Topic

Routes to Schools

Getting to and from school safely in Alaska can be challenging. Even so, students and staff may want to walk or use other active transportation (such as bikes, skateboards, one-wheels, scooters, etc.) to get to school.

To help increase safety when walking or rolling to school, the MSB Planning Dept., Public Works Dept., School District, and the Alaska Dept. of Transportation are working together to identify recommended routes within about one-and-a-half miles from schools. The workgroup considers a variety of factors that contribute to safety when route maps are created. Factors may include: lighting, speed limits, pedestrian crossings, school zones, number of vehicles using the road, whether or not the pathway is separated from motorized vehicle traffic, etc. The team also provides recommendations for improvements that can increase the number of recommended routes for each school.

Starting with the release of public elementary school routes, the workgroup's goal is to get school route maps for all schools. Annual updates to routes, crossings, and school areas are planned to address changes within the walk zones. The public may also find maps at the MSB page, "Find My School", or at the MSB School District website.

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan (adopted 2023) and the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan (adopted 2025) include planning recommendations related to school routes (see sidebar under 'Plans').

Past Reports

In 2014, as part of a grant called, "Safe Routes to School", the MSB contracted with PDC, Inc. Engineers to complete a walk zone inventory for a one-half mile radius around MSB schools. The report provided recommendations to the MSB for improvements that could be made to pedestrian and bicycle routes with the goals of increasing the number of students walking or biking to school, improving safety around schools, and reducing traffic and air pollution near schools. The report was updated in 2017 when two new schools were constructed and one elementary school was relocated.