Transcript Safe Routes to School      First word is “Safe” Physical fitness. Reduced congestion. Clean air. A fun way to get to school.

Safe Routes to School
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First word is “Safe”
Physical fitness.
Reduced
congestion.
Clean air.
A fun way to get to
school.
The Problem is Obvious
Too Many Private Vehicles
School Buses Are Not the Issue:
Public Transportation for School
Systems
Too Much Congestion
No place to safely walk or ride a bicycle
Conflict Between Traffic and Arriving
Walkers and Cyclists on School Grounds
Environmental Consequences
High Costs of Gasoline: A Humorous Take
Copyright 2008 Mike Marland. Used with permission.
Serious Health Consequences
for a New Generation of
Children
U.S. Youth Overweight Rates
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(National Center for Health Statistics)
The survey reveals some new
information about the health of
children in New Hampshire.
One in three third graders (33%)
was above a healthy weight and
more boys (21%) than girls
(15%) were obese. The Healthy
People 2010 goal for childhood
obesity is 5% or below.
N.H. Health and Human Services,
Healthy Smiles–Healthy Growth Survey
Released 12/22/2009
Overweight children have an
increased risk of…
 Type 2 Diabetes
 Low self esteem
 Decreased physical functioning
 Obesity in adulthood
 Many other negative emotional & physical
effects
(Institute of Medicine, 2005)
CHICAGO (Reuters) Obesity-related diseases
account for nearly 10 percent
of all medical spending in the
United States or an estimated
$147 billion a year, U.S.
researchers said Monday.
July 28, 2009
Is it Safer to Drive Kids to
School?
Motor vehicle crashes are the
leading cause of death among
children ages 3 to 14
Safe Routes to School:
Part of the Solution
Getting Kids Outside and Active
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Background
A federal program
administered by the N.H.
Department of
Transportation.
SAFETEA-LU (Safe,
Accountable, Flexible,
Efficient Transportation
Equity Act: A Legacy for
Users).
100 percent
reimbursement for local
projects.
$1 million per year for six
years.
SRTS Task Force
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Identify barriers and
craft solutions.
Develop broad
community support
and involvement.
Schools,
municipality,
parents, children,
organizations.
The 5Es
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Evaluation
Education
Encouragement
Enforcement
Engineering
Non-infrastructure
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Surveys
Pedestrian and
bicycling safety
education
Encouragement
programs
Motorist education
and enforcement
Evaluation
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First step: In-class and
parental surveys.
Web-based system for
national database.
Map “connects the dots”
between neighborhoods
and schools.
Identify potential and
existing safe routes.
Walkability and bikeability
observations to confirm.
Surveys repeated to
determine effectiveness of
program.
Education
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How do children develop the skills to safely
navigate their home neighborhoods?
Training in pedestrian and bicycling safety.
Younger children need to learn to look left,
look right, look left.
Teach young cyclists the “rules of the road”
before they take driver’s education.
Bike Rodeos
Encouragement
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School and community
programs to support
walking and bike riding.
School assemblies.
Walking and riding clubs
with small rewards.
School Assemblies
Public Events
Escort Programs
Walking School Bus
Rolling Bike Train
Safety in numbers as we take
back our streets
Adult Supervision = Safety
October is International Walkto-School Month
Enforcement
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Role of local
police is
essential.
Speeding
motorists.
Failure to stop in
crosswalks.
Key safety
accessory: the
view of a blue
light in the rearview mirror.
Infrastructure
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Physical changes to
encourage walking
and biking
Sidewalks
Bike routes and bike
paths
Signs, signals and
stripes
Sidewalks
A Safe Route All the Way to School
Work With a Qualified
Professional Engineer
Can be a member of the public works
or highways department.
 If no engineer on staff, work with an
engineering consulting firm.
 Preliminary engineering: through the
bid process.
 Construction engineering: oversight
and inspection.
 Important to have accurate cost
estimates in application.
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First Projects On School
Campuses
First Projects on Public Roads
2011 Construction Season
Bike Paths and Shared Routes
Separate from Traffic
Full Bike Racks
A Sure Sign of Success
Competitive Funding
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Effective community planning leading to
comprehensive travel plan.
Task force with wide representation.
Application must document the home-toschool connection.
Cost-effective.
Creative solutions.
Special consideration for communities with
limited resources.
Three Types of Grants
Startup: Less than $5,000.
 Travel Plan: Up to $15,000 per school.
 General Grants: Comprehensive
program, can include infrastructure.
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Infrastructure Caps
$100,000 if no travel plan in place.
 $250,000 if supported by travel plan.
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Five Rounds of Funding
Round 1: Nearly $480,000 for 11
communities and 26 schools.
 Round 2: Appromimately$1 million for
24 communities and 40 schools.
 Round 3: Nearly $740,000 in general
grants for 14 schools in 8 communities.
 Round 4: Approximately $1.4 million to
12 communities and 20 schools.
 Round 5: Approximately $1 million to 13
communities and 21 schools.
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Round 6
Scheduled for fall 2012.
Details to be announced after July
meeting and comment period.
Start-ups and Travel Plan
More than $250,000 awarded
through initial grant rounds and offcycle.
 Don’t
wait. Start planning now.
 Make use of the rolling
application period for startups
and travel plans.
Arriving Safely
Alert and Ready to Learn