October 1, 2007, Albuquerque Journal:

     Walking to School Oct. 3 Will Unite Us, Help Us

     By Susan DeFrancesco and Jessica Frost
      Associate scientist, UNM Prevention Research Center;
      New Mexico Safe Routes to School Coordinator, New Mexico Department of Transportation
     
     October 3 is "Walk (and Roll) to School Day"— a day to raise awareness of the
     benefits of getting out of our cars and walking or wheeling to school. New Mexico
     parents, school administrators, teachers, community leaders, policymakers, and
     students from Las Vegas to Las Cruces will walk or roll— bike, skateboard, skate,
     use a wheelchair, etc.— to school.And they won't be alone.

     Children and adults in approximately 5,000 schools from all 50 states and 40
     countries around the world will celebrate "Walk and Roll to School Day." It's a
     one-day event, but the hope is for long-term community commitments to
     improving walking and bicycling conditions so students can safely walk or bike to
     school every day.

     As is happening across the country, the number of overweight children in New
     Mexico is growing at a distressing rate. In fact, New Mexico is among the 10
     states with the highest rates of overweight children ages 10-17. So, it's
     important that our children become more physically active.

     Excess weight is a serious concern, because risk factors for heart disease and
     Type 2 diabetes are increased in overweight children and adolescents. There
     also is a good chance that overweight children may suffer a high risk of heart
     disease, high blood pressure, and some forms of cancer as overweight adults.
     Sadly, today's children may be the first generation to have shorter life
     expectancies than their parents.

     Computer, television and video game use is partially responsible for our children's
     sedentary lifestyles, but so is the fact that very few children walk or bike
     anywhere anymore. Thirty years ago, more than 66 percent of all children started
     their day by walking to school. Today, fewer than 15 percent of children in the
     U.S. walk or bicycle to school.

     Unsafe street crossings, speeding motorists, lack of sidewalks, schools located
     far from homes, and fear of crime are barriers that keep parents from allowing
     their children to walk or bike to school.
    
     Communities are responding to these barriers by implementing Safe Routes to
     School (SRTS) programs. School administrators, parents, teachers, law
     enforcement, transportation engineers, city planners, health professionals,
     and community leaders are working together to make their communities more
     walkable and bikeable. They are improving and building sidewalks and safe street
     crossings, implementing traffic-calming measures, educating children about
     pedestrian safety, organizing adult-supervised "bike trains" and "walking school
     buses" and enforcing traffic laws to make it safer for our youngest citizens to
     enjoy the simple and healthful joy of walking and bicycling to school.

     Making communities more walkable and bikeable is actually a national effort,
     funded in part through the federal Safe Routes to School Program. The SRTS
     program is administered in our state by the New Mexico Department of
     Transportation, which this spring selected five communities to receive funding
     and technical assistance to create local SRTS programs.

     SRTS programs go beyond improving the health and safety of our children and
     enhancing the safety of our streets and sidewalks for all community members.
     A more walkable and bikeable community can decrease motor vehicle congestion,
     particularly around schools, improving the air quality for students at those
     schools and protecting the environment.

     And, with more people out and about in the community, there is more of an
     opportunity for neighbors to get to know one another, watch out for each other,
     and feel more invested in their neighborhoods.

     Walking or biking to school can incorporate physical activity into a child's daily
     routine, contributing to the development of a healthy lifestyle to help with
     weight control and general well-being. There also is evidence that increased
     physical activity, such as walking and biking to school, can improve a child's
     performance in school.

     The state's SRTS Program, along with this year's "Walk and Roll to School Day," is
     worth celebrating and supporting— it's a common-sense, achievable, health and
     safety program that has proven benefits for children, schools, and communities.
     For more information, visit the New Mexico SRTS website at
     www.nmsaferoutes.com or call 505-476-2155.

     Assistant Research Professor Linda J. Penaloza of the UNM Prevention Research
     Center, contributed to this article.