The Illinois Safe Routes Program 

The Illinois Safe Routes to School Program (SRTS) is administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). SRTS uses a multidisciplinary approach to improve conditions for students who walk or bike to school. The program has three main goals:

1. To enable and encourage children, including those with disabilities, to walk and bicycle to school
2. To make bicycling and walking to school a safer and more appealing transportation alternative, thereby encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle from an early age; and 
3. To facilitate the planning, development, and implementation of projects and activities that will improve safety and reduce traffic, fuel consumption, and air pollution in the vicinity (within 2 miles) of both public and private primary and middle schools (grades K-8).

Illinois Safe Routes to School funds both infrastructure improvements to the physical environment as well as non-infrastructure projects. Eligible project sponsors include schools and school districts, governmental entities and non-profit organizations. Projects may be organized on a variety of jurisdictional levels.

Key features of the Illinois SRTS Program include:

• Projects are funded at 100% with no local match required.
• Between 70% and 90% of funds will support infrastructure projects. 10% to 30% of funds will support non-infrastructure programs.
• All applications require an approved Illinois School Travel Plan
• Only those projects and programs included in the corresponding School Travel Plan are eligible for funding.
• Multiple projects may be applied for by a single Sponsoring Agency, using a single application.
• School Travel Plans and funding applications are accepted only through an online application process.