• Aug. 9, 2021
• • pedestrian streets, safe routes to school, walking school bus

This week, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) launched four six nine! pilot School Streets! At the request of each school, the street in front is closed to thru-traffic, including parent drop-offs, and open for people walking, rolling, and biking to school. School Streets reduce traffic during pick-up and drop-off times, and encourage families to walk or bike to school or park a few blocks away and walk.

• Emerson Elementary (Rainier View)
• Jane Adams Elementary (Meadowbrook)
• Lowell Elementary (Capitol Hill)
• McDonald International Elementary (Wallingford)
• Montlake Elementary (Montlake)
• Olympic Hills Elementary (Lake City)
• Roxhill Elementary (Delridge)
• Whittier Elementary (Loyal Heights)
• Wing Luke Elementary (New Holly)

Act now!

1. Do you have a student at one of these schools? Share a photo or story to let us know how it’s working! @SNGreenways #SchoolStreets
2. Would a School Street be feasible in your community? Contact your school principal to request a School Street now!
3. Check out these additional resources to help your students get safely to and from school via a walking school bus or bike train.

School is back open for in-person learning this week at Seattle Public Schools for students K-5 who opted in. But Seattle Public Schools hasn’t restarted yellow bus service, which many students relied on to get to and from school safely.

Many students are walking and biking, with adults or in groups, and many, many more students are being driven to school. Already chaotic school pick-up and drop-offs have become even more so.

Enter the new, easy, permit-free School Streets program! By creating protected streets next to school entrances, children can safely walk and bike to school or be dropped off a block away. This creates a safe zone for students and also helps to disperse vehicle traffic during the chaotic pick-up and drop-off times. The idea has been working effectively for years at Franklin Ave E next to TOPS K-8 School in Eastlake.

Would a School Street be feasible in your community? SDOT is creating more School Streets in an easy, permit-free process wherever a school community requests one. Contact your school principal to request a School Street now!

Check out these additional resources to help your students get safely to and from school via a walking school bus or bike train.

Happy walking and biking!