U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-08) a former ten-year member of the House Transportation Committee and an architect of the federal Safe Routes to School program today issued the following statement of support for National Walk to School Day:

“Walking to school isn’t the same as it was years ago when more students walked or biked,” stated Pascrell.  “Today’s children are faced with an unfortunate set of public safety and cultural challenges.  Roads are congested with bigger, faster vehicles.  Schools are further from sprawling neighborhoods.  Walk to School day allows parents to interact with their children on the routes they take every day, often generating discussion that improves our communities.  Walk to School Day is an important community building exercise that is a winner for public safety, health and the environment. I applaud the students, parents and school that are active in this initiative and encourage more to participate.”

Walk to School Day is a school-based initiative that encourages physical activity and helps identify public safety issues on students’ paths to school.  It is an interactive way for parents, students, school personnel and other community members to directly experience the trip to school on foot or by bike.

While a member of the House Transportation Committee, Congressman Pascrell worked to authorize the federal Safe Routes to Schools program, kicking off his efforts in Verona and Wayne on Walk to School Day in 2002.  Pascrell worked with his colleagues to successfully authorize a $612 million federal Safe Routes to Schools program in the 2005 federal transportation reauthorization bill.  New Jersey is scheduled to receive $15 million over five years through this program.

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a federal, state and local effort to enable and encourage children, including those with disabilities, to walk and bicycle to school - and to make walking and bicycling to school safe and appealing.

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