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Safe Routes to School

Safe Routes to School. Communities Putting Prevention to Work - 2010 Deb Hubsmith, Margo Pedroso and Wendi Kallins Safe Routes to School National Partnership www.saferoutespartnership.org. Credits. Thanks to those who provided images, slides and information for this presentation:

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Safe Routes to School

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  1. Safe Routes to School Communities Putting Prevention to Work - 2010 Deb Hubsmith, Margo Pedroso and Wendi Kallins Safe Routes to School National Partnership www.saferoutespartnership.org

  2. Credits Thanks to those who provided images, slides and information for this presentation: • Active Transportation Alliance: http://www.activetrans.org/ • Champaign-Urbana, IL • Decatur, GA • Feet First: http://feetfirst.info/ • Flagstaff AZ • Martinsburg WV • Marin County Bicycle Coalition www.saferoutestoschools.org • National Center for Safe Routes to School www.saferoutesinfo.org • New York City DOT http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot • Public Health Solutions: http://www.healthsolutions.org/ • TransForm: http://transformca.org/

  3. Encourage physical activity and make walking and bicycling safe ways to get to school Create cooperation with cities/counties and school districts to make policy changes and improvements to the built environment Safe Routes to School Programs and Policies

  4. Fewer children are walking and bicycling today • Walk and Bike • 1969, 48% (88% within 1 mile) • 2009,13% (38% within 1 mile)

  5. More Parents are Driving Parents driving their children to school can account for 20%-25% of morning rush hour traffic. (Parisi Associates; Melbourne Department of Infrastructure)

  6. The consequences of this…

  7. …instead of this can be alarming.

  8. Health Consequences Today’s children may be the first generation to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents

  9. Daily Physical Activity Facilitating safe walking and bicycling to school is an ideal strategy to increase physical activity

  10. Benefits to Health • Students who walk 1 mile to and from school get two-thirds of recommended levels of physical activity • Children who walk to school are more physically active throughout the day • Physically active children tend to have better academic achievement, enhanced concentration, better classroom behavior

  11. Federal Safe Routes to School program $800 million to States 2005-2010 Funds infrastructure projects and non-infrastructure activities Requires State SRTS Coordinators More than 6500 schools are currently being served

  12. Safe Routes to School National Partnership • Founded in 2005 • 500 organizations, agencies and schools • Changes policies at national, state and local levels • Provides best practices, technical assistance, and builds leadership www.saferoutespartnership.org

  13. 2010 Federal Obesity Task Force SRTS Recommendations • Sustaining the federal Safe Routes to School program; • Increasing opportunities to participate in Safe Routes to School; • Reducing the administrative burden for managing a Safe Routes to School grant; • Expanding the program to include high schools; and • Improving data collection and measurements of the impact of Safe Routes to School.

  14. SRTS Addresses Challenges and Health Equity • Distance to School • Traffic Safety • Fear of Liability • Stranger Danger • Personal Safety and Crime • School Policies

  15. Levels of SRTS • Community Wide Task Force: Coordinates overall efforts. Focuses on funding revenues, policy change, infrastructure, city staffing, community wide education, and media campaigns. This is the focus of the CPPW project. • School Teams: Every School is unique and needs its own team. Focuses on programs, policies and projects in the neighborhood and at the school.

  16. Jurisdiction-Wide Reach is Critical for Policy Change It’s important to staff your SRTS policy change work. Provide staff at the macro level (city/county and school district). Staff will: • Target Policies to Change • Provide Training for Locals • Coordinate City/School District Resources and Facilitate Cooperation • Find Long Term Funding • Develop Plans for Continuity

  17. Develop Your Task Force for Policy Change at the School District and/or City Level Buy-in and involvement of a range of partners is critical: • The Mayor and/or Board of Supervisors • City manager • City public works/engineering • Region’s MPO (coordinates transportation funding) • Local health and police departments • School district superintendent, transportation officials, principals and personnel such as school nurses and PE teachers • Community organizations, local businesses and advocates • Parents and students For a very large region including multiple counties and cities, you may need several task forces and one macro-organizing entity to bring them all together on issues related to funding and regional policy.

  18. How Do I “Sell” SRTS to Partners?Tailor the Message to your Audience School Officials • Research links physical activity to better classroom behavior and performance. • Eliminating 1 bus route saves approx. $37,000 per year—but can worsen congestion and safety without SRTS. • SRTS can increase walking/bicycling from 20 to 200%, reducing parent drop-offs and congestion.

