Safe+Routes+to+Schools

Problem Statement: Students should be able to safely walk and bike to school. Since the establishment of North Kingstown High School there have been few attempts to build sidewalks to provide safe routes for students. We will build sidewalks leading to the high school by applying for federal grants through the National Center for Safe Routes to School.

Project Proposal

Many students at North Kingstown High School are forced to take buses or cars to school because there are few sidewalks that students can use to safely walk or bike to school. The significant number of students arriving to school by bus and car has a negative impact on the environment because large amounts of fuel must be used to operate these vehicles. The emissions produced by these vehicles pollute the air. The lack of sidewalks prevents students from walking or biking to school. Both of these are healthy alternatives that are environmentally friendly, but unfortunately, without sidewalks, these methods of transportation can be unsafe. I will help solve this problem by applying for grants from the National Center for Safe Routes to School. I will raise awareness in the community regarding this problem so that citizens will be informed. I will then present my ideas to the Town Council so that they can work with this federal program to construct safe sidewalks to North Kingstown schools. In May, I will apply for grants from the National Center for Safe Routes to School with permission from the administration of North Kingstown High School. Then in early June I will present my ideas to the North Kingstown Town Council. Hopefully, construction will begin quickly so that the sidewalks can be ready for use by the time school opens in late August. __stephanie andersen__ Students for Safe Sidewalks **401-885-1654 ** stephanie_andersen@nksd.net 450 Potter Road North Kingstown, RI 02852

May 5, 2011

Charles E. Brennan, Jr. Town Council Member 140 Brookhaven Road North Kingstown, RI 02852

Dear Town Council Member Charles E. Brennan, Jr.,

My name is Stephanie Andersen, and I am a junior at North Kingstown High School. Many students at North Kingstown High School are forced to take buses or cars to school because there are few sidewalks that students can use to safely walk or bike to school. The significant number of buses and cars used to transport students to school has a negative impact on the environment as the emissions of these vehicles pollute the air. The lack of sidewalks prevents students from walking or biking to school, both of which are healthy and environmentally friendly. It is my hope that with the help of the National Center for Safe Routes to School and the North Kingstown Town Council, sidewalks can be built to allow the students of North Kingstown to safely walk and bike to school. This project will be costly, but in the long-run it will be worth the cost. In order to help pay for the construction of safe sidewalks to North Kingstown High School, I will apply for grants from the National Center for Safe Routes to School. This federal program assists communities in enabling and encouraging children to safely walk and bike to school. The Center strives to equip Safe Routes to School programs with the knowledge and technical information to implement safe and successful strategies. It is funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. The organization has already helped the Westerly, Newport, Narragansett, Warren, Barrington, Warwick, Cranston, East Providence, Central Falls, and Woonsocket school districts establish safe routes to schools. With grants from the National Center for Safe Routes to Schools, the North Kingstown school district may be able to establish its own safe routes to North Kingstown schools, particularly our high school. It is my hope that the North Kingstown Town Council will morally and financially support efforts to construct safe sidewalks to North Kingstown schools.

** Sincerely, **

** Stephanie Andersen **

Planning Direct Action · Our goal is to build sidewalks so that students can safely walk and bike to school. We hope to get public attention and awareness. · With our direct action, we will get about thirty people from all over the state to go to a town council meeting. They will all be wearing backpacks and T-shirts that have skid marks on them. Everyone will collapse at the same time showing the effects of not having sidewalks for students walking to school. · This will be held during a meeting when the greatest amount of town council officials will witness the scene. · Hopefully this will bring awareness to everyone so they think about the benefits of building sidewalks and the town council officials will help to fund the construction of sidewalks.

For Immediate Release Contact: Stephanie Andersen May 27, 2011 Cell: 401-523-4548

Students for Sidewalks **NKHS student organizes to build sidewalks for safe transportation to school. **

North Kingstown, RI – Stephanie Andersen, a junior at North Kingstown High School, is planning on marching with fellow students to the high school to call for the building of safe sidewalks for students to use to walk and bike to school. The group is planning on meeting in front of the North Kingstown town hall on June 4th. They will be joined by parents, siblings, and other concerned members of the community.

