Treasure Valley Safe Routes to School is part of a federally funded initiative that teaches young people how to safely walk, bike and scooter (among other forms of wheeled transportation) in their neighborhoods and on the way to school. The local program operates in Ada and Canyon counties, including the Nampa, Caldwell, Vallivue, West Ada and Boise school districts.
SRTS collaborates with the districts and community centers to deliver in-class lessons, after-school bike clubs and summer camps, aiming to create confident, safe young riders.
Preventable Tragedies
An eight-year-old boy was hit by a vehicle while riding his bike on the Boise Bench in early July. He later died of his injuries.
This was the second bicycle-related death this summer after a Boise cyclist was killed by a car on June 13.
The incident highlights the need for better bike infrastructure and possibly lowering the speeds on roads like Nez Perce, where the July crash happened.
"Our after school bike programming happens at the community center, which is right there," said Lisa Brady, the program director with Treasure Valley Safe Routes to School. "What we know about that street is that the speeds are very high and that a project is coming, and it's not coming soon enough."
Brady said when a young person dies on the road, it's always a preventable death based on the people driving and how the roadway systems work.
Idaho Code 49-702 says, "whenever any vehicle is stopped at a marked or at an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection to permit a pedestrian to cross the highway, the driver of any other vehicle approaching from the rear shall not overtake and pass the stopped vehicle."
The intersection where the boy was hit was an unmarked crosswalk, and Brady said they are seeing blame placed on young people who may not fully understand the roads.
Bike Rodeos and Education
Bike rodeos are tools used across the United States to simulate real-world traffic situations to teach kids skills in a safe and controlled environment. Those skills include yielding, merging, navigating roundabouts, four way stops, braking and cornering.
"We have a lot of different stations or activities [in the bike rodeos.] We have a really cool tunnel system that we build," said Cody Goettl, one of the coordinators at Treasure Valley SRTS. "We do consequence ropes, which is kind of like you have to ride in the center of the ropes, because if you hit the outside the rope, the ropes will roll on you and it can make your wheels shoot out. And so that's been pretty fun to watch your kids' skills grow during those activities."
Treasure Valley SRTS also takes kids for a ride in their neighborhood after a couple in-person classes about bike safety.
"There was one student that told me this past year when we rode last time we rode by my house, and now I ride my bike to school because I know the route to get there," recalled Brady. "I think that's one of the most important lessons that I've learned in my work with Safe Routes is making sure that I recognize ... what are we teaching the kids around us? We're in their neighborhood. What have we noticed about their roadway system? What are the lights working like? Is there a point of advocacy that the kids can actually do, because their voices in these conversations that are bigger about how the road is actually formed can make a difference."
The bike rodeos help students transition from being nervous riders to competent and confident cyclists, prepared for road conditions.
Why Biking to School Matters
Biking to school can also offer multiple benefits to young people. Aside from being a form of physical activity, it has been shown to improve mental health and academic performance. Active commuting can help students focus better, feel less anxious and perform better on standardized tests.
"The proof is in the pudding for us when we're doing bike rodeos and bike training," said Brady. "During the ISATs that happen every spring, we have a couple schools that we specifically work in that they bring their kids out for a break during those big testing times, and we know that they're doing better. They've been coming out a little hangdog, and then they come back and are very excited and jazzed up, and they've been moving, which helps them do better on their test scores."
Biking to school also fosters community engagement by moving at "human pace," allowing for spontaneous interaction and stronger neighborhood ties.
"If kids are allowed to bike to school and bike around their neighborhoods, explore their communities, that's been proven time and time again to make them more successful as adults," said Goettl. "You allow them to make those mistakes and learn from those mistakes, because the biggest part of learning is making mistakes and what to do after you make those mistakes."
Knowing how to confidently navigate their known areas gives youth their first taste of freedom and independence, allowing them to explore, visit friends and engage in activities like fishing on the Boise River.
Safety Tips for Youth Cyclists
- Situational Awareness: Always scan surroundings — front, sides and behind. Use mirrors and be aware of obstacles like glass or debris.
- Use Hand Signals: Clearly signal turns and stops with proper hand gestures to communicate with drivers and other cyclists.
- Ride with Traffic: Always ride on the right side of the road, with traffic. Avoid riding against traffic—even on sidewalks—due to increased collision risks at intersections.
- Stay Visible & Predictable: Wear weather-appropriate clothing, stay hydrated and avoid riding during high-traffic times when possible.
- Understand Road Laws: Know that all intersections are legally crosswalks, even if unmarked, and both drivers and cyclists must respect that.
Driver Awareness & Responsibility
- Be Predictable, Not Polite: Drivers should follow traffic rules consistently rather than try to “be nice” by yielding unexpectedly, which confuses young riders.
- Give More Space: Although law requires three feet of space, this feels dangerously close at high speeds. Drivers should aim to give more space than required, especially near children.
- Watch for Kids and Cyclists:
- Children often don’t fully understand traffic patterns and assume drivers will stop for them.
- Drivers often operate on autopilot, especially in familiar areas, leading to situational blindness.
- Cyclists face hidden dangers (e.g., road debris, obstructions in bike lanes) and may need to maneuver unexpectedly.
Biking is more than just a means of transportation, it is a tool for health, independence and community building. Both drivers and bikers must work together to create safer streets through awareness, education and mutual respect.
You can read more information about Treasure Valley SRTS and their mission here.
