Safe Routes to Schools

•The 2002 Summary of Safe Routes to School Programs in the U.S.

•Prepared by Transportation Alternatives in conjunction with STPP. Available at STPP website: www.transact.org

•Common goal of all Safe Routes to School programs is to make walking or biking to school a safe and valued activity for children

The 2002 Summary of Safe Routes to School Programs in the U.S.

• Focuses on changes to the pedestrian and bicycle environment to promote safety, such as crosswalks, expanded sidewalks, traffic calming, and bicycle lanes and paths.

Models for Safe Routes to Schools

Engineering

The 2002 Summary of Safe Routes to School Programs in the U.S.

• Police enforcement of traffic laws around schools to change driver behavior that may endanger schoolchildren, such as speeding and reckless driving.

• Often implemented as short-term fixes after a child pedestrian fatality

Models for Safe Routes to Schools

Enforcement

The 2002 Summary of Safe Routes to School Programs in the U.S.

• Work with schoolchildren and their parents directly to foster interest and enthusiasm about walking to school, as well as promoting safe bicycling and walking behavior.

• Also may include community outreach process to identify facilities needs.

Models for Safe Routes to Schools

Encouragement/Education

The 2002 Summary of Safe Routes to School Programs in the U.S.

• The Dedicated Resource model is based on legislation that directs significant funding to Safe Routes to School programs at the local level.

Models for Safe Routes to Schools

Dedicated Resource model

The 2002 Summary of Safe Routes to School Programs in the U.S.

Combined approaches are most effective:

Creating a truly safe route to school requires a combination of engineering, encouragement and education, and dedicated resources

Models for Safe Routes to Schools

Safe Routes to Schools Model – Conclusion

2003 New Mexico Safe Routes to School Program

• Purpose/Intent: increase and make safer a student's ability to walk or ride a bicycle to school.

New Mexico Safe Routes to Schools - Use of funds:

a. installing sidewalks;b. painting crosswalks and other street and sidewalk

areas;c. installing traffic signals;d. making street improvements;e. providing lighting;f. providing bus shelters, particularly in isolated or rural

areas;g. cutting curbs for handicapped access; andh. other safety improvements;

Provide funding assistance to the state, counties and municipalities to identify school route hazards and implement engineering improvements, including:

New Mexico Safe Routes to Schools Program – Other Use of

Funds

• develop criteria, in conjunction with transportation department's bicycle, pedestrian and equestrian committee, school districts and law enforcement agencies and with input from parents, teachers and school administrators, to be used in evaluating the applications of the state, counties and municipalities for program funding

• include information about the safe routes to school program in public awareness campaigns about traffic safety."

California Safe Routes to Schools Program - History

• 1999 program created - $20 million per year • 2001 – 3 year extension • Scheduled to sunset on January 1, 2005• STPP California is now pursuing an extension

California Safe Routes to Schools Program – Purpose

a. Demonstrated needs of the applicant.b. Potential of the proposal for reducing child injuries and

fatalities.c. Potential of the proposal for encouraging increased

walking and bicycling among students.d. Identification of safety hazards.e. Identification of current and potential walking and

bicycling routes to school.f. Consultation and support for projects by school-based

associations, local traffic engineers, local elected officials, law enforcement agencies, and school officials.

Statewide competition sponsored by Caltrans in consultation with CHP that requires submission of proposals for funding and rates those proposals on all of the following factors:

California Safe Routes to Schools – Other Use of Funds

Costs for programs or activities related to education, enforcement or encouragement (3E) are eligible for reimbursement when those costs are related to the construction - limited to 10 percent of the construction cost.

Proposed Federal Program

June 18 - Congressman James L. Oberstar (D-MN introduces the Pedestrian and Cyclist Equity Act of 2003 (PACE)

Current proposed funding levels:

Senate: $70 million

House: $250 million

STPP Response to PACE

"The accident rate for pedestrians and bicyclists is disproportionately high, and we need to address this by investing in safe, convenient facilities for biking and walking," said Anne Canby, president of the Surface Transportation Policy Project.

