Streetsblog

The Simple Joy of Walking and Biking to School

One of the biggest sacrifices we've made in the United States to prioritize the movement of automobiles over active transportation is the health and safety of children. Biking and walking to school has become increasingly rare while childhood obesity is on its way to becoming the norm.

By Angie Schmitt

11:08 AM EDT on October 11, 2013

One of the biggest sacrifices we’ve made in the United States to prioritize the movement of automobiles over active transportation is the health and safety of children. Biking and walking to school has become increasingly rare while childhood obesity is on its way to becoming the norm.

But for at least one day a year, thousands of kids delight in getting to school under their own power. On Wednesday there were more than 1,700 separate walk and bike to school events held around the country.

Here’s a report from one of the leading states, courtesy of LeeAnne Fergason at BTA Oregon:

The Bicycle Transportation Alliance and the Walk+Bike Network are excited to announce that 260 Oregon schools participated in the 2013 International Walk+Bike to School Day on October 9th, coming in 4th in state-wide participation, just behind California (519 schools), Florida (284), and South Carolina (277)!
The BTA has been working since 1998 to encourage students to walk and bike on International Walk+Bike to School Day. Participation has increased from 47 schools and 7,000 students in 2004 to what we saw yesterday when 20% of Oregon’s 1,305 schools participated.

Maybe the best part of all was the students’ reactions. Fergason offered this sampling:

Angie Schmitt

Angie is a Cleveland-based writer with a background in planning and newspaper reporting. She has been writing about cities for Streetsblog for six years.

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