North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
Providing Economic Development, Geographic Information Systems, Intergovernmental Cooperation, Land Use Planning and Transportation Assistance since 1973
Safe Routes to School (SRTS) began as a European phenomenon about thirty years ago and caught on in New York City in 1997. In the 1970s, Denmark had Europe’s highest child pedestrian accident rate. Implementing the first Safe Routes to School program, planners in Denmark identified specific road dangers around the country’s schools and took steps to remedy the hazards. Since 1970, the child pedestrian crash rate has dropped by 80% in Denmark.
The City of Wisconsin Rapids and Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools created a Safe Routes To School Task Force to apply for a planning grant. All of the public elementary schools in the City, the middle school, the police, city administration, and local citizens were all part of the Task Force. The approved planning grant paid 100% of NCWRPC’s planning services to assist with creating a Safe Routes To School plan.
The City of Antigo and the Unified School District of Antigo created a Safe Routes To School Task Force to apply for a planning grant. All of the public elementary schools, the middle school, the police, city administration, and local citizens were all part of the Task Force. The approved planning grant paid 100% of NCWRPC’s planning services to assist with creating a Safe Routes To School plan.
