Safe Routes to School: Celebrating 11 Years by Foot and on Wheels
A program of Living Streets Alliance and Tucson Department of Transportation and Mobility, with support from Pima County’s Community Development Block Grant program for South Tucson programming, 2025 marks eleven years of Safe Routes to School programming across Pima County.
The Safe Routes program had a year full of movement, connection and excitement. After-school bike clubs at Partner Schools like Pueblo Gardens PreK-8, Mission View Elementary, Ochoa Community School & the John Valenzuela Youth Center continued in strong numbers throughout the 2024-25 school year. The Walking School Bus at Los Amigos Elementary vroomed by foot to and from school. This year, we helped bring youth development skills, traffic safety and bike handling, and basic bicycle mechanics to the Pueblo Road Warriors at Pueblo High School. And at schools in and beyond Tucson, we delivered Riders & Walkers safety courses, fixed bikes, handed out helmets, and brainstormed ways to connect communities and create smoother paths to school.
For the 10th consecutive year, the Los Amigos Elementary School’s “Walking School Bus” brings students, parents, and teachers together for a fun and healthy walk to school.
This bi-weekly event, held throughout most of the school year, averages 120 student participants who walk up to a mile and a half alongside a dedicated team of 24 teachers, staff, and parents.
The Walking School Bus helps reduce traffic congestion and pollution while promoting physical activity. Students receive a colorful “toe token” for each walk, adding to their personal chain as a symbol of their continued participation.
To kick off this year’s program, Living Streets Alliance partnered with the school to host a special event featuring free water bottles, stickers, and refreshing agua fresca provided by AZ Health Zone.
Want a Walking School Bus at a school near you? Email saferoutes@livingstreetsalliance.org
SRTS Tucson hosted After School Bike Clubs at three partner schools during the 2024-2025 school year: Pueblo Gardens PreK-8, Mission View Elementary, and Ochoa Community School/John Valenzuela Youth Center.
These programs engaged students in 10-session semesters focused on bike safety skills and group rides. The after-school bike club model not only builds riding proficiency and safety awareness but also incorporates youth development strategies to boost confidence, connection, and a sense of empowerment.
Bike club educators lead students on field trips to local parks, libraries, and other youth-friendly spaces, helping them practice safe routes and build familiarity with their neighborhoods.
This year, the Bike Clubs served 60 students and held a total of 76 sessions, including both on-campus safety training and off-campus rides.
Mobile Bike Repair & Bicycle Education Clinics: Over 325 bikes repaired and 275 helmets distributed!
SRTS Tucson’s Bicycle Education Clinic (BEC) and Mobile Bike Repair (MBR) programs make bike maintenance accessible by bringing the tools, expertise, and education directly to schools and community spaces—removing common barriers like high repair costs, transportation challenges, and lack of familiarity with bike shops. Held at local schools alongside events like Science Night or Family Health & Safety Night, Bicycle Education Clinics invite families to bring in bikes that need repairs. Our mechanics engage students in the process—demonstrating fixes and even guiding them through hands-on experiences like patching a flat tire. Mobile Bike Repair events are open to the entire community with one goal: fix as many bikes and fit as many helmets as possible—free of charge. These events help families keep their bikes safe and road-ready, while spreading bike safety awareness throughout Tucson.
Want a Mobile Bike Repair or Bicycle Education Clinic at your school, event or community center? Email saferoutes@livingstreetsalliance.org
Helping Kids Walk & Ride Safely: Riders & Walkers in the Classroom
One of the most exciting and impactful programs we bring to schools each year is Riders & Walkers—an interactive, multimedia safety presentation tailored just for 3rd and 4th grade students. This program, developed and delivered by our fantastic partners at the Environmental Education Exchange, helps young students build the knowledge and confidence they need to navigate their neighborhoods safely by foot or by bike.
After the presentation, every student receives a Riders & Walkers baggie filled with:
A reflective slap-bracelet (because safety can be fun)
A sticker
A family-friendly brochure with walking and biking tips
A survey to complete with a parent or guardian
The survey encourages families to go on a walk or bike ride together and answer a few questions about the experience. Was the route safe? Easy to navigate? Interesting or challenging? This helps students practice what they learned—and gives us insight into the walking and biking conditions in different neighborhoods.
Did We Mention the Bike Giveaway?
Here’s the fun part: when families return the survey to Living Streets Alliance, they’re automatically entered into a raffle to win a new bike, helmet, and lock—thanks to our generous partners at Wheels For Kids and Tucson Department of Transportation. It’s a great incentive, and a few lucky students each semester walk away (or ride away!) with a big prize.
2024–2025 by the Numbers
This past school year, the program made a big impact:
35 schools participated
100 classrooms reached
2,313 students engaged
5 students won brand-new bikes, helmets, and locks
Creating Community Through Custom Bicycle Safety Events
While Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Tucson provides consistent programming throughout the school year, we also love stepping outside our weekly programs to meet unique community needs. This year, we were proud to collaborate with local partners to design special events that promoted safety, access, and confidence on bikes—especially for young riders and their families.
Thanks to Living Streets Alliance’s deep network of community relationships—many of which have grown through years of Cyclovia and other neighborhood engagement—SRTS Tucson was invited to support bicycle safety efforts where they were most needed. Several partners reached out for help bringing bicycle education to their communities, and we were thrilled to say yes.
Wildcat Inn Bike Rodeo
In partnership with Ward 3 and BICAS, we brought bike education and fun to the families living at Wildcat Inn, a transitional housing facility. The event featured a full “traffic garden” bicycle rodeo, a learn-to-ride area, free bike repairs, helmet giveaways, and a resident loaner bike program. BICAS added a creative touch with a helmet decorating station, and Ward 3 provided lunch for everyone. It was a joyful day of learning and connection—we loved watching kids build new skills and hearing residents’ stories.
Supporting Refugee Families with Tucson Refugee Ministry
When Tucson Refugee Ministry received a grant to gift bikes and helmets to children in two apartment complexes, they realized they needed help delivering safety education. That’s when they turned to Living Streets Alliance’s Safe Routes to School program. We jumped into action, partnering with El Grupo and BICAS to bring engaging, hands-on workshops to the bike giveaway events.
Together, we led sessions on proper helmet fitting, basic bike maintenance (including how to fix a flat), how to lock a bike securely, and essential riding safety skills. These workshops not only equipped kids with tools to ride safely but also helped foster a sense of freedom and independence.
