Press Releases - Department of Transportation

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, October 12, 2022

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) and Vision Zero Initiative today partnered for a celebration of the 25th Annual “Walk to School Day” with a fun-filled morning event at Wheaton Woods Elementary School in Rockville.

Elected officials and representatives including County Council President Gabe Albornoz, Vice President Evan Glass and Councilmembers Andrew Friedson and Will Jawando joined the County’s Department of Transportation Director Chris Conklin, Safe Routes to School staff, Vision Zero Coordinator Wade Holland, County police officers, Maryland-National Capital Park Police officers, firefighters from the Fire and Rescue Service and MCDOT’s Zeal the Safety Zebra mascot.

At the event, students and parents were greeted and encouraged to continue walking to school. Safety materials were distributed.

Wheaton Woods Elementary School is located at 4501 Faroe Place in Rockville. The event took place in front of the school with fanfare including balloons, music, games, giveaways, firetrucks and special guest Zeal.

“As part of our Vision Zero efforts, we will continue to invest in sidewalks, bicycle paths and public safety staffing including crossing guards, around our schools,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “Walking or biking to school is good for a student’s health, can help build community and reduces carbon emissions. This annual event is a good time to give walking a try.”

Walk to School Day is a national event that involves thousands of schools and communities celebrating walking and biking to school on the same day. It began in 1997 as a one-day event and has become part of a movement for year-round safe routes to school programs, highlighted by a special event each October.

Walk to School Day promotes health and safer routes for students to walk and bike to school. The County Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program supports the event as part of the County’s overall commitment to Vision Zero, which seeks to end traffic deaths and serious injuries on its roads.

Schools are encouraged to participate year-round in free programs and to sign up for resources, which are available through the MCDOT SRTS website at https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DOT-PedSafety/SRTS/home.html.

Portions of today’s event were streamed live on the @MCDOTNow Twitter and Facebook accounts.

For information on MCDOT programs and services visit montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot, follow @MCDOTNow on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram and subscribe to MCDOT's "Go Montgomery!" newsletter.

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Release ID: 22-121
Media Contact: Emily DeTitta, 240-372-2282