Improving students' physical and mental health, academic achievement, and the environment through active journeys to school.
SRTS Experts and Advocates from Across the Nation Visit Fort Collins!
The Safe Routes Partnership held its SRTS National Conference Oct. 22-24 in Fort Collins.
More than 400 SRTS program managers, engineers, associated professionals and advocates attended the conference, which included inspirational keynote speakers, valuable concurrent sessions and very popular mobile workshops. Local participants and presenters included three Fort Collins City Council members, numerous City staff, and staff from Bike Fort Collins and Overland Mountain Bike Association.
The conference's presenting sponsor was the Colorado Department of Transportation, which has a long, strong history of supporting Safe Routes to School. CDOT earned a national leadership award from the Safe Routes Partnership during the conference, and Nancy Nichols, the City's SRTS program manager, received an award of 2024 Safe Routes to School Champion from CDOT.
It was an honor to be selected as the host city and incredibly rewarding to show off Fort Collins and our SRTS program to national peers.
FoCo Fondo Benefits Youth Bike Programming#
Families ride through Riverbend Ponds on the 12-mile Foco Fondo route.
This past summer, another exciting FoCo Fondo event saw 2,000 participants. A record 162 kids and adults rode the 12-mile family ride supported by SRTS instructors and Overland Mountain Bike Association.
As always, the event was free for kids ages 5 to 12 and benefited the City’s SRTS program. A generous $5,000 donation from the event will go toward giving more kids opportunities to experience the joy of bicycling through new programming and equipment.
Thank you, Whitney and Zack Allison, for your continuing support of Safe Routes to School!
Where to Find Us in Fall 2024#
Bicycle safety education at school.
Look for us at these locations:
- Mountain Sage Community School
- Olander Elementary
- Bacon Elementary
- Bennett Elementary
- Dunn Elementary
- PSD Global Academy
- Kinard Middle School
- Lincoln Middle School
- Webber Middle School
- Fossil Ridge High School
- Morning Fresh Dairy
- Open Streets
We partner with Bike Fort Collins, Overland Mountain Bike Association, Safe Kids Larimer County, CDOT Safe Routes to School and other key organizations to provide this programming.
A Short History of SRTS in Fort Collins#
Photograph from 2010, in the early years of Fort Collins SRTS.
The City's SRTS program dates back to 2006, when Matt Wempe, a transportation planner in the Planning, Development and Transportation Division, applied for the City's first grant from the Colorado Department of Transportation. That grant funded a sidewalk improvement on West Mulberry Street adjacent to Dunn Elementary and started a ball rolling that has gained momentum ever since.
Today's robust SRTS program steadily grew under the direction of what is now the FC Moves department. The program was funded first by grants, then by the Keep Fort Collins Great initiative, and now by the City's general funds.
The first dedicated program manager, Nancy Nichols, started in a part-time position in fall 2011. Due to the program's popularity with local schools and Fort Collins residents, the program has grown to include two permanent staff: a full-time program manager and a 0.75-FTE operations manager.
Early educational programming was contracted out to Bicycle Colorado, with some involvement by the Fort Collins Bike Co-op. In 2012, Bike Fort Collins became the City's primary partner in educational and encouragement programming, continuing to this day.
Starting with a fleet of 16 bicycles in 2011, the program now includes 250 bicycles and bike-related devices, including adaptive equipment such as trailers and tagalongs. There is also a pedal-powered Magical School Bus, which up to eight kids and adults can ride together.
In addition to CDOT grant funding, SRTS has received financial assistance from UC Health, BNSF Railway, and the FoCo Fondo. All told, the program has received more than $2 million in grants and donations, which has made it possible to grow the program to a point where 5,000 to 6,000 K-12 students participate in hands-on bicycle and pedestrian safety training each year and an estimated 27 percent of K-8 students regularly walk, bike, skateboard or scooter to school.
The Hampshire Bikeway is now complete with the construction of a signalized intersection at Drake and Hampshire. Now students from Blevins Middle School and Olander Elementary have a safe way to cross this major arterial street! Learn more about this project.
Biking and Walking Scavenger Hunts#
Family Walk at Dixon Reservoir
Safe Routes is creating family-friendly scavenger hunts all around Fort Collins to promote healthy activity all year round. The scavenger hunts are suitable for kids and adults of all ages and feature our City's many beautiful trails, parks and natural areas.
