The city of Las Cruces and the Las Cruces Metropolitan Planning Organization have teamed up with the local school districts to develop long term planning for safe routes to our schools.

The program is called Safe Routes to Schools, and it has been in effect in Las Cruces since 2005 when the MPO made the plan a priority. SRTS can provide a variety of important benefits to children and their communities, including increasing physical activity, reducing traffic congestion, improving air quality, and enhancing neighborhood safety

The Las Cruces program started with a pilot program at Hillrise Elementary School. This was the first Safe Routes to School program in New Mexico. Its first steps were painting new road crossing stripes in the neighborhoods surround the school, and trimming back landscaping to make it safer to walk on the sidewalks. It grew into residential intersection improvements, in-class lessons, and increased documentation of how students were arriving at school.

The success of this pilot program led to several district-wide projects including participating in the International Walk & Ride to School Day. In 2009 a District Coordinator was hired to take the project to the next level.

The District Coordinator has taking on the role of developing a district action plan, and prioritizing and coordinating the program with other schools. The action plan will include area background information, school information, input from students, parents, school staff and community members, a summary of issues, and strategies pertaining to the 5 E's (evaluation, engineering, education, encouragement, and enforcement).

I think the bottom line is that our community has made it a priority to keep our children safe as they travel to school. The program addresses not only safety, but it increases physical activity to help reduce childhood diabetes and other illnesses associated with a lack of activity. Las Cruces' commitment has strengthened over the recent years and funding is being devoted to grow the SRTS program.

If you are looking for an innovative community that makes your children's safety a priority, not only through words, but in action, then Las Cruces, NM could be the right place for you.

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