Beach Cities schools are back in session and that means thousands of tiny feet are once again pounding the pavement each morning as part of the Walking School Bus program. In fact, numbers indicate nearly 25 percent of elementary students in Redondo Beach are regularly walking to school – compared with just 11 percent nationally – and nearly all of Redondo Beach Unified School District’s 10,000 students live within walking or biking distance of school.

This marked uptick in foot traffic, coupled with 64 car crashes involving pedestrians or bicyclists near Redondo Beach schools from 2010 to 2013, is driving Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) to step out with a public safety campaign, aimed at motorists, pedestrians and cyclists alike, fittingly dubbed “Streets for All.”

Streets for All, which officially rolled out in September, focuses on spreading public education messages about street safety to residents of all ages and spotlighting the need for increased safety measures along highly-trafficked corridors like Prospect Avenue – which cuts through six school zones and impacts more than 5,500 Redondo Beach students on daily basis.

“As residents, we all share the responsibility to make Beach Cities streets safe for everyone, including those who use active transportation,” said Susan Burden, Beach Cities Health District CEO. “By creating safe spaces where people of all ages can walk, bike, scoot and stroll without fear, we put our entire community on the road to better health and safety. But we need the support and involvement of residents to make Streets for All a reality. That’s where the rubber meets the road.”

Local residents can get involved with the campaign in a variety of ways, including:

• Picking up a Streets for All lawn sign at BCHD (1200 Del Amo St., Redondo Beach) from 9–11 a.m. on either Sept. 30, Oct. 1 or Oct. 3
• Volunteering at the Streets for All Community Rally & Door-knocking Day on Oct. 1 from 9 – 11 a.m.
• Sharing Streets for All messages on social media using #StreetsForAll and tagging BCHD on Facebook (Beach Cities Health), Twitter (@BCHD) and Instagram (@BeachCitiesHealth)

For more information go to bchd.org/streetsforall or contact Tessa Dent at tessa.dent@bhcd.org or 310.374.3426, ext. 124.