SAFETY ROUTES TO SCHOOL GAINS AWARDS THROUGH INTERACTIVE MAP

By: Edir Coronado
New Providence often has the issue of traffic in the early mornings and in the afternoons, when parents are dropping and picking-up their kids from school. With so many cars flooding the streets, it is difficult for parents to feel comfortable letting their child walk or bike to school every day. Cecile Seth is a New Providence resident who was concerned about the frustrating traffic situation in New Providence. Since 2003, the Seth family with their three children have been living in New Providence. When all the issues of traffic and safety routes arose, Cecile took the initiative and decided to co-chair, the Safety Routes to School Team.
Safety Routes to School is a program powered by the parents, school, and community leaders, with the help of local, state, and federal government, to improve health through walking or biking to school. The program gives students the opportunity to walk or to bike by examining the area around the school and creating projects that reduce pollution and traffic. Through these programs, safer travel conditions arise making it more appealing for kids and parents to use alternative means of transportation.
The New Providence SRTS team, for two consecutive years, has been efficient in reducing traffic for children of all ages, earning the award, and honor of holding onto this title for three years, of NJ Safe Route to School Silver Boot, 2015-2018, Salt Brook School; NJ Safe Route to School Silver Boot, 2016-2019; New Providence Middle School; NJ Safe Route to School Gold Boot, 2016-2019; Allen W Roberts School; and NJ Safe Route to School Gold Boot, 2016-2019; for the Borough of New Providence.
With a collaborated effort from school officials and co-chairpersons, the SRTS has been able to improve drop off and pick-up locations by moving the drop off zone forward at Allen W Roberts School, in order to allow more vehicles to enter the roundabout. Other projects, like the SRTS in 9 Google Maps Layers, through color codes and different layers, allow parents or students to review the map and learn drop and go locations, crossing guard locations, bike rack locations, areas to park and walk, areas where parking and dropping off are restricted, travel routes, student entrances to school.
The interactive map also allows you to submit edits when residents find any errors or area that are in need of update. The SRTS team encourages public participation in the map and hope parents will get involved, to make the map as effective as possible.
All these programs, information, and team members can be found on STEMshoots.com, or on their Facebook page, STEMshoots; a site created by Seth in order to incorporate STEM to student’s walks on their way to school. Stemshoots, in addition to the site, will also post blogs, which will help parents keep kids interested in STEM.