Alta has been part of the team working with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation since 2019 to deliver and support the statewide SRTS program. Our focus has been on bridging the gap between concepts and implementation, as well as developing the annual report. Over the past five years, our team has conducted a multi-year traffic garden research project, revised grant criteria to better align with equity goals, organized yearly webinars, revised infrastructure applicant scoring, created plans for a bike rack grant program, and developed marketing materials and educational resources for schools, parents, and students.
A focus on equity has been a consistent aspect of Alta’s contributions to MassDOT each year. As part of the annual report each year, Alta analyzes the data around how Massachusetts SRTS partner schools compare with all Massachusetts students in regard to five different equity indicators. Our team also conducted research to explore how equity issues are addressed in school districts across the U.S., identifying best practice case studies to feature in a webinar for participant guidance. This information is instrumental to ensuring the program continues to grow in ways that serve high-need populations.