Olympia proclaims October as Walk to School Month 

It's Walk to School Month in the City of Olympia.

The Olympia City Council proclaimed October made the declaration and endorsed a proclamation during a meeting on Oct. 6

The proclamation recognizes the importance of creating safer, more accessible routes for children traveling to schools, parks and other neighborhood destinations.  

The proclamation also highlights the city's efforts to improve pedestrian infrastructure, encourage active transportation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  

Walk to School Month is supported by Intercity Transit’s Walk N Roll Program, Olympia School District (OSD), and other public agencies and community partners. 

Safety improvements 

The city is working with public agencies and schools on projects intended to make routes safer and more accessible.  

To make some streets easier for students to walk and roll to school, a staff report states construction of Westside Bike Corridor is going to start this year.

The corridor will connect northwest and southwest neighborhoods to Garfield Elementary School, Woodruff Park and Decatur Woods Park.  

The city also plans to partner with the Olympia School District next year on a traffic calming project near Roosevelt Elementary School.

In addition, more than 100 crosswalk markings near schools are scheduled to be refreshed using a combination of city funds and school district safety levy funds.  

The projects support Olympia’s broader climate and transportation goals. The staff report identifies transportation as the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Thurston County, and emphasizes the need to reduce vehicle miles traveled to help Olympia achieve its goal of becoming a net-zero emissions city by 2040.  

Student participation  

Walk N Roll Ali Fuller representative highlighted the program’s efforts.  

“Our program increases independence, improves safety, and inspires a healthy lifestyle by making walking, biking, rolling, and riding public transit more accessible to people in our community,” said Fuller at the meeting.

She added the program currently supports six OSD schools through activities that vary from weekly events to monthly gatherings and annual celebrations. Participating elementary schools include Pioneer, Garfield and McLane.  

At Pioneer Elementary School, students have been participating in a weekly bike bus, allowing groups of students to ride to school together. The initiative continues to grow with support from the school’s Parent Teacher Association.  

Other Walk N Roll activities include bicycle safety checks, safety equipment distribution, visits from transit buses, and educational programs that teach students about pedestrian safety and public transportation.  

Olympia School District Superintendent Patrick Murphy welcomed the proclamation and recognized Intercity Transit, the Walk N Roll Program, City of Olympia and Thurston Regional Planning Council for continued support. The regional planning council provides recommended walking routes to schools, which families can access through the district’s website.  

He also highlighted educational opportunities that help students develop practical transportation skills, such as learning to ride public buses, practicing bicycle safety, and participating in school-based walking and biking activities.  

Murphy encouraged motorists to observe posted speed limits and exercise caution around schools, particularly when students and families are traveling to and from school.