City of Jacksonville Safe Routes to School
Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a nationwide effort to make it safer, easier, and more appealing for students to walk, bike, or roll to school. By combining infrastructure improvements, such as sidewalks, crossings, and traffic calming, with education, encouragement, and enforcement, SRTS helps create safer streets and healthier communities.
A generation ago, walking or biking to school was a normal part of daily life. Today, far fewer students travel to school this way, contributing to increased traffic congestion and safety concerns around schools. Safe Routes to School works to reverse this trend by improving conditions for students and families and supporting active, independent travel.
In the Jacksonville region, Safe Routes to School initiatives are led by the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization in coordination with the Duval County Public Schools and the City of Jacksonville.
These efforts support the City’s Vision Zero Action Plan by prioritizing safety improvements near schools and along key routes used by students.
Program Overview
Safe Routes to School focuses on a combination of strategies to improve safety and accessibility for students, including:
- Engineering: Infrastructure improvements such as sidewalks, crossings, and traffic calming
- Education: Programs that teach students and families about safe walking and bicycling
- Encouragement: Events and initiatives that promote active transportation to school
- Enforcement: Coordination with law enforcement to improve driver behavior
- Evaluation: Data collection and analysis to identify needs and measure progress
School Safety Studies and Implementation
The North Florida TPO is currently leading Safe Routes to School planning efforts for schools throughout the region. These efforts include:
- School-specific safety assessments
- Identification of barriers to walking and bicycling
- Recommendations for infrastructure and programmatic improvements
- Coordination with local agencies to support implementation
Recommendations from these studies may inform future grant applications, capital projects, and safety improvements implemented by partner agencies.
Regional Safe Routes to School planning efforts are coordinated through the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization in partnership with local agencies.
How Schools Can Get Involved
Schools interested in participating in Safe Routes to School efforts can coordinate with regional and local partners to identify safety needs and opportunities for improvement.
Typical steps may include:
- Identifying safety concerns around school access (e.g., crossings, sidewalks, traffic conditions)
- Coordinating with school administrators and district staff
- Working with local and regional agencies to evaluate conditions
- Participating in school safety studies or assessments
- Supporting education and encouragement programs for students and families
Schools and community members can also report roadway safety concerns using the Northeast Florida Traffic Safety Team’s reporting tool:
Traffic Safety Team Roadway Concerns Form
Encouragement Programs and Community Initiatives
Community-based programs play an important role in encouraging students and families to walk and bicycle safely.
The Blue Zones Project Jacksonville supports Safe Routes to School efforts through initiatives such as the Walking School Bus program, which organizes groups of students to walk to school together with adult supervision.
These programs help build safe habits, increase visibility of students walking and bicycling, and strengthen connections between schools and surrounding neighborhoods.
Transit Access and Student Transportation
In addition to walking and bicycling improvements, transit plays an important role in providing safe and reliable transportation options for students.
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority offers free transit passes for eligible middle school, high school, college, and trade school students through its student ride program.
This program expands access to education, reduces transportation barriers, and supports safer travel options for students throughout Jacksonville.
The City of Jacksonville coordinates closely with JTA on safety and mobility initiatives. During development of the City’s Vision Zero Action Plan, JTA’s Creating Safe Spaces initiative was developed concurrently and helped inform broader safety strategies across the transportation network.
Regional Coordination
Safe Routes to School is a collaborative effort involving multiple partners:
- North Florida Transportation Planning Organization (program lead)
- Duval County Public Schools
- City of Jacksonville
- Florida Department of Transportation
- Jacksonville Transportation Authority
- Community organizations and local stakeholders
This coordinated approach ensures that planning, infrastructure, and education efforts are aligned to improve safety for students across the region.
Resources and Additional Information
Additional information about Safe Routes to School programs, guidance, training resources, and best practices is available through national, state, and professional organizations:
National and State Resources
- Safe Routes Partnership
- National Center for Safe Routes to School
- Florida Local Technical Assistance Program Safe Routes to School Training Resources
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Safe Routes to School Resources
Planning and Design Best Practices
- Safe Routes to School Program Tools and Guidance (SEH, Inc.)
- Safe Routes to School Best Practices (Toole Design Group)
Contact
For questions or to learn more about Safe Routes to School efforts in Jacksonville, please contact: JPDTransportation@coj.net