Safe Routes and Sound Investments

So many good things have come about as a result of our "national fuel crisis:" e.g., more walking, bike-riding, car-pooling, hybrid-driving, and a genuine interest in alternative energy sources.

One of the best things to happen, as reported in today's WaPo, is that suburban school boards are rethinking their bus-every-kid-to-school policies. In Fairfax County, for example, children are not required to walk unless they live within 1 mile of their elementary school or 1.5 miles to their secondary school. And, in actuality, they aren't required to walk even that far if there is a safety problem with their route to school, such as a busy road that they would have to cross.

According to WaPo, Fairfax County has budgeted $8.4 million for fuel in fiscal 2009. That's $8.4 million of taxpayer money that will literally go up in smoke as the schoolbus fleet burns through all that fuel.

The good news, as I see it, is that high fuel costs will cause school districts everywhere to make permanent investments in safe routes to school. This will allow students to walk or bike safely to school, and it will allow school districts to increase the minimum walking distance in order to save on fuel costs. Of course, this would also strike a blow in the battle against childhood obesity.

We're headed in the right direction. Let's hope gas prices don't dip back into the $3 range too soon.