Cathy Thompson, who works as a school crossing guard, sets out with a group of neighborhood kids to inspect one of the potential walking routes to Conant Elementary School and Rundlett Middle School in Concord.

It didn't take the kids long to discover crumbling asphalt on a sidewalk tipdown. Making school routes accessable to children with disabilities is one of the goals of Safe Routes to School.

Another view of a crumbling section of sidewalk.

Even in communities that have extensive sidewalk networks, New Hampshire winters can be hard on the infrastructure on potential walking routes to schools.

Members of the Concord Safe Routes to School task force meet to compare notes after walking several potential routes to school and recording the conditions of sidewalks and street crossings.