  19. How Do I “Sell” SRTS to Partners?Tailor the Message to your Audience Traffic Engineers • Increases Funding for needed improvements • Collaborative Process can improve public relations Elected Officials • 20-25% of morning traffic can be parents driving children to school • Parent vehicles account for half of school trips between ¼ and ½ mile Law Enforcement • Promotes traffic safety for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists

  20. The Five “Es” of a SRTS Program • Evaluation • Education • Encouragement • Engineering • Enforcement Use your CPPW grant to develop jurisdiction-wide policies to advance physical activity and safety on the routes to school.

  21. Evaluation What are the barriers to walking/bicycling? Is the program making a difference?

  22. Develop policies to advance bicycle and pedestrian curriculum and safety programs district-wide. Teach safety skills Create safety and health awareness Include parents, neighbors and other drivers Education

  23. Advance policies through participation in events Emphasize the fun of walking and bicycling Hold events like Walk and Bike to School Days Organize Walking School Buses and Bike Trains Create Contests Encouragement

  24. Engineering Use policies to develop ongoing funding sources, zoning requirements and complete streets policies to improve the built environment Short Term: Signage Striping Visibility Long Term: Sidewalks and Paths Intersections Speed Control

  25. Enforcement Create Policies that Support Police Enforcement Around School Zones Develop Crossing Guard Policies Create Traffic Safety Campaigns Enhance personal safety

  26. Policy Initiatives: Health • Health & Transportation Policies (CDC recommendations) • Support laws and policies that: • Reduce injuries (such as distracted driver laws) • Improve air quality • Encourage healthy community design • Design to minimize adverse health and safety consequence • Require research and surveillance • Support professional development and job creation

  27. Policy Initiatives: Schools • School Policies • Wellness • Safety Education • Drop off/Pick up • Bicycling Policies • Promoting Active Transportation • Crossing Guards • School Siting • Joint Use

  28. Policy Initiatives: City/County • City/County Policies • Bike/Ped Master Plan and General Plans • Complete Streets • Non-motorized transportation goals in plans • Ongoing law enforcement • Lower speed limits around schools • Crossing Guards • Double fine zones to raise $ • Dedicated revenue sources for SRTS • Bicycle and pedestrian counts

  29. Policy Initiatives: State • State Policies: 20 States have Networks • Ensure quality implementation of SRTS in the state and equity in the distribution of funding • Support neighborhood schools through school siting and joint use policies • Complete Streets • Use Federal Safety Funding for walk/bike • Direct funds from speeding in school zones to safety and SRTS initiatives • Connect to wellness efforts • Encourage collaboration among agencies

  30. Policy Examples For CPPW Implementation of Safe Routes to School

  31. Assess the Current Situation Jurisdiction-Wide through SchoolBoard Policy • Student Tallies – Your Baseline (conduct twice each year) • Parent Surveys – Attitudes and barriers • Walk Audit - Identify trouble spots; engage city officials • Face to Face Communications – Community Concerns and Assets Evaluation

  32. The RTP is the guiding document for transportation spending in regions by regional government agencies such as Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs). Transportation 2035 Plan – San Francisco Bay Area A Billion for Bikes (over 25 years) Climate Initiative – SRTS ($17 million over first three years) Complete Streets check list for all federally funded projects Regional Network Project - SRTS National Partnership Atlanta, DC, Southern California Build a coalition of stakeholder agencies, organizations Work to influence the RTP to secure SRTS and related bike/ped funding, and complete streets policies Find out when and how your RTP is reviewed, and get involved! You could secure ongoing SRTS funding. Funding: Regional Transportation Plans (RTP)

  33. Transportation sales taxes can generate funds for community-wide SRTS programs and projects Usually done through a County transportation authority Sustainable source of revenue Requires local political and community support for SRTS – children’s safety polls high Funding: Transportation Sales Tax

  34. Example: Sales Tax • Alameda County, CA • Transportation Sales Tax funding for 20 years • Involves more than 50 schools • Partnership with TransForm (non-profit), County Health Department, and County Transportation Authority • Organizes Task Forces • Provides Engineering support • Coordinates Volunteer support • Provides Materials • Walking School Bus program • Curriculum and Teacher Training • Assemblies

  35. Reduces traffic speeds in neighborhoods, and increases safety for walking/bicycling Generates funds to use for SRTS programs and projects Funding: Fine Based and Traffic Calming

  36. Portland - Fine increase for moving violations funds SRTS State judicial regulation change, then Portland City Council approval Nearly $1M per year for Community and School Traffic Safety Partnership SRTS program receives half of these funds each year Up to 75 schools served Engineering led by City, other E’s led by nonprofit groups Washington state and Arizona have laws allowing double fines in school zones Usually local municipalities have to opt-in Funds go into a separate account, SRTS receives portion of funds Check with your local DOT traffic safety department, or state attorney general to learn how to establish a program Examples: Fine Based

