The Youth Transportation Program uses a combination of strategies that are guided by the 6 Es framework developed by the National Safe Routes to School Partnership.
The Boulder County Community Planning & Permitting physical office at 2045 13th St., Boulder is open to the public for walk-ins on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and on Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Appointments are available on Tuesday but are not required. We are virtually available to assist the public on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Schedule an appointment.
Youth Transportation Program - Safe Routes
About
Boulder County’s Youth Transportation Program supports national, state, and local partners, including youth and their caregivers, to prepare our youth to safely and effectively utilize and navigate our transportation systems. We aim to help young people grow into more independent travelers and safe multi-modal transportation users by increasing awareness of and experiences with pedestrians, bicyclists, and/or all vehicle types and by promoting healthy transportation alternatives such as walking and biking/scooting/rolling.
Program Framework - the 6 Es
Interested in attending or hosting any of the following sessions? Please let us know.
¿Está interesado(a/e) en asistir u organizar una futura Sesión de Caminar Seguro(a/e) o El Ciclismo Seguro(a/e)? Por favor háganos saber.
Introduction to Bike Trains
Bike Trains are fun and active ways to get to and from school while learning the important skills of being a biker, while also increasing adult presence!
Introduction to Walking School Buses
Walking School Buses (WSB) are fun and active ways to get to and from school while learning the important skills of being a pedestrian, while also increasing adult presence!
Safe Walking Discussion Sessions
Free, interactive, facilitated family discussions held via Zoom.
Sesiones de Discusiones Sobre Caminar Seguro(a/e)
Discusiones familiares, gratuitas, interactivas y facilitadas a través de Zoom.
Safe Biking Discussion Sessions
Free, interactive, facilitated family discussions held via Zoom.
Sesiones de Discusiones Sobre el Ciclismo Seguro(a/e)
Discusiones familiares, gratuitas, interactivas y facilitadas a través de Zoom.
May 3, 2023
National Bike to School Day provides an opportunity for schools across the country to celebrate National Bike Month while promoting road safety for the youth who participate and entire communities.
October 4, 2023
National Walk to School Day (aka “Walktober”) events bring attention to the joy and value of safe walking and rolling. Along with Bike to School Day, these events can lead to changes in communities’ policies and physical environments that help support safe walking and biking everyday.
November 14, 2023
Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day, created by 5th grade students in San Francisco in 2018, provides an opportunity to teach children about the civil rights movement and today’s social change efforts. The event celebrates the courage of Ruby Bridges, a six-year-old who changed history by becoming the first black child to desegregate an all-white elementary school.
Trip Tracker encourages and rewards students and their families for using alternatives to single family car transportation to school, with the goal of reducing traffic congestion and air pollution around schools and building environmentally and physically healthy habits among students. Participating students earn Trip Tracker dollars, which can be used like cash at local business or donated to local nonprofit organizations. The Trip Tracker program is available both for students in the Boulder Valley and St. Vrain School Districts. (BVSD manages its own program while SVVSD’s program is managed by Boulder County but implemented in partnership with SVVSD.)
More Boulder County School Programs/Resources
Safe Routes Lending Library
To promote and encourage safe walking and biking through events, campaigns, curricula, and projects, the Safe Routes Lending Library offers educational transportation safety resources that are free to borrow for your one-time or short-term events! Check out the items and online request system on the Safe Routes Lending Library page.
Youth and Family-Friendly Busing
There are so many great reasons why youth should learn to ride a bus in Boulder County. While many people of all ages already know how to ride a bus, many have never tried or never learned where our local routes go or how to use the new technology to make riding a bus easier. We hope you’ll find information on this page helpful, so that you can start taking advantage of the many benefits that busing can provide youth and their adults.
Youth and families, if you haven’t already discovered the multiple regional buses and shuttle options throughout Boulder County, plan to give one, or all, a try soon. Here are 5 reasons to give public transportation a shot!
- The bus is safe and reliable transportation for kids, students, families, and everybody else!
- There is no age limit! Youth 5 and under, however, must be with a fare-paying adult.
- Gives families and their child(ren) an opportunity to learn public transportation and gain familiarity with the system.
- Gives youth the ability to gain independence.
- Multiple regional routes to help youth and families reach your desired destination.
General Information for Youth Riding RTD Buses
- Bike-N-Ride – Learn about how and where you can bring your bike on the bus
- Age to Ride Requirements
- Youth Costs to Ride
- Bus Trip Planner
- Contact RTD for any help needed at:
- Phone: 303-299-6000
- Online: https://www.rtd-denver.com/contact-us
Youth-Friendly Destinations Along Boulder County’s Regional Bus Routes (RTD)
The boxes below highlight what each regional bus route throughout Boulder County has to offer youth and their caregivers and/or families. You will find the bus route names, an image of the bus to help you recognize it, where it goes to and from (including bus stop locations), and what youth-friendly destinations can be found within walking and biking distance from each stop. We hope these resources help you find new ways to ride a bus to enjoy additional places for fun, work, exercise, recreation, and more!
