CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NEWS RELEASE 2800 BERLIN TURNPIKE P.O. BOX 317546 NEWINGTON CONNECTICUT, 06131-7456

FOR RELEASE: May 6, 2013

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS TELEPHONE: (860) 594-3062 FAX: (860) 594-3065 WEB SITE: www.ct.gov/dot

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This Wednesday, May 8th, schools across Connecticut will celebrate the 2nd annual Bike to School Day.  Join participating schools in holding special events to encourage students to ride their bikes or walk to school with parents, teachers and community leaders. 

Bike to School Day encourages a nationwide bike-focused celebration for students, and planned events can raise awareness of the need to create safer routes for bicycling and walking.  This day also emphasizes the importance of issues such as increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, and reducing traffic congestion which can lead to improved air quality.

Many of Connecticut’s schools participate in the Safe Routes to School program, which provides resources for sustained efforts by elementary and middle schools, community members, local, state and federal governments to enable and encourage children to safely walk or bicycle to school.  A well designed Safe Routes program will diagnose what keeps kids from making the choice to walk or bike, and then develop strategies to change the environment and culture.

So visit www.walkitbikeitct.org  and see how your schools and neighborhoods can benefit from this program.  Also visit www.walkbiketoschool.org for more information about Bike to School Day and the new event planning resources and tools, including a GIS-powered walking and bicycling route mapping tool!

For additional information:
Contact: State Coordinator -  Sharon Okoye
Phone: (860) 594-2367
E-mail: sharon.okoye@ct.gov

Please visit these websites:
Connecticut Safe Routes to School     www.walkitbikeitct.org
Walk and Bike to School Day                www.walkbiketoschool.org   
National Center for Safe Routes to School    www.saferoutesinfo.org