Updated in October 2022.
Using your own two feet ā whether walking, biking or rolling ā is an easy way to get to school and a great way to stay healthy.
When Joe and Daisy Zajonc’s daughter Lucy was in kindergarten and first grade, the family lived in Germany. The community there was compact enough that walking and biking was frequently the easiest choice, and the walk to school was just part of everyday life. So when they moved to Seattle’s Mount Baker neighborhood, it made sense to find a house that would be close enough to allow Lucy to walk or bike to school each day.
“In selecting our neighborhood school we knew we would be avoiding a morning car ride,” said Joe Zajonc. “Not only did we like the school, but we considered it a quality of life issue to have a pleasant journey to school each day.”
In 1970, the year I was born, more than half of all children walked or biked to school, but today just one in eight gets to school on their own two feet or pedals. The impact of that change has been measurable: From 1978 to 2003, the childhood obesity rate grew by about 1 percentage point every 2 and a half years. Since 2003, it’s closer to 1 percentage point per decade. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the rate of obesity for those aged 2-19 in 2017-2020 19.7% , affected about 14.7 million children and adolescents.
“The decline in walking to school has absolutely mirrored the increase in childhood obesity,” says Jen Cole, program director of Safe Routes to School, a branch of Feet First, an organization that advocates for more walkable communities. “What you’re seeing is that children today do not have physical activity built into their lives ā particularly moderate activity.”
There are a few reasons behind the trend away from biking and walking to school. Families are living farther away from their schools than they did in years past. Parents are more fearful about crime, although crime rates have actually dropped since 2005. Traffic is another concern. While pedestrian injury and death rates have dropped, the decrease is likely attributable to the fact that fewer people walk nowadays.
Efforts are underway to get kids back on their feet or bikes and out of cars. In 2005, the governor and Washington state Legislature made a 16-year commitment to the Safe Routes to School program, which aims to ensure safe access to schools by pedestrians and bicyclists. In 2006, state legislators allocated $14 million ($7 million each from federal and state sources) to improve walking and biking safety and to fund local “safe routes to schools” initiatives.
In Seattle, the Safe Routes to School program is primarily funded through the voter-approved Bridging the Gap transportation levy. The city collaborates with school staff, students and parents to find ways to make walking and biking safer and more accessible. Over the life of the nine-year levy, the city hopes to make major improvements at 30 schools across the city.
“We’re approaching the tipping point,” says Cole. “Awareness is growing rapidly and the numbers are really swelling.” Cole points to successful programs in Kirkland and Auburn as some of the community-based Safe Routes to School projects that are making a difference.
Bicycling is a natural fit for western Washington, which is home to one of the nation’s largest cycling clubs (Cascade Bicycle Club) and boasts one of the highest turnouts for National Bike-to-Work Day in the country.
Certainly, there are hurdles to riding a bike to school. For the Zajonc family, an initial problem was figuring out where Lucy could lock up her bike. Cycling with a heavy bike lock along with a bag full of books can be a struggle. And our famous Pacific Northwest weather gets in the way. “Winter riding is definitely less common for Lucy,” says Zajonc. “There is also a regular problem of what to do with the bike when Lucy has an after-school activity,” he adds. “Sometimes, the bike is put in the car; sometimes she walks on those days instead.”
Parents who want to encourage their kids to ride to school should help them figure out the best route and, if possible, ride along with them several times to help identify any trouble spots. “To me, the safest route means the least traffic, the least big intersections, the best visibility and the most crossing guards,” says Zajonc. “We would walk the route and talk about where the sidewalk was better than the street and which driveways had poor visibility.” Talk to your child about possible scenarios and things they should look out for. You may also feel more comfortable having your child ride with a buddy.
As with most things that take a little effort, the end result is worth it. “I believe Lucy feels a sense of self-sufficiency from the riding,” says Joe Zajonc. “She also thinks it’s just plain fun!”
In an effort to get more parents and kids involved in walking (and biking), the National Center for Safe Routes to School sponsors an annual Walk to School Day in October. To learn more about the event, and which schools are participating, visit the Walk, Bike & Roll to School website.