By Special to the Town Crier

Something’s afoot at Los Altos schools. Walking to school is a trend again.

Yesterday, in a citywide demonstration of pedestrian and pedal power, Los Altos students took to the streets by foot, bike, walking school bus - anything but single-passenger car - and got themselves to school. They were part of International Walk-to-School Day, a global effort to encourage children to get more active and urge communities to take back neighborhoods for people on foot.

“We see this event as part of a multiyear effort to improve traffic safety and foster a more pedestrian-friendly campus,” noted Oak Avenue Elementary Principal Leslie Crane, who walked to school from her home in Sunnyvale. “On one of our schoolwide Walk-to-School days last year, about 90 percent of our students and staff walked or biked to school. We’re planning to make it a habit.”

In addition to the October event, Oak will host schoolwide Walk-to-School days on Dec. 4, March 21 and May 1.

The school will also institute Walking Wednesdays, encouraging the community to walk to school regularly.

The Los Altos City/Schools Traffic Committee found that vehicle congestion at school sites was the most critical problem. The solution is to address traffic safety issues and encourage more people to leave their cars at home, say representatives of Oak PTA’s Safe Routes to School Committee.

Oak parents are looking into improving the school commute with new sidewalks, bike lanes, all-weather paths and more, projects that will require city approval and funding.

“Three of the highest priorities are a bike path on the northwest side of Grant Road between Eureka and Oak, a bike lane for Truman Avenue between Fremont and Oak, and a bike lane for Oak Avenue between Grant and Truman,” said Jim Davidson, who sits on the Los Altos City/Schools Traffic Committee, as well as Oak’s Safe Routes to School Committee. “We hope Walk-to-School Day will generate a groundswell of support for these projects.”

Over two million children, parents, teachers and community leaders around the world were expected to participate yesterday.

Some, like 6-year-old Drew Corrigan, were simply in it for a good time.

“Will we get erasers again?” he wondered. Many others are hoping that it will be the beginning of permanent change in how communities accommodate pedestrians and cyclists.