In 2024, TSW partnered with the City of Grove, Oklahoma, to develop a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Plan, an initiative designed to improve safety, accessibility, and encouragement for students walking or biking to and from school. Safe Routes to School programs aim to foster healthier, more active lifestyles for students while addressing transportation safety concerns in school-adjacent neighborhoods. These plans typically incorporate the “Six Es”—Evaluation, Education, Encouragement, Engineering, Enforcement, and Equity—which together form a holistic strategy for implementation and community impact.

The planning process began with an existing conditions analysis, led by TSW, which helped identify physical and social barriers affecting student mobility. This phase included mapping exercises, such as a heat map identifying student residences within walking distance of schools, which provided a data-driven foundation for prioritizing areas most in need of safety improvements. The analysis also considered existing school infrastructure, traffic conditions, and planned development projects that might influence pedestrian routes.

Community input played a central role in shaping the plan. TSW organized a variety of public and stakeholder engagement activities, including the formation of a stakeholder advisory committee, a walk audit with school and city representatives, and a presentation to City Council. During the walk audit, participants physically navigated typical routes taken by students, observing sidewalk conditions, traffic patterns, crossing points, and other elements impacting student safety.

The final recommendations from the plan identify priority infrastructure projects that could be initiated within a year. These include new sidewalks and sidepaths aimed at enhancing connectivity, especially in areas with higher concentrations of students or underserved neighborhoods. In addition to physical improvements, the plan includes actionable strategies for community education, promotion, and behavior change to encourage a cultural shift toward safe, active transportation for students.

City of Grove Safe Routes to School Plan Adopted