Safe Routes to School for Walkers and Bike-Riders
Due to the continuing bus driver shortage, we have expanded our walk zones (or “family responsibility zones.” The City of Charlottesville’s Safe Routes to School program works to support safe walking and bike-riding. Learn more and see walk/bike maps on the City of Charlottesville’s Safe Routes to School web page or our Transportation page.
Questions about Walking or Riding a Bike to Your School?
We encourage students to bike or walk to school. Students are responsible for their own safety. Elementary students in grade 1 and younger should be escorted to school; older elementary students should have a family letter on file giving permission for the child to walk/bike unattended. For specific questions about students walking or riding a bike to their local school, “Walking Wednesdays” or other school-wide programs, please call your school.
Walk/Bike Maps from the City’s Safe Routes to School Team
We have created maps with commonly used walking routes to our elementary schools and middle school (based on distance, sidewalks, and crossing guards), but there may be other routes that your family prefers.
Click on the links below for printable PDFs of our maps (you can also browse images of maps in the slideshow below):
- Burnley-Moran School Route Map (PDF) Revised 8/1/22
- Clark School Route Map (PDF) Revised 8/1/22
- Greenbrier School Route Map (PDF) Revised 8/1/22
- Jackson-Via School Route Map (PDF) Revised 8/1/22
- Johnson School Route Map (PDF) Revised 8/1/22
- Venable School Route Map (PDF) Revised 8/1/22
- Walker School Route Map (PDF) Revised 8/1/22
- Buford School Route Map (PDF) Revised 8/1/22
Please consider the following:
- On our maps, different colored lines show commonly used routes to school. Most routes have sidewalks, but areas with low neighborhood traffic (but no sidewalk) or areas where there is a brief stretch without a sidewalk may still be considered a good route.
- On our maps, orange stars are locations where we are planning to have a crossing guard. These include locations where we have had a guard in previous years as well as new locations identified by families, staff and community partners. We are CURRENTLY HIRING for these positions. We are hoping to add crossing guards to even more locations.
- Some routes may include walking across parking areas, and most routes cross driveways and entrances to homes and businesses. Point these out to your student as you are practicing the route to and from school.
- We recommend that students walk in groups and/or with at least one responsible adult, and consider visibility when choosing your route.
- For routes traveled by many elementary students (such as between Friendship Court and Clark), we are working out details for either staffed walking groups (“walking school buses”) or additional crossing guards along the path.
Have suggestions to improve these maps? Email walkzones@charlottesvilleschools.org