DOT kids’ project had slow start, but it will take off by next year

In 2005, SAFETEA-LU, the federal transportation authorization bill, obligated $17 million to Georgia for Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) for four years. This meant that we had the authority to spend the dollars but there are guidelines, as mandated by the federal government, which had to be established before spending those funds.

As we have learned from other states, the cornerstone of a successful SRTS program is the development of these guidelines that will help counties, schools and communities create and maintain viable SRTS programs. Since 2005, our staff has actively engaged schools, the Department of Education, civic and nonprofit organizations and planning organizations across the state in participating in the SRTS advisory committee. This committee serves as a resource and played a major role in developing the overall strategy and the guiding principles for the program, and the creation of the detailed guidebook. The guidebook gives communities a toolbox for helping them to apply for SRTS grants, engage their residents to participate and continually maintain their program. However, that’s where the work came to a standstill.

Since my appointment as commissioner, I have been very transparent about the challenges of the department and what we can do better in serving the citizens of Georgia. Movement on the SRTS program is certainly one of them. While I am disappointed at having found that we did not aggressively take advantage of this program over the last four years, I am happy to report that we have now hired a new coordinator to get that program moving into action.

Part of the slowdown with the process has been the department’s focusing on a painstaking review of other states about their contracting and procurement errors. Staff spent a great deal of their efforts trying to determine how best to implement procedures and get them in place on the front end, which would guarantee successful SRTS projects on the back end.

So, has this process taken longer than we anticipated or we hoped? Certainly. But beginning this fall, we are committed to offering a more comprehensive SRTS program that will serve some of our biggest stakeholders — our children. In October, we will announce the statewide call for infrastructure projects. Once the potential candidates become familiar with the requirements for the application, we will conduct four application workshops across the state. By January 2009, we will establish a resource center that will provide services for the education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation of the SRTS program. And come March 2009, we will announce and vigorously begin working on the SRTS infrastructure project in communities all across the state. It is my aim as commissioner that in the coming months we will have executed a program that will be successful and one Georgians can be proud of. Our goal of providing a safe and efficient transportation system for all users includes our children.

As a mother, I believe children deserve the right and the freedom to walk or ride to school and to do it in an environment where there is adequate infrastructure and overall safety while doing it. This is why I am committed to ensuring that this program expeditiously moves forward to provide the positive lifelong health results and sheer joy that walking and biking can bring to our children.

Every day, throughout this state, Georgia DOT planners, engineers and environmentalists work diligently to strike a delicate balance between meeting the transportation needs of every citizen, community and county and ensuring that we are the very best stewards of taxpayer dollars. The administration of the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program can be and will be no different.

Gena Evans is commissioner of the Georgia DOT.