Media Contact: John Lisle at (202) 671-2004

City Administrator Dan Tangherlini, Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells and DDOT representatives joined District students this morning for a celebration of International Walk to School Day.  Several hundred children, parents, and community leaders gathered in Lincoln Park on Capitol Hill for a rally highlighting health and safety promotions, bike demonstrations and other activities.

“We have to teach our kids great habits,” said Mr. Tangherlini.  “Walking to school is a healthy habit, and it’s also an excellent opportunity to educate children about safety and about caring for the environment.”

Students from nine schools participated in this morning’s rally and then walked in groups to their respective schools.

“You are part of a movement and you are leading the country,” Councilmember Wells told the participants.  “By walking and biking to school on a regular basis, you’re setting a great example for others to follow.”

The event was promoted by the District’s Safe Routes to School Program. The Safe Routes to School Program is working with 13 pilot schools across the city to improve safety through education, enforcement, evaluation, engineering and enthusiasm, for students who walk and bike to school.

More than 8,000 students at 19 schools in the District are expected to participate in Walk to School Day events throughout the month of October.  They will join students at thousands of schools across the nation and in at least 40 countries around the world.

At this morning’s event in Lincoln Park, DDOT also announced the winners of the Neighborhood Pace Car Program for the 2007/2008 school year. The Pace Car Program invites drivers to accept responsibility for their own driving by signing a pledge that they will drive within the posted speed limit. The following are the schools that collected the most signed pledges from parents:

• First Place:  Wilson Elementary School with 273 pledges
• Second Place:  Maury Elementary School, with 90 pledges
• Third Place:  Amidon Elementary School, with 49 pledges

Walking and biking to school mean healthier children and less traffic. DDOT’s Safe Routes to School program helps make it safer, more convenient, and more fun to get to school on foot or by bike. The Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program is funded by the US Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration.

DDOT’s program has four main initiatives:

• Education:  Since 2003, DDOT has funded safety education in elementary schools. Kindergarten, first and second graders learn pedestrian safety, while third, fourth and fifth graders learn bicycle skills. Experts from the Washington Area Bicyclist Association give the training at eight schools per year, and at other events. In 2007, they trained over 3000 DC children.
• Enforcement:  SRTS funds pay for extra traffic enforcement in school zones with help from our partners at the Metropolitan Police Department.
• Sidewalks:  There are missing sidewalks near schools throughout the District, making it difficult to walk to school. DDOT is spending $1.5 million over 2 years to install sidewalks in schools zones.
• Pilot Schools:  The most ambitious component of DDOT’s safe routes program is the pilot schools initiative. In 2008, DDOT selected thirteen schools to undergo comprehensive safe routes evaluation, and implementation, in all of the areas mentioned above: education, enforcement, engineering and encouragement.

For more information about DDOT’s pedestrian and bicycle safety programs, visit ddot.dc.gov.