GHSA and the National Road Safety Foundation awarded a $25,000 grant to the Idaho Office of Highway Safety to provide hands-on classroom bike instruction, specifically curated for Idaho's roads, in several communities.
In 2024, GHSA, in partnership with the National Road Safety Foundation (NRSF), awarded a $25,000 grant to The Idaho Office of Highway Safety (ID OHS) to partner with community-based organizations to develop and implement youth active transportation safety (YATS) initiatives focusing on safe walking, biking and/or scooting.
The ID OHS partnered with the Idaho Walk Bike Alliance (IWBA) to provide hands-on classroom instruction, specifically curated for Idaho's roads, in several communities. This project filled an educational void for middle and high school students by bridging the gap between K-6 Safe Routes to School programming and driver education and training. Students were taught about active transportation modes such as walking, biking and/or scooting, enabling them to access community resources more effectively and safely.
To prevent crashes involving students going to and from school, the IWBA developed a curriculum and hosted three classes in the fall with the Kootenai County Library, which reached 65 middle schoolers. The lesson plans are customized for each school and include classroom and practical elements.
The ID OHS' partner Boise Bicycle Project (BBP) conducted three community-based events that cumulatively served thousands of individuals.
The first was offered in partnership with the International Rescue Committee and the Idaho Department of Corrections. The BBP partnered with the South Boise Women's Correctional Center to teach incarcerated women the basics of bicycle mechanics in a unique workforce development program called Shifting Gears. Participants learned how to repair bikes and gain experience that can help them obtain a job post-release.
At the second event, the BBP worked with the International Rescue Committee to conduct a traffic safety garden for more than 20 refugee children living in transitional housing. The children rode bikes, some for the first time, in a safe, controlled environment where they could learn basic traffic safety skills and gain confidence in a fun way. The third traffic garden occurred at Taft Elementary School, which has a high percentage of free and reduced lunch and refugee children. The kids who needed interventions the most could learn and get their bikes fixed.
The ID HSO also supported a special Bicycle and Safety Hour traffic garden at the inaugural Open Streets Boise event held in Depot Bench on September 22. More than 6,000 people gathered for a car-free celebration that spanned over a mile of Latah Street. Local businesses, nonprofit agencies, artists and bicyclists celebrated their community while making new connections.
In addition to 10 community members affiliated with the Shifting Gears program, at least 10 active volunteers staffed each of the three events, with leadership provided by the BCC staff. The ID OHS also worked with the Safe Routes to School program, BBP, Idaho Smart Growth, and the Jerome and Lincoln County School Districts.
Creating a new program with funds from NRSF and GHSA allowed the ID OHS to innovate and collaborate in new ways. The collaborative culture and relationships they built helped set up a solid foundation for continued partnership as they work to make their roads safer for everyone.
