California Safe Routes to School Technical Assistance Resource Center: A Model for Safe Routes to School Program Promotion

Background: The California Safe Routes to School Technical Assistance Resource Center (TARC) is a statewide program that provides Safe Routes to School (SRTS) technical assistance to local schools and communities, especially those that are low-income and rural, in order to promote walking and biking to and from school as healthy and safe ways for children to get their daily physical activity. TARC is a product of an innovative partnership between the California Department of Public Health and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). It is the first time that a state department of public health and a state department of transportation have joined forces to address children's health and safety through SRTS. Purpose: TARC staff work with local schools and communities throughout California to improve their ability to compete for SRTS funds and establish and maintain successful SRTS programs. Significance: Since TARC was established in 2009, significant improvements have been made in the way Caltrans has implemented the SRTS program statewide, including: 1) Favoring SRTS programs that emphasize the promotion of walking and biking to school and incorporate pedestrian/bicycle safety education; 2) Improving the competiveness of low-income and rural communities to obtain SRTS funding; and 3) Establishing tools and resources for schools and communities to grow and maintain successful SRTS programs. Conclusions/Recommendations: A review of the TARC model will help towns, cities, counties, and states learn how they can establish a similar SRTS technical assistance program in order to support SRTS programs in their communities.