Missouri Bicycle News Article

This week is International Walk/Bike to School Week, with Walk to School Day October 8th and October, 2008, Walk to School Month.

This is a great opportunity to get your own kids and the kids and parents in your community or school out and active, enjoying the fall weather and improving their community, the environment, and their health by walking or bicycling to school.

It's not too late to plan a Walk to School Month event at your own school or in your own community. It's not hard to do, and complete, detailed instructions are available on MoBikeFed's Walk to School page.

Getting a single event like a Walk to School Day organized in your community is one of the best ways to galvanize community support for better walking and bicycling.

If nothing else, if you have school-age children, walk or bicycle with them to school once or twice this month!

Kansas City infoZine covered Walk to School Week this year:

In 2007, more than 2,700 U.S. schools and millions of international participants from 42 countries took to neighborhood roads and streets to promote more active lifestyles for children and to explore ways for communities to encourage walking to school. . . .

Now in its 12th year, IWALK events continue to grow, as many cities and countries recognize the need for programs that teach children, parents and educators about safely traveling to school in ways that will benefit their health and the environment. Communities can use IWALK events as a first step in creating safe, inviting environments for young and old alike. Some of the reasons to support walking or biking to school include:


Enhancing children's health. Increased physical activity helps combat health problems today's kids can face.

Improving air quality and the environment. Replacing car trips to school with walking or biking can help reduce air pollution.

Creating safer routes for pedestrians and bicyclists. Physical improvements to streets and sidewalks and increasing education about traffic safety can encourage alternative transportation and benefit the entire community.

Walk-to-school events can be as simple as a few students and parents meeting to walk to school as a group or more elaborate events that involve the entire community. No matter the event size or duration (a day, week, month or ongoing program), encouraging students to walk to school creates a culture that values physical activity while also emphasizing the importance of issues such as pedestrian safety, reduced traffic congestion, reduced fuel consumption and improved air quality. Walk-to-school efforts also help build strong relationships between families, schools and the broader community.

Related:

News: "Sharing the road" in Press Journal

Tips&Stories: Walk/Bike to School Day, October 8th, 2003

News: MO Governor Blunt Encourages Communities to Help Children Walk to School

News: Walk to School Day: U.S. Secretary of Transportation's message

News: Walk and Bicycle to School Month Resolution adopted by Missouri House