Four local high schools – one from Delta and three from Surrey – will take part in a pilot project to increase safety and reduce air pollution around schools.
The TransLink initiative, called TravelSmart to Secondary School, will involve Seaquam, Lord Tweedsmuir, Johnston Heights and Sullivan Heights secondaries.
At Seaquam, the school's environmental club, which is concerned about traffic congestion in front of the school, will spearhead the program. The group will analyze traffic patterns and will look to make meaningful changes to how students get to school, such as carpool programs and a walk-to-school buddy system with kids at nearby Cougar Canyon Elementary.
The TravelSmart program will also provide students at all the schools with skill building workshops such as campaign planning, public speaking, marketing, communications strategies, how to measure and evaluate success, and the like. Students will learn to become leaders, as they also develop their understanding of transportation concerns and options for going green.
TransLink hopes to extend the program for at least five years.