Safe Routes to School

Updated January 2026

What We Do

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a national movement to make it easier and safer for students to walk and bike to school. Seattle’s Safe Routes to School program builds walking and biking infrastructure around schools and supports programming and activities that encourage more students to walk and bike with a focus on equity.  

Graphic showing children crossing the street to school, with a crossing guard and kids on bikes. In the clouds are the words Safe and Welcoming Schools, Clean Air, Safe Streets, Independent Youth, Connected Communities

Graphic developed by Seattle Public Schools in partnership with SDOT

2024-25 Annual Highlights

Check out our 2024-25 Annual Highlights PDF or video (with narration for better accessibility). We're proud to report:

  • Student art at 2 new permanent School Streets.
  • 15 middle schools added to the Let’s Go bike education program. Last year Let’s Go reached over 17,000 students with over 700 students learning to ride.
  • 20 infrastructure projects to support students walking and biking to school including speed humps and all way stops on arterial streets, push button crossing beacons, and sidewalk extensions.

2025 School Travel Tally

We work with Seattle Public Schools to conduct an annual travel tally in all elementary and K-8 schools. On average, students reported an active transportation rate of 30% in 2025 which is 12% higher than the rate when the tally was first conducted in 2005.   

A sign that says 'how did you get to school today?' with four hearts representing walking, bus, cars, or bikes and kids signatures inside each heart.

5-Year Action Plan 

The SRTS Program is guided by a 5-Year Action Plan that lays out actions we'll take toward our goal of making it safer and easier for kids to walk and bike to school. It recommends specific, near-term strategies built around our program's seven E's: Equity, Environment, Education, Empowerment, Encouragement, Engineering, and Evaluation. Equity is infused into each of the other six categories:

  • Education: Ensure Everyone Learns How to Travel Safely
  • Empowerment: Provide Resources to School Champions
  • Engineering: Design Streets for Safety and Predictability
  • Environment: Reduce The Impact of School Travel
  • Encouragement: Promote Walking and Biking
  • Evaluation: Track Progress Toward Our Shared Safety Goals 

Education: Ensure Everyone Learns How to Travel Safely

Empowerment: Provide Resources to School Champions

Engineering: Design Streets for Safety and Predictability

Environment: Reduce The Impact of School Travel

Encouragement: Promote Walking and Biking

Evaluation: Track Progress Toward Our Shared Safety Goals

Safe Routes to School Projects

North

  • Mark crosswalk and “daylight” intersection at N 77th St and Linden Ave N near Daniel Bagley Elementary (expected in 2026)
  • Partner with bike program to install 3 sets of speed cushions and marked crosswalks on NE 75th St next to Eckstein Middle School (expected in 2026) 
  • 1st Ave NE Shared-Use Path leading to James Baldwin Elementary (expected as soon as 2026)
  • Install all way stops surrounding the school and a walkway on 31st Ave NE leading to Jane Addams Middle School (expected in 2026)
  • School Street upgrades at Jane Addams Middle School (expected in 2026)
  • Walkway and trees on 31st Ave NE next to Jane Addams Middle School (south section completed in 2025) (north section expected in 2026 or 2027 which includes an all way stop at NE 115th St/31st Ave NE)
  • All way stop at NE 110th St and 40th Ave NE next to John Rogers Elementary (expected in 2026)
  • Placemaking and crossing improvements at NE 143rd St and 24th Ave NE near Olympic Hills Elementary (led by Home Zones program) (expected in 2026) 
  • School Street upgrades at Olympic Hills Elementary (completed in 2025)
  • Partner with Healthy Streets program on upgrades leading to Robert Eagle Staff Middle School/Cascadia Elementary (expected in 2026) 
  • Install all way stops at Salmon Bay K-8 (expected in 2026)
  • Install hardened center lines to slow turns at NW 65th St and 20th Ave NW leading to Salmon Bay K-8 and Ballard High School (expected in 2026)
  • Walkway on 62nd Ave NE and push button flashing beacon and marked crosswalk at 62nd Ave NE and NE 65th St by Sandpoint Elementary (completed in 2025)
  • Mark crosswalks next to Seattle Jewish Community School (expected in 2026)
  • Install all way stops and marked crosswalks at 8th Ave NE/NE 86th St and 8th Ave NE/NE 85th St next to St. Catherine School (expected in 2026)
  • Install marked crosswalks and "daylighting" next to University Child Development School (expected in 2026)
  • Paint and post curb bulbs at NW 65th St and 3rd Ave NW leading to West Woodland Elementary and Ballard High School (expected in 2026)
  • Mark crosswalks leading along NW 96th St at 17th Ave NW, 21st Ave NW, and 23rd Ave NW leading to Whitman Middle School and North Beach Elementary (expected in 2026)
  • Install speed humps on NW 105th St and repair and complete a walkway gap on the north side of 105th by Viewlands Elementary (completed in 2024) (walkway repair expected in 2026) 

