2027 Update

Superior Area Safe Routes to School Plan

Creating safer options for students to walk, bike, ride the bus, or be dropped off at school.

The City of Superior, WI and the Duluth‑Superior Metropolitan Interstate Council are updating the 2005 Superior Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Plan.

Project Overview

The last SRTS plan for Superior-area schools is more than 20 years old. This updated plan broadens the focus beyond urban elementary and middle schools to include the district’s rural elementary school, the high school, and the University of Wisconsin–Superior.

It will refresh existing conditions data, identify current safety concerns, assess progress made since the 2005 plan, develop new recommendations, and outline any updated or newly proposed safe routes. View the 2005 plan

Which Schools are Included?

Public schools in the Superior School District

-Elementary schools (Bryant, Cooper, Four Corners, Great Lakes, Northern Lights)
-Superior Middle School
-Superior High School

Cathedral Elementary School
University of Wisconsin-Superior

Who is Involved?

The plan will be developed by a team of school stakeholders, elected officials, and technical staff. Parents, caregivers, students and community members will also be invited to participate in the process. Stakeholders generally include:

Principals
Family engagement coordinators
School Resource Officers
PTO representatives
School board members
Parents
Caregivers
Students
Elected officials
Community members
Planning and Engineering staff from the City of Superior, Douglas County, WisDOT and the MIC

See the tabs, below, for more information about SRTS and opportunities to get involved.

About the Project

Questions?

Connect with Us

Please reach out with your questions or feedback.

Eli Norlander

Transportation Planner

About Safe Routes to School (SRTS)
Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs use a comprehensive, multidisciplinary framework called the 6 Es to make walking and biking to school safer, more appealing, and more convenient for students.

By balancing infrastructure improvements with community education and encouragement, this approach can help to reduce traffic congestion, decrease vehicular emissions, and foster healthy habits.

Here is a breakdown of the 6 Es framework:

Evaluation
Evaluation helps understand the underlying issues that need to be addressed and understanding how the projects and programs of each of the other five “Es” can be most effective.

Education
Classes and activities that teach children (and their parents) bicycle, pedestrian and traffic safety skills, the benefits of bicycling and walking, the best routes to get to school, and the positive impacts these activities have on personal health and the environment.

Encouragement
Events and activities that spark interest in both parents and students in walking and biking to school. Encouragement programs reward participation, build excitement about walking and biking, and inform children and adults about the personal and community benefits of walking to school.

Equity
Equity ensures that SRTS initiatives benefit all demographic groups, with additional attention toward addressing barriers and ensuring safe and healthy outcomes for lower-income students, students of color, and others that face significant disparities.

Engagement
Listening to children, families, school staff and community partners to build creative, equitable, and meaningful engagement opportunities into the program structure.

Engineering
Infrastructure improvements (signage, crosswalks, signals, etc.) designed to improve the safety of people walking, bicycling, and driving along school routes.

The MIC and SRTS Plans
The MIC has helped develop many Safe Routes to School plans throughout the Twin Ports for over two decades. Most recently, MIC staff partnered with ARDC Planning to update the Duluth Public Schools Safe Routes to School Plan in 2026.