For the past three years, Alta has been proud to provide technical assistance to cities and schools across San Mateo County through the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) School Travel Fellowship Program. This partnership reflects a shared goal: to ensure students travel safely to and from school.
Most recently, Alta teamed up with the cities of San Mateo and South San Francisco to address safety challenges for students at Parkway Heights Middle School and Hillsdale High School. In the spring, Alta conducted walk audits with school staff, parents, and students to identify key barriers along school routes. These hands-on audits ensured that the insights of those who experience the commute firsthand informed the improvement plans.
Alta’s recommendations included program, policy, and infrastructure changes. But the project didn’t stop there—knowing that change takes time and resources, Alta worked with the cities and schools to implement temporary demonstration projects. These projects, built directly from the improvement plans, allowed the community to test high-priority solutions right away.
The demonstrations not only improved safety immediately but also provided valuable feedback for refining future permanent changes. By engaging the community and testing solutions in real time, the initiative is gaining the momentum needed to secure funding and long-term improvements. This collaborative approach ensures students have safer routes today—and lays the foundation for sustainable change tomorrow.