Two Wheels, Four Wheels and Thousands of Happy Feet Hit the Streets for iWalk on October 7
Thousands of students from all over Marin County celebrated the International Walk to School Day on October 7 by choosing an active way of transportation. The countywide celebration drew participation from 45 elementary schools, nine middle schools and two high schools, with several reporting record turnouts.
The annual celebration, Safe Routes to Schools’ biggest event of the year, brought out walking school buses, bike trains, school mascots and plenty of school spirit. Coffee, doughnuts and special treats added to the festivities. At some schools, police officers and firefighters escorted colorful processions of students on bicycles, scooters and roller skates.
What stood out across the county was the sense of community, with students making the trip together alongside neighbors, classmates, and families. I joined families at San Ramon Elementary, and seeing kids arrive in groups showed what’s possible when a whole school community gets behind active travel. Our goal now is to continue supporting Marin families in making active travel a regular part of their week, and celebrating this progress at our Walk and Roll events.
Among the schools with record participation levels, Lu Sutton counted well over half its student body walking and rolling to campus. Parent volunteer Natalie Levine, supported by about 15 fellow volunteers, organized two walking buses and a police-escorted bike train. Meanwhile, Principal Karen Freemantle whipped up smoothies using a bicycle-powered blender. The county-wide celebration also drew coverage from the Marin Independent Journal.
At Manor Elementary, parent volunteer Erick Betancourt noticed with excitement “lots of first-time riders that previously only came along with parents on cargo bikes.”
“International Walk (& Roll) to School Day is one of my favorite events of the year; there is no entry fee, it’s just a beautiful morning to connect with the Novato community, law enforcement, and our Loma Verde family!,” said Parent Volunteer Kelly Smith.
The celebration also highlighted the dedication of parent volunteers and family liaisons, whose creativity and hard work helped make the events a success across Marin.
The Journey To and From School Can Be
Just as Rewarding as the Destination
NOVEMBER 18
Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day
schools across Marin come together to celebrate courage, inclusion, and the power of walking together. Download social media image.
DECEMBER 2 or 9
Winter Walk & Roll to School Day
is for schools looking for one more reason to get outside and participate in an optional event.
Suggested Route Maps:
Getting to School Just Got a Little Easier
Beginning this fall, families at 36 public schools across Marin County can use new Suggested Route Maps from Safe Routes to Schools to help walk or roll to and from campus. Whether students travel on foot, by scooter, skateboard, wheelchair, or bicycle, the maps highlight the suggested routes to schools.
The new maps are the product of more than a year of teamwork. Safe Routes to Schools traffic engineers worked alongside school administrators, parents, elected officials, and, in some cases, students to identify the best routes to school. Engineers from Parametrix, the program’s engineering consultant, studied traffic patterns, reviewed infrastructure, and fine-tuned each map, which were approved by each jurisdiction’s Public Works department to identify practical, family-friendly routes.
SR2S Dashboard
Want to know how students at your school are getting to class—and how your school compares with others across Marin?
Click the image above and find out! Our brand-new Marin County Safe Routes to Schools Dashboard lets you instantly explore how many students walk, bike, carpool, take transit, or arrive by car.
Compare schools, discover trends, and see how travel habits have changed since 2022.
How active and green are your school trips? Take a look!
Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) administers the Safe Routes to Schools (SR2S) Program, which works to relieve traffic congestion around schools by promoting alternatives to commuting to school, such as walking, biking, taking the bus and carpooling.
In addition, the program helps improve safety, promote a healthy lifestyle for youth and enhance the sense of community in neighborhoods.
It does this through classroom education, special events, infrastructure improvements, a crossing guard program, and other strategies.
The SR2S program has been in operation since 2000 and involves almost 60 schools and more than 26,500 students.
Important E-Bike Laws Vetted by Industry Leaders
Any throttle motor that can be switched to go speeds beyond 20 mph on motor power alone, is considered “out of class” – it is not an e-bike, it is a motor vehicle and requires a student to be at least 16 years old with a driver’s license and registration. (Same as e-scooters).
Under the guidance of our insurers and legal counsel, there are many brands (e.g. Super73, Surron) that fall into the “out-of-class” category that can no longer be accepted in classes.
A bill pending in CA legislature would address “multiple mode” products, not leaving it up to the consumers to interpret. Other bills are pending to address a minimum age requirement of 16 for Class 2.
Please visit the SR2S E-Bike Resources page more more information