Oregon Placed in 1st Position in the International Walk and Roll to School Day
Oregon was the top state in the International Walk and Roll to School Day on October 7, with the highest number of schools out of 48 states that took part in the project.
210 Schools Statewide Participated
The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODT) says that 210 Oregon schools, out of a total of 921 K-8 public schools, participated in the annual event the result is based, on beating out states like California, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Washington D.C.
In 2017, the Oregon Legislature approved a spending package to fund school-based walking and biking programs statewide.
The legislation allocated $10 million per year starting in 2018 and increased the amount to $15 million annually beginning in 2023 to support Safe Routes to School programs through the State Highway Fund.
The money is allocated to build infrastructure projects and educational programs.
Funding for the Project is Insufficient
However, the ODOT says that the annual needs of the Safe Routes to School Program now amount to $50 million a year but the program’s Advisory Committee says even that increase is insufficient because grants requested last year amounted to $138 million, while only $30 million was available.
The founder of BikePortland, Jonathan Maus, says debates about program-level funding ‘are likely to get heated as insiders and lawmakers survey the political landscape ahead of the 2025 legislative session.’
Maus points out that the budget presented by Oregon Governor Tina Kotek is asking for $1.75 billion for programs and transportation projects like Safe Routes to School. He says it is ‘anyone’s guess if Safe Routes to School will receive the funding it deserves.’