Connections at MetroWest typically focuses on trips to and from work, but we don’t want the kids to be left out! Your children can get exercise and fresh air every day just by walking or riding their bikes to school. We’ve walked the streets of the area and determined the safest routes.
We’ve walked the streets of the area and determined the safest routes. It’s important to note that Google Maps offers different biking and walking directions than the ones that we have scoped out.
Schoolpool is the secure system that helps families carpool together, relieving traffic congestion during arrival and dismissal, alleviating bus driver shortages, and creating community within your school. It’s administered by Commuter Connections, part of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and provided for FREE to schools.
How it works: Families opt-in to a specific school’s Schoolpool program, using a link exclusive to each school. Once enrolled, families connect with nearby families or ones who live along the way to share the ride to school via carpooling, walking, biking, or riding METRO together.
Encourage your school to join Schoolpool by sending a quick email to your school principal! Copy and paste the text below to use our email template.
Dear Principal [Insert Name Here],
Please enroll our school in Schoolpool, the secure system that helps families share the ride to school. It’s administered by Commuter Connections, part of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.
School administrators love Schoolpool because it relieves traffic congestion around school during arrival and dismissal, helps alleviate bus driver shortages, and creates community within school. Commuter Connections provides the Schoolpool platform for FREE to schools; your responsibility is to regularly promote the program to families at school.
How it works: Families opt-in to a specific school’s Schoolpool program, using a link exclusive to each school. Once enrolled, families connect with nearby families or ones who live along the way to share the ride to school via carpooling, walking, biking, or riding METRO together.
Contact Commuter Connections at ridematching@mwcog.org and 800-745-7433 to learn more!
Sincerely,
[Insert Your Name]
Take the walkway to Vienna Metro Station. Walk across the bridge, then along the sidewalk beside the parking lot towards Virginia Center Blvd. Using the cross walk, go to the NE corner and then turn right continuing on Virginia. Keep walking until you come to Nutley Street SW, then cross over to the NE corner using the crosswalks. After Nutley, the road name becomes Marshall Road SW. Marshall Road Elementary will be on your right.
Take the walkway to Vienna Metro Station. Walk across the bridge, then along the sidewalk beside the parking lot towards Virginia Center Blvd. Turn left onto Virginia. Cross over Sutton Road using the crosswalks. Oakton High School is immediately in front of you.
Oakton High School offers bike parking by doors 16/17/18 near the cafeteria.
Due to the Middle School’s distance from MetroWest, we suggest carpooling.
Did you know that Vienna-area elementary schools were featured in a national case study for Walking Wednesdays, parent-led weekly initiatives to get more kids walking and biking to school? Get involved and organize your own group from MetroWest to your child’s school!
We know it gets tiring to drive your student to high school. But there are other reasons as well that it doesn’t make sense to rely on Kiss and Ride. Listen to this Fairfax County young adult about why to take the school bus or active transportation.
Fairfax County Public Schools has resources to help get started walking and biking to school. Get safety tips, participate in an upcoming Walk and Roll to School Day, or become a community champion. Learn more here.
Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) offers a resource library and technical assistance for local schools. Learn more here.