Measure B will bring $250 million toward improving bicycle and pedestrian safety, especially near schools, funding programs such as Safe Routes to Schools
October 5, 2016 – As schools across the U.S. celebrate “Walk to School Day,” Santa Clara County officials, superintendents and community leaders are hosting a news conference to discuss the importance of encouraging more students and their parents to walk or bike to school, thus reducing congestion and developing healthy habits, while also improving the safety of children.
The community leaders and educators will also detail the importance of supporting Measure B, which will provide $250 million toward bicycle and pedestrian facilities, especially near schools.
“We all share a responsibility to protect San Jose’s kids as they walk and bike to school,” said San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo. “In addition to its traffic congestion relief and pothole fixes, Measure B will provide $250 million for infrastructure improvements that will help ensure they have safe pathways to schools.”
“Studies have shown that Santa Clara County enjoys a higher number of children who walk or ride to school than the national average, with up to seven percent of students riding their bikes,” said Carl Guardino, CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. “Our goal is to greatly increase these numbers by raising awareness of the health benefits of being active while also reducing the number of cars on our roads. Measure B will help ensure that our kids are both active and safe.”
Data*:
In 2009, approximately 23,000 children ages 5-15 were injured and more than 250 were killed while walking or bicycling in the United States.
Returning to 1969 levels of walking and bicycling to school would save 3.2 billion vehicle miles, 1.5 million tons of carbon dioxide and 89,000 tons of other pollutants—equal to keeping more than 250,000 cars off the road for a year.
Almost two-thirds of children in California live within walking or bicycling distance from school (within two miles), and over half of those children are driven to school, indicating a high potential to get more kids walking and bicycling to school with more Safe Routes to School initiatives.
In 2013‐14, more than one‐third (36%) of children ages 5 to 11 in Santa Clara County used active transportation (walked, biked or skateboarded) to get home from school at least once in the week.
*Data from the Safe Routes to School National Partnership and Santa Clara County Public Department and Traffic Safe Communities Network.
About the International Walk to School Day
International Walk to School Day is a global event that involves communities from more than 40 countries walking and biking to school on the same day. It began in 1997 as a one-day event. Over time, this event has become part of a movement for year-round safe routes to school and a celebration with record-breaking participation. Today, thousands of schools across America – from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico – participate every October.
About Measure B – The Traffic Relief and Road Repair Measure
Measure B is a comprehensive and cohesive traffic relief solution on the November 2016 ballot. Measure B will significantly improve congestion in Santa Clara County by: Finishing the BART extension to downtown San Jose and Santa Clara; make improvements on all 10 Expressways; enhance transportation options for seniors, the disabled, students and low-income employees; repair roads and fix potholes in all 15 cities; improve bicycle and pedestrian safety and increase Caltrain capacity. For more information on Measure B, visit YesMeasureB.com.
About the Silicon Valley Leadership Group
The Silicon Valley Leadership Group, founded in 1978 by David Packard of Hewlett-Packard, represents more than 400 of Silicon Valley’s most respected employers on issues, programs and campaigns that affect the economic health and quality of life in Silicon Valley, including energy, transportation, education, housing, health care, tax policies, economic vitality and the environment. Leadership Group members collectively provide nearly one of every three private sector jobs in Silicon Valley and generate more than $3 trillion in annual revenue.
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