Colleen Synk, Author at Safe Routes to School

White worman with long brown hair wearing a red and white floral patterned shirt stands in front of a blurred background.

Help Us Welcome Megan

Meet Megan Suhs, our new Contracts and Data Coordinator on the Safe Routes to School team. Megan brings extensive experience in fostering healthier communities. She previously worked with schools and local organizations to advance substance use prevention, mental health awareness, and nutrition education. Her background reflects a strong commitment to equipping youth with knowledge and [...]

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Crim Fitness Foundation Maximizes Safe Routes Impacts

A brightly painted parklet is set up in a closed road area as part of the Better Block Flint event. Poster for the event seen in the foreground. Since 2008, Crim Fitness Foundation (Crim) has provided Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programming in Flint, Michigan. What began as a way to increase the number of

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Mini Grants Open for 2026-2027 School Year

The Mini Grant RFP for the 2026-2027 school year is now available, and we are accepting applications until 5:00 p.m., March 6. Applicants are eligible to receive up to $15,000 per school, with a maximum of $120,000 per applicant for 8 or more schools. The grants support active transportation programs to and from school. Schools

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2025 Walk & Roll to School Day Reflections

Students walk and bike along a sidewalk to the school entrance. Congratulations to all who helped to make Walk and Roll to School Day (WR2SD) a huge success. Whether you celebrated on October 8 or another day, we are grateful for your participation in highlighting the importance of safe, active travel. The event is important

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Walking school bus of adults and students walking along sidewalk on cooridor with school bus driving in roadway and iwth school crossing signage in the distance.

Walk and Roll to School Day Registration Open 2025

National Walk & Roll to School Day (WR2SD) is an international event to promote walking and rolling to school. This year, it takes place on Wednesday, October 8. Schools and communities unable to join the national celebration on October 8 are welcome to host an event on any date that works in October. We invite

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A photo of 4 kids riding their bike and it is written "Walking and biking can help students arrive"

Back to School

Back to school is a great time for your students to begin new routines. We recommend including tips for students to get to school using active transportation in your return to school plan. In addition to highlighting the importance of daily physical activity, inspiring your students to use active transportation to get to school includes the following benefits: Students show up to school ready to

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Two smiling children cross railroad with the new rubber flangeway and concrete ADA approaches.

Charlotte easily navigates rail crossing with state-level support

Two smiling children cross the railroad with the new rubber flangeway and concrete ADA approaches. Every active transportation infrastructure project has its own unique challenges when determining options for walkers, bikers, and rollers. This can especially hold true when a community is interested in working along a corridor that includes roads and a railway. In

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A student bikes on a sidewalk with their father walking beside them. Other parents and children walk and bike ahead of them. A school bus passes on the road beside the sidewalk. MDOT photo credit.

2025-2026 Mini Grant Award Announcement

Bike and Roll to School Day, Bennett Woods Elementary, Okemos. Congratulations to our grant recipients! Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Mini Grants have been awarded for the 2025-2026 school year. Awards totaled $396,092 and were made to 31 K-12 schools in Ann Arbor, Au Stable, Bay Mills Community, Birmingham, Grand Rapids, Hamtramck, Lansing, Madison Heights,

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Charlotte’s Strong Partnerships Produces Multimodal City-Wide Project

Two children scooter onto new sidewalks, while adults walk behind utilizing crosswalk. Photo Credit MDOT The City of Charlotte is home to a tight knit community with optimistic leaders. One such leader is AL!VE Community Wellness Manager Ellen Dreps who previously chaired a coalition to improve health and walkability in the community. AL!VE is

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2025 Bike & Roll to School Day Reflections

Congratulations to all who helped to make Bike and Roll to School Day (BR2SD) a huge success. Whether you celebrated on May 7 or another day, your participation helped highlight the need for safe, active travel in every community. Bike and Roll to School Day is important because it provides a chance for communities to

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Help Us Welcome Megan

Author name: Colleen Synk