“It’s a great idea,” Sage Morander, an environmental scientist from U.C.L.A. and resident of North Kingstown, “It will help to educate students in the town about the significant environmental benefits that come from reducing fuel emissions by walking and biking to school.”

The students hope to gain backing from the North Kingstown town council and community to build sidewalks leading to the high school. This will allow a healthy and environmentally friendly form of transportation for students.

The students will be meeting prior to the march at the North Kingstown town hall at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday June 4, 2011. They welcome all who are willing to help support their cause. If the sidewalks they ask for are built, the long-term benefits for the environment could be extremely beneficial.

### PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT COME JOIN THE MARCH FOR SAFE SIDEWALKS TO SCHOOLS ON SATURDAY, JUNE 4, AT 9:00 A.M. PARTICIPANTS WILL MEET AT THE North Kingstown TOWN HALL. STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND ALL OTHERS WHO DESIRE TO PROTECT STUDENTS WALKING TO SCHOOL CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY WALKING.

Stephanie Andersen

Students for Safe Sidewalks **401-885-1654 ** <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px; text-align: right;">stephanie_andersen@nksd.net <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px; text-align: right;">450 Potter Road <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px; text-align: right;">North Kingstown, RI 02852 May 27, 2011

The Standard Times

13 W Main Street

North Kingstown, RI 02852

To the Editor:

Students should be able to safely walk and bike to school. Since the establishment of North Kingstown High School there have been few attempts to build sidewalks to provide safe routes for students. The organization Students for Safe Sidewalks will build sidewalks leading to the high school by applying for federal grants through the National Center for Safe Routes to School. It is shameful that although students are taught in school to maintain healthy lifestyles and protect the environment, they are unable to safely walk and bike to school because there are no sidewalks. Students would be willing to walk and bike to school if they were not afraid of getting hit by a delivery truck because they were forced to travel on the roads. By building sidewalks, fewer students will travel by bus and car to school, resulting in less carbon emissions by these vehicles. It is a simple solution that will provide great, lasting benefits to the entire community. On Saturday June 4th, students are leading a march to make the community aware of the need for sidewalks for safe, healthy, environmentally-friendly routes to school. All are welcome to join the march in support of this effort.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Andersen Flyer: PROTECT STUDENTS BUILD SIDEWALKS BIKING AND WALKING ARE HEALTHY, ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY WAYS TO GET TO SCHOOL, BUT THEY ARE UNSAFE WITHOUT THE PROTECTION OF SIDEWALKS. COME TO THE MARCH FOR SAFE SIDEWALKS SATURDAY, JUNE 4TH, AT THE NORTH KINGSTOWN TOWN HALL. TO GET INVOLVED CONTACT THE STUDENTS FOR SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS COORDINATER, STEPHANIE ANDERSEN AT stephanie_andersen@nksd.net Sponsored by Town Council Member Charles Brennan. ** Lobbying Plan ** **Statement on your project:** Students should be able to safely walk and bike to school. Biking and walking are healthy, environmentally-friendly forms of transportation that should be safe. We will build sidewalks leading to the high school by applying for federal grants from the National Center for Safe Routes to School. **Timeline:** When will you send it to the appropriate official? June 2, 2011 When will you follow up with that official? June 9, 2011 How will you follow up with the official? I will visit him in person. **Find a sponsor (State Rep, Town Council, School Committee):** Who will be the key person you will ask to support your bill or policy Chuck Brennan, Town Council member **Build coalitions of support:** What other groups or individuals will be asked to help you? Students who live within a 3 mile radius of the school will be asked to help me to show the real need there is for sidewalks in North Kingstown. **Try to work with your opposition:** Who is organized against you? Those who live along the roads leading to the high school may be opposed to the construction of sidewalks. Are there ways for you to work with opposing groups? We can tell them about the benefits of building sidewalks, and the town may be able to provide compensation for their loss of property. **Plan for attending committee meetings:** What testimony will you provide? I will have students who live within a 3 mile radius of the school provide testimony about how they would use the sidewalks and how being able to walk and bike to school would impact them individually. Will you produce signs for your meeting? Yes.

Project Completed by: Stephanie Andersen. stephanie_andersen@nksd.net