STREETS (Safe TRavel Environment Evaluation in Texas Schools)

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The STREETS Study (Safe TRavel Environment Evaluation in Texas Schools) is a five-year (2018 – 2023) natural experiment that is evaluating the City of Austin Safe Routes to School program. In 2016, the City of Austin approved $27.5 million in Mobility Bond Funds for Safe Routes to School infrastructure projects, including protected bike lanes, pedestrian islands, shared use paths, and pedestrian hybrid beacons. Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living Investigators are evaluating these transformative infrastructure changes. The evaluation includes a comparison/control study with schools in Central Texas.

The City of Austin Safe Routes to School program information is available online.

The STREETS (Safe TRavel Environment Evaluation in Texas Schools) study includes two rigorous approaches:

Active Commuting to School (cross-sectional) study:

Participants: 3^rd – 5^th grade classroom teachers at 95 schools in Central Texas are participating in this project
Project length: biannual measurements between Fall 2018 and Spring 2024
Measurements: classroom active commuting to school tally and school policy survey

Physical Activity in Children (cohort) study:

Participants: following 3^rdgraders from 31 schools in Central Texas for 3 years (3^rd – 5^th grade)
Project length: Fall 2018 to Spring 2024
Measurements: objective physical activity as measured by accelerometers; parent and child surveys; school environmental audits

STREETS Progress Report 2022-2023

STREETS Research Study Video

The City of Austin Safe Routes to School program information is available online.

For more information about this project, please contact:
Sarah S. Bentley, MPH
Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living
1616 Guadalupe Street, Suite 6.300
Austin, Texas 78701
Sarah.S.Bentley@uth.tmc.edu
512-482-6152

Incorporating Equity into Active Commuting to School Infrastructure Projects: A Case Study

Inequities in Active Travel Infrastructure Coverage across School Neighborhoods in Central Texas

Thumbnail image 1 for Examining the availability and equitable distribution of recreational assets for physical activity across school neighborhoods in Central Texas

Examining the availability and equitable distribution of recreational assets for physical activity across school neighborhoods in Central Texas

9/22/22 - Examining the availability and equitable distribution of recreational assets for physical activity across school neighborhoods in Central Texas

Thumbnail image 1 for Longitudinal Changes in Objectively-Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Time among School-Age Children in Central Texas, US during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Longitudinal Changes in Objectively-Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Time among School-Age Children in Central Texas, US during the COVID-19 Pandemic

9/10/22 - Longitudinal Changes in Objectively-Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Time among School-Age Children in Central Texas, US during the COVID-19 Pandemic

STREETS School Stakeholder Interview Qualitative Report by Jenna Guzman

8/10/22 - STREETS School Stakeholder Interview Qualitative Report

STREETS: ISBNPA Conference Presentation by Dr. Ganzar

5/21/2022 - Changes in Objectively-Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior among School-Age Children during COVID-19

Thumbnail image 1 for Hitting the STREETS: Evaluating Health Effects of Municipally Funded Safe Routes to School Infrastructure Projects in Austin, Texas

Hitting the STREETS: Evaluating Health Effects of Municipally Funded Safe Routes to School Infrastructure Projects in Austin, Texas

4/11/22 - Hitting the STREETS: Evaluating Health Effects of Municipally Funded Safe Routes to School Infrastructure Projects in Austin, Texas

STREETS: Active Living Conference Presentation by Dr. Ganzar

04/08/2021 - School Policies and Active Commuting among Elementary Students: A Dose Response Association

STREETS: Active Living Conference Presentation by Katie Burford

04/08/2021 - Associations of Reported Crime and Children's Active Commuting to School: The Safe TRavel Environments Evaluation in Texas Schools Study (STREETS).

STREETS Healthier Texas Summit Presentation

10/17/2019 - Hitting the STREETS: Evaluating the Health Effects of the City of Austin’s Safe Routes to School Program

Association of Walking and Biking to School Policies and Active Commuting to School in Children

Ganzar, LA, Burford, K, Zhang, Y, Gressett, A, Kohl, HW., & Hoelscher. DM.. (2023). Association of Walking and Biking to School Policies and Active Commuting to School in Children. Journal of Physical Activity and Health.

Incorporating equity into active commuting to school infrastructure projects: A case study

Ganzar, L.A., Bentley, S.S., Salvo, D., Durand, C.P., Anderson, A., et al. (2022). Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 112, 103493.

Longitudinal changes in objectively-measured physical activity and sedentary time among school-age children in central Texas, US during the COVID-19 pandemic

Ganzar, L. A., Salvo, D., Burford, K., Zhang, Y., Kohl, H. W., 3rd, & Hoelscher, D. M. (2022). The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 19(1), 56.

Effects of Large-Scale Municipal Safe Routes to School Infrastructure on Student Active Travel and Physical Activity: Design, Methods, and Baseline Data of the Safe Travel Environment Evaluation in Texas Schools (STREETS) Natural Experiment

Hoelscher, D. M., Ganzar, L. A., Salvo, D., Kohl, H. W., III, Pérez, A., Brown, H. S., Bentley, S. S., Dooley, E. E., Emamian, A., & Durand, C. P. (2022). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(3), 1810. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031810 PMCID: PMC8834930