Transcript Safe Routes to Schools - Sustainable Pittsburgh

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.
Models for Safe Routes to Schools
Engineering
• Focuses on changes to the pedestrian and bicycle
environment to promote safety, such as crosswalks,
expanded sidewalks, traffic calming, and bicycle lanes
and paths.
The 2002 Summary of Safe Routes to
School Programs in the U.S.
Models for Safe Routes to Schools
Enforcement
• 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
The 2002 Summary of Safe Routes to
School Programs in the U.S.
Models for Safe Routes to Schools
Encouragement/Education
• 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.
The 2002 Summary of Safe Routes to
School Programs in the U.S.
Models for Safe Routes to Schools
Dedicated Resource model
• The Dedicated Resource model is based on legislation
that directs significant funding to Safe Routes to
School programs at the local level.
The 2002 Summary of Safe Routes to
School Programs in the U.S.
Models for Safe Routes to Schools
Safe Routes to Schools Model – Conclusion
Combined approaches are most effective:
Creating a truly safe route to school requires a
combination of engineering, encouragement and
education, and dedicated resources
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:
Provide funding assistance to the state, counties and
municipalities to identify school route hazards and
implement engineering improvements, including:
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; and
h. other safety improvements;
New Mexico Safe Routes to Schools
Program – Other Use of Funds
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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
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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
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:
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.
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
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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 2004-2005February 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, offstreet bicycle facilities and traffic calming measures.