About the Program

What is Safe Routes to School?

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a multifaceted approach that promotes walking, biking, and rolling to school using policies, programs, and projects. It is a movement that began with the goal of making it safer and easier for students to walk, bike, and roll to school. Since the first federally funded SRTS program was created in 2005, the initiative has grown and evolved, with policy and funding support at the federal, state, and local levels. Local SRTS champions work with schools and families, offering education and encouragement programs, and advocating for policies that support safe and active transportation.

Keep reading to learn about our Strategic Action Plan, SRTS Plans, KDOT’s SRTS Es, the Advisory Committee, and other SRTS-related efforts in Kansas.

Kansas SRTS Strategic Action Plan

The Kansas SRTS program continues to grow and adapt to be relevant and useful for K-12 students and their families across the state. In May 2025, we adopted the Kansas SRTS Strategic Action Plan which documents the program’s vision and goals and creates a clear path forward for future years with priority strategies and actions for implementation.

The planning process included engagement with the public and community stakeholders to ensure the final Plan reflects the needs, wants, and context of students and families throughout the state.

  • Statewide Online Survey. Over 200 Kansans and SRTS stakeholders completed an online survey about current SRTS efforts, barriers, opportunities, and needs.

  • Safe Routes to School Advisory Committee Workshops. The SRTS Advisory Committee participated in workshops to review proposed vision and goals, discuss strategies, and identify opportunities. The group reviewed proposed action items and provided feedback on prioritization. They provided a final review of the Plan to ensure it accurately reflects SRTS needs in Kansas.

  • Organizational Focus Groups. The project team hosted four focus groups: PTA representatives and parents, public health professionals, transportation planners and engineers, and school administrators and teachers for project discussions.

View the Kansas SRTS Strategic Action Plan.

There have been over 50 Safe Routes to School Plans developed in Kansas since 2007. These plans help schools and communities create places and programs that help students and their families walk, bike, and roll to school.
Check the map and links to see if a recent plan has been done near you!

Recent SRTS Plans

Kansas SRTS Es

Safe Routes to School programs use a variety of approaches to meet their goals of increasing the numbers of and improving the safety for students walking, biking, and rolling to school. These approaches are commonly known as the Es.

Education

Ensure that everyone learns how to travel safely through classes, training, and events that teach the skills needed to walk, bike, and roll safely.

Encouragement

Promote and generate enthusiasm around walking and bicycling as ways to travel using events, activities, and programs.

Engineering

Provide infrastructure like sidewalks, paths, and crossings that allow people to walk, bike, and roll safely within the community and to and from schools.

Engagement

Listen to and empower students, families, teachers, community groups, and school leaders in creating a SRTS program that works uniquely for them.

Evaluation

Track progress toward achieving goals by reporting on and assessing what approaches work (or don't) and identifying program changes that can improve outcomes.

Enforcement

Deter unsafe behaviors of drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists and encourage all road users to obey traffic laws and share the road safely.

The Safe Routes to School Advisory Committee (SRAC) helps guide KDOT's SRTS Program by providing feedback, advice, and knowledge gained through professional expertise or lived experience. The committee is composed of 10-20 volunteer members representing interests including, but not limited to: state agencies that work with or who's missions align with SRTS work, bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations, Safe Routes to School practitioners, school districts, public health, and safety representatives, among others.

Meet the members of the SRAC.

Kansas SRTS Advisory Committee

Active Transportation at KDOT

The Kansas SRTS program is one of many initiatives at KDOT that help promote walking, biking, and rolling. Click on the links below to learn more about active transportation efforts in Kansas.

Kansas Active Transportation

KDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation

Kansas Safe Streets and Road for All

Kansas Department of Transportation