Sidewalks could curb childhood obesity problem
EDINBURG — Constructing more than 30 miles of sidewalks, redesigning crosswalks and installing bike racks at two dozen school campuses can aid the Edinburg school district’s efforts to curb childhood obesity, school officials said.
The $9 million in federal funding distributed to the school system through the Safe Routes to School Program will make walking and biking to school safer and more appealing for students, said district architect Robert Estrada, who put together the application for the grant money. But it can also be part of the school system’s effort to fight childhood obesity by improving school lunch diets and encouraging physical activity among its students.
About one in every three children in the United States is overweight or obese.
“Twenty years ago, everybody walked to school because parents knew it was safe,” Estrada said. “We’re hoping to improve those numbers for kids that might live in areas where they didn’t want to walk because there was traffic.”
Twenty-four Edinburg school campuses — nearly all of them elementary schools — will receive an average of $375,000 each to upgrade or construct sidewalks, improve crosswalks and traffic signals, and install bike racks.
The district’s $9 million award made up nearly 20 percent of the $54.1 million distributed to local communities throughout the state for educational programs and infrastructure improvements.
With the school system’s campuses spread out among Edinburg, McAllen and the unincorporated part of Hidalgo County, the two cities and the county partnered with the district in its grant application.
The school system’s proposal ties into overall plans by the city to make Edinburg a healthy living area for families, said City Manager Ramiro Garza. The University of Texas-Pan American has proposed a three-mile trail used for biking and jogging that loops around the campus, and the City Council is considering a request by an advisory board to add new bike lanes and adopt an ordinance that requires motorists to keep a safe distance when passing cyclists.
“Even though it benefits the school district, the funding does tie neighborhoods together with the schools,” Garza said. “It’s going to help us connect the school areas with what the city is trying to do.”
The funding comes amid first lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign, which aims to end childhood obesity within a generation by improving children’s access to a healthy diet and ensuring they meet physical activity guidelines.
The number of children who walk or bike to school has declined significantly since 1970 as the automobile has become the dominant form of transportation, said Mark Peña, the chairman of the Edinburg’s Environment Advisory Board and an advocate for pedestrian-friendly cities. More parents will allow their children to walk or bike to school if they can safely navigate the greater number of vehicles on the roadway.
Peña, a father of six, said sidewalks and crosswalks create a buffer zone that contributes to a safe environment. But until those safety features are added with the federal funding, he said, most parents will be reluctant to allow their children to take the healthy route to school.
“I wouldn’t even think of letting my children bike to school,” Peña said. “I’m hoping that we can get to someplace where our children can feel comfortable with walking or biking to school.”
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Jared Janes covers Hidalgo County government, Edinburg and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4424.
