hasting Middle, Northeastern Elementary and Central Elementary Schools. The work by the Hastings SRTS team emphasizes how programming and infrastructure combine to making walking a viable options to families.
- East Jordan Students Help with Innovative Project.
- Detroit Safe Routes to School’s Value-Added Planning. This case study discusses the value-added benefits for and invaluable contributions from different stakeholders who participated in the planning process.
- Detroit Safe Routes Makes the Most of Partnerships. This study looks at how engagement, capacity, and outcomes were improved through partnerships.
- DeWitt Strong Interagency Relationships Build Capacity and Support. This study looks at how the strong relationship prior to this project added capacity and support through the planning and implementation process.
- The Grosse Pointe Planning Process from Mini-grant to Major-grant. A phased, multilevel districtwide approach for large complex school districts.
- Highland Township at Heritage, Highland, and Spring Mills Elementary Schools. The importance of early engagement to gain support for connectivity while retaining their community’s rural feel.
- Jackson Bridging Barriers. How Jackson’s Safe Routes to School project connects schools, parks, and people.
- Lenawee Township with Madison District Schools. Past partnerships help build support for this SRTS project.
- Kingsford Honors Past While Moving into the Future.
- Miller Elementary of Dearborn- Nurturing Meaningful Public Engagement in SRTS Planning. A case study going over the decisions Miller’s Elementary schools team took to intentionally include parents and students in the planning process.
- Marquette County Road Commission and Marquette Township with North Star Academy. This study showcases the work done in Marquette Township to find a pathway for students along busy corridors and how it sparked a larger conversation about active transportation in their community.
- Norte! Youth Cycling and Fundraising Ideas from Northern Michigan. Norte has emphasized fundraising from the beginning to offer programming and projects outside and beyond the SRTS grant to an expanding area around Traverse City.
- Novi Navigates Community Concerns to Help Kids Navigate to School.
- Portland Infrastructure Improvements Increases Student Safety
- Southfield Street Infrastructure Additions Help Keep Kids Safe.
- The UACC and Crim Fitness Foundation (CFF) in Flint. A case study focused on the lighting initiative led by the UACC Neighborhood Coalition, who has been a collaborative partner in SRTS efforts by CFF at Durant-Tuuri Mott and Doyle-Ryder Elementary Schools.
- List of archived case studies
Please contact our offices if you’re interested in identifying a case study of a community like yours.
Portland infrastructure improvements increases student safety
Student using new crossing and light improvement in front of St. Patrick Catholic School The quaint and picturesque mid-Michigan city of Portland is known as the "City of Two Rivers" as it is nestled between the Grand River and the Looking Glass River. It is home to nearly 4,000 residents with students that attend Portland [...]
East Jordan Students Help Innovative Project
Tucked away about an hour northeast of Traverse City along a section of Lake Charlevoix, East Jordan is a year around destination. Tourists can be seen flocking to nearby beaches in the summertime and taking in some of Michigan’s best skiing in the winter. In short, East Jordan offers things that are familiar to and […]
Southfield Infrastructure Help Keep Kids Safe
There are a variety of unintended consequences when communities pay little attention to the walkability and bikeability of their community – many of which fall in the realm of public health and safety. For instance, when a community is designed without active living in mind, rates of diseases associated with a lack of physical activity […]
Case Study: Novi Navigates Community Concerns to Help Kids Navigate to School
Novi is a bustling city about 30 miles northwest of Detroit. It is home to a unique mix of cultures, exemplified by places like its Hindu temple and Japanese grocery store. While many Michigan cities have struggled with population declines according to theU.S. Census, Novi has grown consistently and is now home to more than […]
Kingsford Honors Past While Moving into the Future
The famous Ford Flivver was manufactured in Kingsford in the early 20th century – a small town in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. After Henry Ford established the automobile plant, the Flivver, which was the nickname for his Model T automobile, began serving as the unofficial school mascot. Today, two of Breitung Township Schools, Kingsford Middle School […]
DeWitt’s Interagency Relationships Build Capacity
Districtwide approaches to Safe Route to School (SRTS) projects are strongly encouraged because they provide consistent communication, education, and a supportive culture for walking and biking to school. This approach works to ensure that no matter the location a student finds themselves in while traveling to and from school, they have resources that support walking […]
From Mini to Major Grant in Grosse Pointe
Over the last decade, the Michigan Safe Routes to School (SRTS) team has been encouraging communities to think of their programming, planning and infrastructure design needs with a holistic, district-wide approach. Instead of focusing on improving active transportation for students and families around one school, they have been encouraging stakeholders to consider all schools in […]
Collaborative Effort Builds Argentine Township Pathway
Over ten years ago, Argentine Township and the Linden, Argentine, Fenton, and Fenton Township Pathways (LAFF) trails group envisioned a multi-community pathway that would connect cyclists across southwest Genesee County. With support from LAFF, Linden Community Schools, and the Genesee County Road Commission, Argentine Township embarked on a planning project for a multi-use trail project. […]
Partnerships Build Support for Lenawee Township Project
Building consensus among stakeholders is an important part of any Safe Routes to School (SRTS) project. At Madison School District, former superintendent and community champion, Ryan Rowe played a key role to gain support for their SRTS project with stakeholders that could amplify the project. Rowe understood that planning, application, and construction processes can take […]
Miller Elementary Nurtures Meaningful Engagement
After a school completed their surveys, and walking and biking audit, the next step is to start the action planning process. The action planning process is intended to engage community, and this case study on Mill Elementary school in Dearborn shows how they fostered community engagement to create their action plan. As the birthplace of […]