I have actually seen kids riding to school, when I was running in Concord center last year. It's flat and there are sidewalks. These kids knew what they were doing, too.
My neighborhood is on the other side of the highway from the schools the elementary and middle school kids go to. I can't figure this out, as the school I saw the kids riding to is closer.
I remember having to sign all kinds of releases when my younger son was in 6th grade and he wanted to ride to field day, which was about 3/4 a mile from our house (different town). When he got his first nice bike, at the end of 7th grade, I let him ride to school, which was about 5 miles away, and with sidewalks on the busy roads. I remember my neighbors being shocked, and probably another example of what a bad mom I was . About a year later, he was racing.