AUGUSTA – The Bicycle Coalition of Maine and the Maine Department of Transportation are offering a free Safe Routes to School Leadership Training session from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, March 21, at the Pine Tree State Arboretum in Augusta.

Safe Routes to School is a statewide effort among Maine communities to increase bicycling and walking to school by improving transportation choices, safety and health. The training will focus on how to initiate and maintain a successful Safe Routes to School program in communities. It will also cover how to coordinate effective encouragement, education, and engineering measures to support increased walking and bicycling to school.

The training will also include a presentation on the 2005 Maine DOT Safe Routes to School construction funding available for improvement projects such as new sidewalks, trails, flashing school zone lights, improved road crossings, and bicycle lanes.

The training will cover proven education and encouragement techniques, as well as effective engineering tools.

The training is free and open to school personnel, parents, municipal staff, public health educators and the general public.

Space is limited to the first 90 people who register.

Lunch is included, and participants will receive a resource kit, including all training materials.

More information may be obtained by calling the Bicycle Coalition of Maine at (207) 623-4511 or sending e-mail to saferoutes@bikemaine.org. Registration information may be obtained on the Internet at www.bikemaine.org.

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