Maps are a tool for analyzing, visualizing and sharing safer routes to school. Typically the following types of maps are utilized in SRTS programs:
- Student Address/GIS Maps - These maps identify where students live in relation to the school (without pinpointing addresses too specifically). These maps can be useful in determining potential for walking/bicycling to school from both shorter and longer distances. They can also be helpful in identifying walking or bicycling school bus meet-up points.
- Sites such as Mapmyrun and Mapmyride can be utilized to create route maps for either walking or bicycling to school. Once routes are created, they can be posted on a website or sent via email.
- The National Center for Safe Routes to School has created a Map-A-Route tool that can be utilized to develop Walking School Bus maps.
- Some communities create "Safer" or "Recommended" route to school maps once routes have been identified through walking audits or other public input processes.
- California SRTS Pedestrian and Bicycle Collision Maps - These interactive geospatial PDF planning maps, developed inpartnership with SafeTREC, are available for all California cities and counties. Maps provide a visual depiction of schools, including school closures and school district boundaries, street-level pedestrian and bicycle collisions, school free and reduced price meal eligibility, and past state and federal Safe Routes to School grant awards. The geospatial PDF feature allows schools or collisions in the map to be identified and the relevant data table displayed within the PDF.