Central

  • Remove the right turn lane and extend the eastbound protected bike lane on E Yesler Way – just west of Boren (this support students walking to Bailey Gatzert Elementary by creating more separation between the sidewalk and moving vehicles and by slowing down people driving as they turn right from Yesler onto Boren) (expected in 2026)
  • Speed humps on 10th Ave E outside of Bertschi School (completed in 2026)
  • Curb ramps at 7th Ave S/W Wheeler St at Coe Elementary (completed in 2025)
  • All way stop at 6th Ave W/W Smith St at Coe Elementary (expected in 2026) 
  • All way stops at 4th/Newton, 4th/Crockett, Bigelow/Newton next to Queen Anne Elementary (expected in 2026) 
  • All way stops at 31st Ave/E Spruce St and 32nd Ave/E Spruce St next to Leschi Elementary (expected in 2026)
  • All way stops adjacent to the School Street at Magnolia Elementary (completed in 2025)
  • Marked crosswalk and "daylighting" at E Harrison and 19th Ave S next to Meany Middle School (expected in 2026)
  • All way stops on the residential streets surrounding Meany Middle School (expected in 2027)
  • All way stop at 18th Ave E and E Galer St and Stevens Elementary (expected in 2026)
  • Widened sidewalk and permanent School Street on 20th Pl S at Washington Middle School (expected in 2026) 
  • All way stop at 20th Ave S/S Weller St and marked crosswalks at 20th Ave S/S Lane St and 20th Pl S/S Lane St near Washington Middle School (completed in 2026) 
  • Vision Zero partnership to retime signals and install no turn on red signs near schools across the city to prioritize people walking (ongoing)   

