In 2003, Patricia Parsons, a health promotion specialist for
Chronic Disease Prevention at the Benton County Health
Department, decided to implement a sustainable program to help
prevent childhood obesity. With the creation of two local Safe
Routes to School task forces two years later, Parsons and the
respectively urban and suburban towns of Corvallis and Philomath
in Benton County, Oregon, have implemented strategic SRTS
programs to increase safety and encouragement activities for the
various elementary and middle schools’ bicyclists and
pedestrians. These policy and environmental efforts encourage
physical activity and healthy eating, thereby working toward the
ultimate goal of decreasing childhood obesity. The SRTS task
force members in Corvallis and Philomath are the school district
assistant superintendent, the principals, city and county
Transportation Departments the school district planning
consultant, council members, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance
and the Corvallis and Philomath Police Departm