Sanislo parent Lisa Keith wishes it was easier for her second-grade son, Zach, to walk to school every day like she did growing up.

"I still remember walking to school and all the kids walking along the way, and my parents' admonition not to cut through the woods - we always did, anyway," said Keith.

Today, there are several factors that discourage the Keith's and many other families from walking to school. Near Sanislo Elementary School, located just off Delridge Way Southwest, there lacks one major walkable feature: sidewalks.

Keith lives about mile-and-a-half from Sanislo just off Delridge but leaves the house early with Zach a few times a week to make the trek on foot together. Sidewalks are non-existent at least half the route and there are none at all along 21st Avenue Southwest leading to the school.

Cars parked on the side of the street and puddles during the rainy season puts Keith and her son in the middle of the street for most of the 30-minute walk, "which doesn't always feel safe," she said.

"Lack of sidewalks is huge," said Keith. "Parents and kids don't feel safe walking in the street. Speeding cars don't help."

More than three decades ago, 66 percent of kindergarten-through-12th-grade students walked or biked to school, but that number has plummeted to just 16 percent, said Jen Cole, safe routes to school coordinator for the private non-profit Feet First.

"It has declined enormously," said Cole. "At the same time that has happened, childhood obesity has skyrocketed."

Feet First is working with three West Seattle schools, Sanislo, West Seattle Elementary and Denny Middle School, to promote a healthy lifestyle through biking and walking. It's funded by a $114,000 Washington State Department of Transportation Safe Routes to Schools grant.

The idea is to examine the walkability of a community, said Cole.

"Is it designed more for cars or people?" she said.

Typically, lower socio economic communities have the least infrastructure in place, like sidewalks, and the least walkability. Health issues like obesity and diabetes also tend to be disproportionately weighted against lower socio economic and minority communities, said Cole.

Based on a school survey, about 72 percent of Sanislo students arrive by private car. More than 100 cars come and go from the school per day, said Cole.

Parents cite many reasons for driving rather than walking. Families live farther away from schools now. Many families have two working parents and it's often faster and easier to just drop the children off.

Traffic safety is also a concern and so is "stranger danger."

"Most parents I know live with a certain degree of fear," Cole said.

With the decline of what used to be a consistent form of exercise, about 73 percent of youth are falling short of the Centers for Disease Control recommended exercise requirements, she said.

"I know that just walking to school meant at least 45 minutes of moderate physical activity five days a week when I was growing up," said Keith. "As walkability or the time to walk declines, I could believe it effects our kids."

Walking to school has benefits other than health and fitness, said Keith.

"You get to see your neighborhood and neighbors in a new way you feel more connected to your community," she said. "We live in a culture where people take their cars everywhere. Can we see walking to school not as a time consumer, but a relationship-builder as time spent with our kids or neighbors?

Keith hopes the walk-to-school initiative will start to change parent's attitudes about alternative transportation. Sanislo parents are already organizing car pools.

Part of the Feet First partnership with the schools includes $30,000 for infrastructure improvements. Cole recognized the money would not likely go very far given the high cost of engineering upgrades, but said it could help connect them to other city and county money, such as matching fund grants.

Seattle City Council woman Jan Drago visited Sanislo recently for an assembly to raise awareness of October as International Walk to School month. She also took a walk with staff, parents and children to identify safety concerns.

"It's a really mixed situation," said Drago, chair of the council's transportation and pedestrian safety committees.

Some areas are walkable, while others like along 16th Avenue Southwest are "really dangerous," she said. A set of stairs at the west end of the school between Sanislo and Delridge were used as a walking route, but the foliage has become too thick and needs pedestrian lighting.

Drago said she plans to submit a budget request to make those improvements.

"The council has a big priority for pedestrian safety, particularly around schools and transit stops," said Drago. "You can't expect people to walk if it's not safe."

Rebekah Schilperoort may be reached at 783.1244 or rebekahs@robinsonnews.com