Safe Routes map circulated and Bike to School Day set for May 6, committee told

Erin reported that the Safe Routes to School map draft has been distributed to school principals and the police chief for feedback and said the city is promoting Bike to School Day on May 6.

Erin said the map was created from the city’s multimodal plan and existing bike maps and noted that safety-busing zones determine where students are routed to school; she told the committee the police community officers will use the map to identify sidewalks that are not cleared after snow events. “We do have our Bike to School coming up May 6,” Erin told the committee, and she asked members to send any suggestions for the draft map to her email before staff finalizes it and distributes printed copies to principals.

Committee members raised questions about route choices (for example, preferences for Saint Clair versus Euclid for safer biking and walking) and pointed out that some sidewalks do not appear on the city map, which affects whether a route is flagged as a safe walking corridor. Erin said she had sent it to principals and the police and that safety-busing zones would still determine whether some students are bused rather than walked.

Erin also noted a recurring weekly bike-bus pilot that will start next Friday and run through the end of the school year and offered to share route details with the committee for outreach and participation.

Next steps: committee members will review the draft Safe Routes map and send suggested edits to Erin; staff will incorporate feedback and coordinate with the police on sidewalk clearance and safety-busing priorities.