State Assemblywoman Sandy Galef (D-Ossining) announced that a
law she sponsored to create a program called Safe Routes to
School went into effect April 1. (Ch. 444 of 2004). The law aims
to promote walking and bicycling to school and to make
conditions safer for children who choose these alternative
methods of transportation. "This is an exciting opportunity for
our children to get the exercise they need, while ensuring that
they stay safe on their way to and from school," Galef said. "It
is increasingly important to encourage our children to foster a
healthy lifestyle." The Safe Routes to School program aims to
promote safety for students walking or bicycling to school by
authorizing the State Transportation Department to provide
funding for crosswalks, sidewalks, bike lanes, and traffic
calming methods within two miles of a primary school and three
miles of a secondary school. Galef noted that a 1999-2002
National Health and Nutrition Examination survey found that an
estimated sixteen percent of children an