 

STPP: The estimated annual cost of physical inactivity and obesity in the United States is approximately $117 billion

Allegheny County Program – Safe Kids

Walk This Way 2003

Allegheny County SafeKids Coalition

In Partnership with Federal Express

Walk This Way 2003:Project Statistics

3 City of Pittsburgh Elementary Schools

Sheraden Elementary - Annette Scott-Piper, Principal - 225 Students

Weil Technical Institute – Annette Shrager, Principal - 360 Students

Roosevelt Elementary - Vincent Lewandowski, Principal – 309 Students

Education & Promotion

• 150 Walker T-Shirts Provided to Walkers• 1000 Walkability Surveys Distributed• 1000 Pedestrian Safety Brochures Distributed• 1200 Reflective Wristbands (SafeKids)• 1500 – 2000 FedEX Promotional Items Distributed• 200 – Heart Healthy Breakfasts provided to Walkers

and Volunteers• Pedestrian Safety Presentations offered to all schools

Post Program(Conducted at ALL Schools)

• Breakfast Meeting with Walkers to summarize events

• Introduction of all WTW 2003 partners

• Discussion of all related student pedestrian safety issues

• Promise of “safety” report to ad hoc school pedestrian safety task force

Livable Indiana Neighborhood Connections (LINC)

In Partnership with Indiana County Office of Planning and Development & Indiana Area School District

Safe Routes to Schools•Started May 2002 - 1st Safe Routes to Schools Program in Pennsylvania•Funded by PennDOT 2002 Transportation Enhancements Program - $361,0000•One of several strategies to promote a walkable community, encourage greater physical activity, and enhance the quality of life in Indiana Borough•2003 – Governor’s Award for Local Govt. Excellence•CBS News coverage (included in PENNDOT FY 04 Budget press release)

Indiana County Livable Indiana Neighborhood

Connections (LINC)In Partnership with Indiana County Office of Planning

and Development and Indiana Area School District

Walking School Bus project

Volunteer program to encourage children to walk to school with adult supervision

Streetscape Improvements•Curb extensions and a pedestrian median at key locations along eight blocks on 5th Street corridor in Indiana Borough – links schools and main shopping district

Blairsville Improvement Group Projects – Linda Gwinn

Newly approved Main Street Program - emphasis is the revitalization of Downtown Blairsville 

Strategies include:

Enhance bicycle and pedestrian safety on local streets

Connect Blairsville’s urban trail hub on borough streets to regional trail network - Saltsburg, Indiana, Ebensburg

Brockway (Elk County) Healthy Eating and Increased Physical Activity Pilot Project

Department of Health – Tom Sexton – Harrisburg Rails to Trails Conservancy

•Walkability Assessment is one part of the project•Located at the Brockway Elementary School and specifically focused on obesity prevention for 4th and 5th graders. •Assessment of the physical and behavioral elements affecting the ability of students to walk or bicycle to and from school•Three-year project is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and funded by Center and Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)•Partnership for Healthy Communities -Dubois Regional Medical Center - local SHIP (State Health Improvement Plan) partner runs the project

Pennsylvania Program – Background/Overview

Governor’s Budget Address, Fiscal Year 2004-2005- February 3, 2004 includes Growing Greener II Initiative

Revitalize our older communities through DCED, DEP, PENNDOT & DCNR. 

Fund programs supporting brown field assessment and clean up, Main Street & Elm Street improvements, urban boulevards & safe routes to school, parks, greenways, and recreation facilities. 

Home Town Streets program to prioritize the repair, redesign and reconstruction of main streets, commercial corridors and major boulevards in our older communities as a way to support local revitalization plans.

$800 million from existing PENNDOT budget for Home Town Streets and Safe Routes to Schools.

Pennsylvania Safe Routes to Schools – Details

PennDOT will work with Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Rural Planning Organizations to have projects funded and programmed into the Transportation Improvement Program.

Eligible projects include sidewalk improvements, pedestrian/bicycle crossing improvements, on-street bicycle facilities, traffic diversion improvements, off-street bicycle facilities and traffic calming measures.