Current Projects
Walking Route Maps
We are creating recommended walking route maps for all Salem-Keizer elementary schools. For this project, we conduct on-site assessments of the existing infrastructure for walking, including sidewalks, crosswalks, and speed limits around each elementary school. Using this information, we create maps to help students and parents figure out the best routes for walking to school. To view and download the maps we have completed thus far, go to our Walking Route Maps page.
Walk + Roll Events
We hold Walk + Roll Challenges throughout the year to encourage walking and rolling to school. These include Winter Walk + Roll to School Day, the May Walk + Roll Challenge for Bike Month, International Walk + Roll to School Day on a Wednesday in October, and Ruby Bridges Walk + Roll to School Day in November. For the month-long challenge in May, Salem-Keizer students log walking and rolling trips to win fun prizes. For Winter Walk + Roll to School Day, International Walk + Roll Day and Ruby Bridges Walk + Roll to School Day, students who walk or roll to school receive prizes upon arrival. Students also have the opportunity to learn about Ruby Bridges and her courageous walk to school for justice in their classrooms.
Pedestrian Safety Classes
We are visiting elementary schools in Salem-Keizer to teach pedestrian safety during PE classes. Our two-day curriculum includes the following topics:
Who pedestrians are
Pedestrian vocabulary
Communicating with other road users
Crossing the street
With and without crosswalks
Using Walk/Don’t Walk signs
Pedestrian rights
Click the Sign Up button to bring these classes to your school.
In addition, ODOT is gearing up to offer Train the Trainer programs to educate teachers and community members about how to teach bicycle and pedestrian safety.
Bicycle Safety Education
Bike Rodeos
A bicycle rodeo is a one-day event that teaches bicycle safety through a series of stations dedicated to various skills and drills. Participants progress through the stations sequentially, building onto the skills they learn at each new station. In June 2022, we organized and facilitated a bike rodeo at Trinity Covenant Church.
Classes
Our long-term goal is to build bicycle safety education into the PE curriculum at local elementary schools. This will involve purchasing a fleet of bicycles for the school district to use and training PE teachers to teach bicycle safety.
Art Contest
Our third annual art contest launches on February 27, 2023! The theme this year is “Many Ways to Move.”
We will be accepting entries from all Salem-Keizer Public Schools students in grades K–5 until the deadline on April 7, 2023. The winning art will be featured in our 2023–24 school year calendar.
For contest rules and guidelines, visit our 2023 Art Contest page (Concurso de Arte 2023 para las reglas en español).
Our second annual art contest wrapped up last April! All K–5 students in Salem-Keizer were invited to create artwork representing the theme “Human-Powered Transportation.” The winning entries are featured in our 2022–23 school year calendar. You can see all the art in our 2022 gallery of entries!
In the spring of 2021, we held our first annual art contest with the theme “I like biking/walking/rolling because…” Check out our 2021–22 school year calendar and 2021 gallery of entries!
We will continue holding this art contest annually for Salem-Keizer elementary school students.
Art by Leyna Shimatsu
Free Bicycle Repair
COVID-19 posed a challenge to our program because the in-person events we would usually be doing, such as walking school buses and bicycle safety trainings, were no longer possible. However, we still wanted to find a way to reach people with resources for walking and rolling.
Working with The Northwest Hub, a local non-profit bike shop, we provided weekly free bicycle repairs at the West Salem Farmers Market, Northgate Park, and Keizer Church of Christ during the summer of 2020. We continued to provide bicycle repairs and helmets on Wednesdays in October and November in the Auburn Elementary School parking lot during the free lunch pickup period (11 a.m.–1 p.m.).
Active Transportation Network
The Active Transportation Network (ATN) is a local group of individuals, organizations, and businesses with an interest in active transportation topics in the Salem area. This network has been meeting since the spring of 2018 to share information and resources and to coordinate advocacy efforts. While meetings are currently being held via Zoom due to COVID-19, past meetings have been held at Salem-Keizer Coalition for Equality and Center 50+. Meeting topics have included Safe Routes to School, Our Salem, regional transit service, and transportation barriers for marginalized communities.
Our partners include:
Salem-Keizer Transit (Cherriots)
Salem Bicycle Club
The Northwest Hub
The Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments
Just Walk Salem-Keizer
Salem Bike Boulevard Advocates
Open Streets Salem
Latinos Unidos Siempre
Mano a Mano
Salem-Keizer Coalition for Equality
OSU Extension