Flatiron Flyer (FF) Buses #1-#7
These buses go along CO 36 between Boulder and Denver, through Louisville, Superior, Broomfield, & Westminster.
Destinations Near FF Bus Stops (coming soon!)
The BOLT Bus
This bus goes along CO 119/The Diagonal, between Boulder and Longmont, through Niwot & Gunbarrel.
Destinations Near BOLT Bus Stops (coming soon!)
The LD/LD1 Bus
This bus goes along US 287, between Longmont, and Denver.
Destinations Near LD Bus Stops (coming soon!)
Additional RTD Bus Routes
- The NB Bus – Nederland to Boulder
- The FLEX – Goes Between Fort Collins to Loveland, Longmont, Boulder
- The AB Bus – Denver International Airport to Boulder
Local Recreational Shuttles and Bus Route Information Throughout Boulder County
Visit Boulder County Transit Providers webpage for additional details on other available local routes and multiple seasonal recreational shuttles.
Trip Tracker 6-Year Summary (SVVSD)
Because the Trip Tracker Program was paused in St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) for the 2020-2021 school year, it allowed us time to analyze the program’s first 6 years of implementation.
Please check out what you accomplished here. Well done, Trip Trackers!
Bicycle Longmont, YMCA gift roughly 200 bikes to children on Saturday
Cammie Edson, Boulder County Youth Transportation Program Manager, volunteered with the Kids (Holiday) Bike Program, which gifted about 200 bikes to children aged 4-12 on Saturday, May 22.
Article published by the Longmont Times-Call on May 23, 2021.
Colorado Safe Routes to School Programs in Colorado – 2020 Statewide Program Assessment Report
This report provides an overview of the state of Safe Routes to School programming in Colorado and a high-level assessment of challenges, innovations, and opportunities. The two Trip Tracker Programs in Boulder County (BVSD and SVVSD) are highlighted as a case study.
The cover photo features a local Longmont family who participated in Trip Tracker at an SVVSD school!
E-Bike Safety for Teens
You Have the Power/Tienes el Poder
To Keep Yourself and Others Safe When E-Biking/Para mantener tu seguridad y la de los demás cuando practiques bicicleta eléctrica (e-bike)
You Have the Power/Tienes el Poder is an E-Bike Safety message campaign with corresponding resources, developed specifically for Teens, Families, Caregivers, Schools, and Youth-Serving Agencies and Individuals.
This project came about in response to the growing and on-going local concerns around e-biking safety as the number of e-bicylists and younger e-bicyclist grows, especially on local school campuses, as the affordability and access to e-bikes also grows.
A very dedicated and passionate workgroup of local partners, experts, schools, teens, and families came together to develop the resources below with the following goals in mind:
To encourage current young e-bicyclists to:
- Reinforce positive and safe e-biking behaviors,
- Learn about available e-bike safety and education resources,
- Know that e-biking is a great transportation option!
All of the e-bike resources below are free to access and share.
Flier Options – Please Download:
- English
- Spanish
- Bilingual English & Spanish
Campaign Communication Toolkit
- Google Drive – coming soon!
Age-Specific Legal Information For Teens and Families/Caregiver to Know About E-Biking/E-Bikes
Visit the Colorado Bike Law website and review the specific sections for full details:
- Section 42-4-1412, 15a – A person under sixteen years of age shall not ride a class 3 electrical assisted bicycle upon any street, highway, or bike or pedestrian path; except that a person under sixteen years of age may ride as a passenger on a class 3 electrical assisted bicycle that is designed to accommodate passengers.
- Section 42-4-1412, 15b – A person shall not operate or ride as a passenger on a class 3 electrical assisted bicycle unless:
- Each person under eighteen years of age is wearing a protective helmet of a type and design manufactured for use by operators of bicycles;
- Section 42-4-1412.5, 1b, 2a-e – Explains the Colorado Safety Stop for all bicyclists.
- This Colorado Safety Stop Information Sheet explains what youth can/cannot do at a stop signs and stop lights when age 15 and younger and when age 16+.
- Additional CO Safety Stop information can be found at:
Additional Helpful Links – Thank You Partners!
- Community Cycles has E-Bike Commuter and Safety Tips, including additional information on education, rebates, and more.
- Boulder County’s Office of Sustainability, Climate, And Resilience (OSCAR) has information on the various E-Bike Rebates options locally and statewide, as well as other sustainable transportation options.
- E-Bike Smart is a free online e-bike rider safety education program designed to help riders of all ages and experience learn best practices for safely and responsibly riding an e-bike. This program was created by PeopleForBikes, the League of American Bicyclists, and Bicycle Colorado.
