The most important reason to measure progress on your plan is to learn about what works so that you can optimize future investments of time and money.

Implementation of the plan will take years and will require funding. Tracking progress over the long run provides you and funding organizations with a measure of progress and rationale for continued investment in active transportation.

We recommend that the school conduct annual evaluations of the school travel plan. The plan itself should be updated on an ongoing basis, with a major update at least every six years. Your evaluation reports should be retained on file and forwarded to the Safe Routes to School program and school district or union administrative offices.

You can conduct annual evaluations as table-top exercises, but we encourage you to routinely conduct walking audits to check whether sidewalks, crosswalks, signage, bike lanes and other infrastructure are in good repair. Remember to take pictures.

The Goals, Objectives and Strategies form provides a convenient structure for measuring progress.

1) Note when specific objectives in your plan are accomplished. Examples include:

• When were cross walks built?
• When were sidewalks improved?
• When were bike racks installed?

2) Track active transportation statistics. Examples include:

• number and percent of students regularly
  • walking to school, bus stops and after school activities
  • bicycling to school and after school activities
  • riding the bus to school and after school activities
• number and location of crashes or injuries sustained by students while walking and bicycling to school and after school activities

3) Track the planning and implementation process. Examples include:

• activity of school transportation committee such as meetings and outreach
• school policy changes that support active transportation
• curriculum promoting walking and bicycle
• participation in annual walk and bike to school day
• participation of parents in active transportation programs
• coordination with local government and local organizations to promote healthy lifestyles