SRTS Topics
- SRTS Introduction
- SRTS History
- Bike to School
- Walk to School
- Bike Smart!
- Bike ‘n Hike
- Alternative Transportation Options
- Links/SRTS Partners
- Safety Tips
- Biking and Walking Maps
Transportation Programs
- Bike to Work
- Electric Bike Information
- Folding Bikes in Busses
- Cabrillo College Go Green
- Local Sustainable Transportation Options
- RideSurance
- Safe Routes to School
- Transportation Membership Services
Biking and Walking Maps
Below are links to Google Maps including suggested routes for children biking to local schools. These routes were chosen because they generally have less traffic and slower speeds than other streets. Many are alternate routes to major roads such as Mission Street, which should be avoided by bicyclists of any age.
Before You Ride
Parents are strongly advised to take time practicing safe and skillful bicycling with their child before allowing him or her to ride around cars. Children should be able to stop quickly, ride in a straight line, steer around obstacles and look back over their shoulder without swerving with confidence and ease.
Discuss with your child the rights and responsibilities of bicyclists. By law bicyclists must obey the same traffic laws as car drivers. Also discuss the common hazards and how to prevent crashes: cars entering and exiting driveways, car doors opening suddenly in your path, gravel in the road, etc. Perhaps most important is to teach your child to ride defensively, as if s/he were invisible.
Youth Safety Education Resources
- Safety Tips
- Educating Children and Teens (Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center)—includes detailed and age-specific tips and guidelines.
- Bicycle Safety—What Every Parent Should Know (Active Living Resource Center)—very useful guide including youth bicyclist myths, common crashes and skill-building activities.
Pre-ride Your Route
Before allowing your child to ride unsupervised, it is also strongly recommended that parents pre-ride the route to school and discuss potential hazards, such as: crossing particularly dangerous intersections, narrow lanes, blind driveways, and so forth.
Disclaimer:
These bicycle maps are intended as a guide for those who plan to ride in Santa Cruz County. Ecology Action is not responsible for your safety. No representation is made or intended as to the safety or fitness of the routes for bicycle travel. Cyclists are urged to obey all bicycle laws in the California state vehicle code and to exercise caution at all times. The routes designated on this map may not necessarily be marked by striped lanes or signs and may require walking your bicycle.
Google Route Maps for Schools in the Mission Street Corridor in Santa Cruz:
University of California, Santa Cruz
Other Maps:
Community Traffic Safety Coalition of Santa Cruz County — also has printable Safe Routes to School Maps on their website for the following schools: Gault, Delaveaga, Westlake, Bayview, Minite White and MacQuiddy Elementary.
Santa Cruz County Bikeways Map —produced by the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation.
Program Contact
Saskia Lucas
Program Specialist, Transportation Group
Phone: 831-426-5925 x129
Fax: 831-423-3895
Email
.