- Boulder County’s Mobility for All Program is available to help with accessible, affordable, and equitable multimodal (transit, bike, etc.) transportation options for residents of all ages and abilities and to raise awareness that transportation is a basic social, economic, and health need.
If you have a suggestion for additional e-bike related resource(s) that you believe would be of benefit to teens and families/caregivers, please email your idea(s) for consideration.
Boulder County School Travel Study
Boulder County School Travel Study /
Estudio de Viajes Escolares del Condado de Boulder
Thank you to everyone who participated in one of fifteen small-group interview sessions or a 1:1 interview. CU Denver is currently analyzing the data collected from partners and study participants (students ages 9 to 18 who attend public schools in either of Boulder County’s two school districts and their parents or caregivers). All 111 youth and adults (44 families) who self-selected to participate in either an English only, a Spanish only, or a combined English/Spanish small-group session (in-person or virtually) were compensated for their time with a VISA gift card. A final study report is expected in December 2022. To receive study related updates, please subscribe to the Boulder County Youth Transportation newsletter and/or texts. To request a study presentation, please reach out to Cammie Edson at cedson@bouldercounty.org or 303-441-3935.
Youth Transportation Options - Ways to get around Boulder County
Use this guide/checklist to explore and/or check off which options could help get you to and from school, work, friends’ and family members’ homes, or anywhere you want to go.
Safe Walking, Biking, and Rolling Resources
These resources are designed to help educators, parents, and others who care about pedestrian safety to engage children and youth in activities and conversations around pedestrian and road safety. Most materials are available online for free and are suitable for use in a school setting or one-on-one at home.
Walk, Bike, and Roll Challenge!
This challenge is designed to encourage school groups and classrooms to engage in healthy, fun, and safe outdoor activity before, during, or after school. Anyone can download and print this activity tracking chart and this certificate of achievement to use with their group – we’d love to hear from you if you do this!
Printing tips:
- Select the landscape orientation within your printer settings.
- Choose to print either in color or Black & White.
- Paper size:
- The Chart is set up to print on 17” x 11” paper size.
- The Certificate is setup to print on an 8.5” x 11” paper size in black and white or color.
How to use:
- Add the name of each participant to a row and then check off every day that person walks, bikes, or rolls (i.e. scooter, skate, bus, etc. – anything other than a family vehicle with only family members) to school, clubs, or any other activities!
- Pairs well with:
- Bike & Roll to School Day/Month in May
- Back to School Month each August and September
- Walk to School Month each October
- Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day/Day of Service each November
- Any month you’d like to focus on encouraging more walking, biking, and rolling before and/or after school!
Traffic Gardens
Traffic gardens (also known as safety towns) are a miniature world of streets and traffic features that provide an opportunity for children to practice navigating streets and intersections in a fun and safe environment. Traffic gardens may be permanent facilities or temporary installations.
State & National Resources
National Safe Routes to School Partnership
Safe Routes to School provides funding and implementation support for Safe Routes to School programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. These programs include education, promotion, and enforcement campaigns and advocate for policies and infrastructure improvements that support safe walking and bicycling.
See programming recommendations for the 2020/21 school year, including recommendations for remote, hybrid, and in-person learning.
Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Safe Routes to School Program
A one-stop shop for schools, school districts, or communities who want to start a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program. Resources include grant applications, free webinars (and recordings), annual events, and toolkits/lesson plans/curricula.
Other Helpful Links:
National Center for Safe Routes to Schools
Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
- Health Impact in 5 Years (HI-5) initiative
- Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity
- Adolescent and School Health
- CDC Healthy Schools
The Community Guide
Highlights
Walk, Bike, and Roll Challenge!
Back to School 2023
This challenge is designed to encourage school groups and classrooms to engage in healthy, fun, and safe outdoor activity before, during, or after school.
Trip Tracker 6-Year Summary (SVVSD)
With the return of Trip Tracker in the 23-24 school year, take time to revisit our 6 Year-Summary! Please check out what you accomplished here. Well done, Trip Trackers!
Please check out what you accomplished here. Well done, Trip Trackers!
Local nonprofit donates 200 bikes to kids aged 4-12
Cammie Edson, Boulder County Youth Transportation Program Manager, volunteered with the Kids (Holiday) Bike Program on Saturday, May 22. Read the Longmont Times-Call article.
Safe Routes Lending Library
To promote and encourage safe walking and biking through events, campaigns, curricula, and projects, the Safe Routes Lending Library offers educational transportation safety resources that are free to borrow for your one-time or short-term events! Check out the items and online request system on the Safe Routes Lending Library page.
Benefits of Safe Routes to School (SRTS)
Check out this infographic to learn more about the numerous community benefits of Safe Routes to School programming, which include health, economic, safety, climate, and more!
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