Rainbow Routes aims to get more kids walking to school

An organization that promotes bike and pedestrian safety in the city wants more Sudbury kids to walk to school.

On Wednesday the group organized a walk to one elementary school in the city to find the safest route so they can share the results with those who are worried the area is dangerous for walking.

The exercise was of particular interest to Mindy Amalfitano, who has two children who walk to Lansdowne Public School from nearby Antwerp Street.

While walking with them during the trial trek, she identified a dangerous area where the children have to cross a section of busy Kathleen Street and cars can’t be seen coming over a hill.

"Ideally I would like to see a crossing guard at the corner of Lansdowne and Kathleen," she said.

Amalfitano was accompanied by several other parents, a police officer, and Janet Evans who is a co-ordinator at Rainbow Routes.

Evans said the parents’ observations will be put in a report.

"We … were already able to talk to some people who are in charge of the crossing guards and we might be able to look at some changes right away," she said.

The city will also be given a copy of the report.

Evans said she hopes they will consider adding traffic lights and other infrastructure as needed. She said she’s been told parents have switched their children to different schools so they can be on a bus route so they don’t have to walk.

"If kids don't feel safe enough to walk in their own neighborhoods — so unsafe that they're switching schools — then that really identifies a larger problem," Evans said.