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The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) joined students, families, and faculty today at Glenallan Elementary School in Silver Spring to host a celebratory event in honor of National Walk and Roll to School Day. The event was one of many across the nation to promote pedestrian safety and walkable communities and encourage active lifestyles.
The event was organized by MCDOT’s Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program as part of the County’s Vision Zero goal to end traffic deaths and serious injuries on our roads.
Participants included Montgomery County Council President Natali Fani-González; Councilmember Shebra Evans; MCDOT Director Chris Conklin; Vision Zero Coordinator Wade Holland; SRTS staff; County police officers; firefighters from the County Fire and Rescue Service; MCDOT’s Zeal the Safety Zebra mascot; Sparky, the Fire and Rescue Dog; and T-Recs, County Recreation’s mascot.
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“For many students, Walk and Roll to School Day is an opportunity to try walking or biking to school for the first time, and we hope they will choose to do so again,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “Through Safe Routes to School and Vision Zero, we have been building our infrastructure to make our roads safer for all users. Slower traffic, more pedestrian and bicycle pathways, and safer routes let children walk to school with confidence and give families peace of mind.”
Incorporating exercise into their daily routine helps students establish habits that promote a lifetime of healthier living. Regular physical activity not only reduces childhood obesity, but also improves concentration and memory, strengthens the immune system, improves sleep, and reduces stress.
“I want to thank the students, families, and educators of Glenallan Elementary for joining us on our safety walk this morning,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “Walking and biking are greener and healthier forms of transportation and can also be a lot of fun. We know about half of the students at Glenallan Elementary already walk or bike to school, and hope to encourage even more. We recently released our walkability audit for Glenallan Elementary, and are proposing safety measures designed to slow traffic, improve crosswalk safety, and ensure all walkways are ADA-compliant. MCDOT is committed to building safer streets near our schools to get more students outside and moving.”
The Glenallan Elementary School safety assessment report is available online.
The SRTS team is planning to study fifteen schools during the 2026-2027 school year. The list of schools selected for walkability studies, and a link to community input surveys, is available on the MCDOT SRTS website. The status of walkability studies for each MCPS school is available through the SRTS study status map. Pedestrian safety audits evaluate walkability within a one-mile radius of elementary schools, 1.5 miles of middle schools and a two-mile radius of high schools.
During the last fiscal year, which ran from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, MCDOT constructed approximately 5.5 miles of sidewalk, including three miles around schools under the SRTS.
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MCDOT partners in Bike and Roll to School Day include Montgomery County Department of Police, the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, and Montgomery County Public Schools.
To learn more about National Bike and Roll to School Day, visit walkbiketoschool.org for ideas and best practices from the National Center for Safe Routes to School. View photos of the event here.
For information on MCDOT programs and services, follow @MCDOTNow on X, Bluesky, Instagram, Facebook and subscribe to MCDOT’s “Go Montgomery!” newsletter.
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Read the original article at mcdot
