Walk to School Day: An Indicator of Regional Progress

As we work to create and implement regional plans that take years or decades to reach fruition, progress may seem overly technical, prolonged, and abstract to those unfamiliar with SEMCOG. So what makes our regional leaders, planners, engineers, developers, analysts, etc, passionate about their work? Today, a global event helps to illustrate much of what we love about our work.

International Walk to School Day, celebrated in thousands of schools in more than 40 countries, promotes the value of something many of us took for granted (and even complained about) as children. Hundreds of schools in Michigan, including many in the SEMCOG region, are participating this year by organizing walking and biking events.

Schools and parents are to be commended for their participation, as walking and biking to school can produce many positive effects:

• Fun and independence for children who have an opportunity everyday to explore their world;
• Health benefits for children and adults who partake in regular physical activity;
• A cleaner environment as cars left at home do not emit air pollutants;
• Increased safety as children learn important walking and bicycling skills and increased community support for sidewalk improvements; and
• Other benefits such as reduced traffic congestion, stronger sense of community, lower transportation costs for families, and economic gains as walkable communities can improve property values and traffic to local businesses.

Each of these positive impacts can be related not just to walking to school, but also to SEMCOG plans and policies. Let’s take a look at how SEMCOG’s work is aimed at achieving the same quality-of-life benefits throughout Southeast Michigan.

Fun and independence for children who have an opportunity everyday to explore their world

Southeast Michigan offers access to the world’s greatest freshwater resource. Our region’s waterways offer limitless opportunities for exploration and recreation. In the Water Quality Management Plan for Southeast Michigan, SEMCOG applies a regional approach to infrastructure, monitoring, management, nonpoint source pollution, stormwater, pollution prevention, and public education. These activities are critical to responsible stewardship of our waterways for future generations.

View our What You Can Do to Protect Our Waterways page for more information.

While water resources might represent Southeast Michigan’s greatest regional asset, there are countless other environmental and cultural assets that make this region unique. We are currently gathering input throughout the region on how to best leverage these assets into regional economic success as we craft the next regional economic development strategy. Learn more on SEMCOG’s Economic Development page.

Health benefits for children and adults who partake in regular physical activity

In addition to its lakes, rivers, and streams, Southeast Michigan is home to 180,000 acres of public parks and more than 1,000 miles of trails and side paths. As part of the Green Infrastructure Vision for Southeast Michigan, SEMCOG adopted a regional policy to increase public accessibility to parks, trails, water, and ensuring public spaces are designed for all residents.

Learn more about how we worked with the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund and others on this beautiful trail in Dexter.

Increasing access to these and other vital community resources for everyone is the objective of SEMCOG’s Access to Core Services Task Force. This group is currently working to guide development of recommendations to help ensure that access to core services, such as health care facilities, employment centers, parks and recreation opportunities, and education and social support facilities, are part of the transportation planning process.

Increased safety as children learn important walking and bicycling skills and increased community support for infrastructure improvements

Southeast Michigan’s transportation system has more than 25,000 miles of public roads. Along with engineering, enforcement, and emergency services, education is a critical component of improving safety on the region’s road system. This task force is developing a Road Safety Plan for Southeast Michigan that identifies the region’s key safety needs and guides investment decisions to reduce fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads.

For tips to help drivers, bicyclists, and walkers move safely around our region, view and share our pamphlet entitled BE AWARE, BE SAFE, BE SEEN.

Other benefits such as reduced traffic congestion, stronger sense of community, lower transportation cost for families, and economic gains as walkable communities can improve property values and traffic to local businesses

On its face, Walk to School Day may seem to simply promote exercise and perhaps an opportunity to have some fun. However, like all of SEMCOG’s planning and policy activities, an increase in children walking to school can actually have a very broad impact. This is why we support and assist local communities in developing Safe Routes to School programs. Once a community begins the process, SEMCOG can assist in numerous ways, which can be viewed on our Safe Routes to School page along with other information about the program.

Safe Routes to School activities are eligible for Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding. TAP funds, which are administered for Southeast Michigan by SEMCOG, are also eligible for projects including pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and safety programs, historic preservation and rehabilitation of transportation facilities, and environmental mitigation activities. We are very proud of what communities Southeast Michigan have been able to accomplish with this funding.

Learn more about these projects, including Safe Routes to School programs in Chelsea and Dexter, on SEMCOG’s TAP Project Location and Status Story Map.

Whether it is through Safe Routes to School assistance, water quality management, economic development or green infrastructure work, the Access to Core Services or Road Safety Task Forces, or any of SEMCOG’s other planning activities, our goal is to develop long-lasting regional solutions. So if you happen to see any kids walking to or from school, I hope you see what we at SEMCOG see: living, breathing motivation to make Southeast Michigan an even better region than we found it.