  37. Zoning changes can encourage walking and bicycling and can be accomplished through ordinances or the general plan 20-minute walk Local policy can be based on the concept that residents should be able to get to schools, retail, transit and jobs within a 20-minute walk Collaborate with Schools Cities and Counties can pass policies around collaboration with schools on school siting to encourage community centered schools that support walking and bicycling Developer requirementsRequire developers to install sidewalks, bike lanes andcrosswalks as part of developments, and connectionsto area schools Zoning

  38. Neighborhood schools are close to where kids live, making walking and bicycling possible Community-centered schools should be policy of school board and state Local governments and residents should be part of school siting decisions Joint-use can be a good way to promote schools as center of community Manitowoc, Wisconsin - New School on a Small Site Community chose to build new on old site instead of mega school faraway Quotes: “Stunningly beautiful building” and “People love this school” Mesa, Arizona - New School in Inner City Large inner city population City had no available property for new elementary school Grocery store building used for new school Strip mall converted to alternative school School Siting

  39. Communities - cities, states and regions - should have a plan Plan development should include input from residents and community groups Plan development should include walk-abouts around schools to identify infrastructure needs Plan should be incorporated into the General/ Comprehensive plan General Plan should incorporate the bike/ped plan by reference and include goals such as 20% of trips made by walking/bicycling by the year 2020, all schools will be community centered where children can walk and bicycle, and complete streets policies Bicycle/Pedestrian Master Plans

  40. Seattle, Washington Plan goal is to make Seattle the most bike-friendly city in the nation, Plan is incorporated into Seattle Comprehensive Plan During the past two years, SDOT has extended the network of bicycle routes, lanes and trails, and improved bicycle safety. Long Beach, California Updating the City’s General Plan with active living policies and programs and amending the City’s Bicycle Master Plan Department of Public Works- Traffic and Transportation Bureau and Department of Development Services, City Planner and Health Department collaborate Using funds from regional government, SRTS state program and City resources Plan Examples

  41. Health Impact Assessment (HIA) New concept in US, but successful in other industrial nations for three decades Creates a blueprint for minimizing negative health impacts and maximizing health benefits Can help to guide local policies and improve walkability and bikeability of community Can lead to zoning, development, funding, school siting and other changes Decatur, Georgia Supportive city alderman partnered with city planner HIA was conducted to influence community transportation plan HIA became powerful tool for promoting active community concepts Led to policy, development and funding changes that have improved walkability and bikeability Health Impact Assessments

  42. Work with School Districts to create policies Match curriculum with state education standards for additional school/teacher buy-in Traffic safety lessons improve safety and encourage walking and bicycling Community-wide curriculum can help promote SRTS and ensure quality Partner with local content experts and law enforcement Curriculum: Traffic Safety

  43. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Funding from CPPW City partnered with Philadelphia Bicycle Coalition All 174 elementary schools will receive traffic safety lessons Portland, Oregon Funding from traffic fines City partnered with bicycle, pedestrian, medical and safety groups Each year 25 participating SRTS elementary schools receive bicycle, pedestrian and safety lessons Curriculum Examples

  44. Work with the City or County and School District to create policies to direct the efforts of law enforcement to assist children traveling to and from schools. School Resource Officers/Community Policing Get SRO’s to participate in walkabouts, school team meetings, community task force They are experts on local traffic issues, behaviors and can connect SRTS to police resources Graffiti abatement, stray dogs, abandoned houses These issue can prohibit SRTS Work with local advocates and police if these are present in your community Law Enforcement

  45. Engineering and Enforcement High speeds increase injuries: create policies to reduce speeds in school zones

  46. New York City Policy on Use of Federal SRTS funding DOT examined crash history 135 priority schools analyzed for safety improvements 100% of short term engineering improvements have been completed Remove Traffic Dangers

  47. You Can Do It! • Safe Route to School programs are increasing physical activity and safety • Safe Routes to School serves as a catalyst for other policy changes and improvements to the built environment • Safe Routes to School is popular and you can leverage additional resources for implementation

  48. For More Information www.saferoutespartnership.org for additional resources and to sign up for our monthly newsletter e-news!

  49. Discussion Questions • Any questions about the content we’ve covered today? • As you think about your plans for Safe Routes to School, do you see an alignment with the policy changes we’ve discussed today? • What might you think about doing differently after our discussion today? • Which of the policy issues we’ve discussed today seem the most workable for your community?

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