Cupertino Safe Routes to School’s 100th Working Group meeting. Coordinators Chelsea Biklen and Birgit Werner are in the first row on the far left and far right, respectively.
Cupertino’s Safe Routes to School (SR2S) program recently received a Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Program grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), expanding traffic safety education for students across the city. The statewide OTS program aims to deliver traffic safety programs to prevent people from being killed and seriously injured. One of their ten Priority Program Areas is Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety, particularly focused on children and older adults.
According to the California OTS, pedestrians and bicyclists remain especially vulnerable on the road because they lack the protections available in vehicles. In response, OTS funds programs that teach traffic rules, safe transportation habits, and practical safety skills through community outreach and school-based education.
Need for the grant
The Cupertino SR2S team, led by coordinators Birgit Werner and Chelsea Biklen, first applied for the grant in 2024 but then received the grant after their 2025 application. The purpose of the grant is to expand Cupertino’s growing pedestrian and bicycle education efforts. While the city has previously piloted programs at select schools using local funding, those resources were not enough to provide instruction to all students districtwide.
Programs it will fund
Each program combines classroom instruction with hands-on practice. Students participate in activities such as walking field trips, bicycle skills courses, and neighborhood rides designed to build confidence and reinforce safe habits. Lessons use interactive methods, including videos, role-playing, music, and games, to help students remember key safety concepts.
The grant will fund programming at all 10 Cupertino elementary and middle schools. Programs include:
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pedestrian education for kindergarten and second-grade students
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bicycle education for fourth-graders
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after-school bicycle workshops for middle school students
The programs were designed to meet students at different stages of independence. Kindergarten instruction focuses on simple skills such as “stop, look, and listen,” while older students learn defensive biking techniques and real-world navigation skills. Middle school workshops are especially important as students begin traveling more independently to school and recreational activities. Werner, one of the SR2S coordinators, emphasized that:
The goal is not only to improve immediate pedestrian and bicycle safety but also to build long-term awareness and responsible transportation habits.
Because the programs reach students every two years, they reinforce consistent safety messages throughout childhood and adolescence.
Cupertino’s pedestrian and bicycle education efforts have grown significantly in recent years. With the support of the OTS grant, the city hopes to continue creating safer streets and encouraging active transportation for students and families throughout the community.