South

  • Walkway on S Juneau St between Renton Ave S and 39th Ave S leading to Aki Kurose Middle School (expected in 2026)
  • All way stops next to Arbor Heights Elementary (expected in 2026) 
  • All way stop at 13th Sve S and S Massachusetts St leading to Beacon Hill Intl' Elementary (completed in 2025)
  • Walkway and trees on S Henderson St between 12th and 14th near Concord Elementary (completed in 2025)
  • Push button crossing beacon and curb ramps at S Lucile St and 13th Ave S leading to Cleveland High School (expected in summer 2026). Includes:
    • Marking the crosswalk on all legs of the intersection
    • Push buttons next to the street so people biking can easily activate them
    • Removing 2 trees and replacing with 6 trees
    • Repairing the sidewalk on the east side of 13th Ave S – just north of S Lucile St
  • S Henderson St School Safety Project at Dunlap Elementary, South Shore PK-8, Alan T. Sugiyama High School, and Rainier Beach High School (safety upgrades and art in 2023/2024 and we expect to build walking and biking improvements in 2026)
  • All way stops at 27th Ave SW/SW Kenyon St and 27th Ave SW/SW Elmgrove St next to Denny Intl’ Middle School (expected in 2026) 
  • “Daylighting” at SW Brandon St and Fauntleroy Ave SW at Fairmount Park Elementary (expected in 2026) 
  • Curb ramps on 32nd Ave S and Mt Baker Blvd S at Franklin High School (completed in 2025)
  • All way stops at Franklin High School (completed in 2026) 
  • Traffic calming and marked crosswalks surrounding Hawthorne Elementary (speed cushions installed in 2025 and marked crosswalks and stop signs completed in 2026)
  • "Daylighting" at S Conover Way between 39th Ave S and Cascadia Ave S leading to Hawthorne Elementary (expected in 2026)
  • Traffic calming on 16th Ave SW to support students getting to Highland Park Elementary (completed in 2025)
  • All way stops surrounding Highland Park Elementary (expected in 2026)  
  • All way stop at 41st Ave SW and SW Dakota St at Holy Rosary School (completed in 2026)  
  • Marked crosswalks and "daylighting" at SW Genesee St and 51st Ave SW next to Genesee Hill Elementary
  • Partner with Home Zone program on walkability improvements in the John Muir Elementary walk zone (expected in 2026)
  • Partner with Healthy Streets program on upgrades leading to John Muir Elementary (expected in 2026)
  • Install "turn wedge" on the southwest corner of Rainier Ave S/S Walden St to slow right turns from Walden onto Rainier leading to John Muir Elementary (expected in 2026)
  • Install push button flashing beacons and painted bulbs at California/Hinds & California/Spokane near Madison Middle School (expected in 2026)
  • Upgrade School Street to permanent at Madison Middle School (expected in 2026) 
  • Upgrade School Street to permanent at Maple Elementary (completed in 2025)
  • Partner with Healthy Streets program on upgrades leading to Maple Elementary (expected in 2026)
  • Partner with Mercer Intl’ Middle School as well as SDOT’s Community & Mobility Hub and Urban Design program to add seating, art, and a tree to plaza space at 15th Ave S and S Columbian Way across from Mercer Intl' Middle School (ongoing in 2026 and 2027)
  • Extend the protected bike lane on S Columbian Way, mark crosswalk at 16th Ave S/S Columbian Way, add school loading, and add no turn on red signs to 15th Ave S/S Columbian Way to improve walking and biking connections to Mercer Intl' Middle School (expected in 2026)
  • Install all way stop at SW Myrtle St and 34th Ave SW at Our Lady of Guadalupe School (expected in 2026)  
  • Build curb ramps on 19th Ave SW and SW Genesee St at Pathfinder K-8 (completed in 2025)
  • Mark crosswalks at Seward Park Ave S/S Hamlet St next to Rainier Beach High School (expeced in 2026)
  • Install push button flashing beacons at Beacon Ave S/S 55th St next to Rainier View Elementary (completed in 2026)
  • Install speed humps and all way stops adjacent to Roxhill Elementary (expected in 2026) 
  • Plant trees on S Holden St leading to Roxhill Elementary (completed in 2026)
  • Install crossing improvements near West Seattle Elementary (completed in 2025)

North

Central

South

Plans and Reports

Explore the materials below to learn more about the "what, why and how" of school safety project planning:

"I bike to school because biking relaxes me and

prepares me for a day of learning." - Yasi, Student

A school age child smiles with her bike on a pedestrian street. A group of young students wearing brightly colored backpacks walks down the sidewalk

A young man helps a student with a bike helmet fitting A student wearing a yellow safety vest and holding a stop flag volunteers to monitor the crosswalk at his school

Transportation

Angela Brady, Acting Director
Address: 700 5th Ave, Suite 3800, Seattle, WA, 98104
Mailing Address: PO Box 34996, Seattle, WA, 98124-4996
Phone: (206) 684-7623
684-Road@seattle.gov

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The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is on a mission to deliver a transportation system that provides safe and affordable access to places and opportunities for everyone as we work to achieve our vision of Seattle as a thriving, equitable community powered by dependable transportation.