CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Cheyenne Metropolitan Planning Organization is seeking public input on its updated Safe Routes to School Plan. The plan focuses on improving safety for students and staff traveling to and from Cheyenne schools by foot, bicycle or other non-motorized methods, according to an announcement by the organization.
Three open house events are scheduled for next week to gather community feedback. The meetings will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on the following days:
- Tuesday, Sept. 10 at South High School, 1213 W. Allison Road (Commons Room 001)
- Wednesday, Sept. 11 at Central High School, 5500 Education Drive (Commons Room 175)
- Thursday, Sept. 12 at East High School, 2800 E. Pershing Blvd. (Cafeteria Room 236)
The Safe Routes to School Plan addresses traffic congestion, air quality and the health of students in Laramie County School District 1. The district includes 36 schools and serves over 14,000 students. Over 60% of students used bus transportation during the 2021–22 school year, while others walked, biked or were driven to school, according to the plan website.
The plan is part of ongoing efforts to update safety measures around Cheyenne schools as the area’s population grows. The updated plan will cover new schools and evaluate increased traffic. It also aims to improve specific sites and identify safe routes for students and staff.
The plan will use a set of strategies to improve safety and encourage more students to walk or bike. These strategies include engagement with the community, ensuring equity, improving infrastructure, promoting walking and biking, providing safety education and evaluating the effectiveness of the plan.
Public involvement will continue through workshops, school newsletters and surveys, with the project set to run until October 2024. Initial engagement efforts, conducted in November 2023, included public workshops, school visits and stakeholder meetings. Feedback from these sessions has helped identify barriers to walking and biking, and additional input will be gathered in fall 2024 to refine the plan.
For more information and to view the draft plan, the public can visit the MPO’s website.
