Transcript SRTS Infrastructure Projects Presentation

Louisiana Safe Routes
To
School Program
Infrastructure Projects
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Purpose
(Section 1404(b) of the legislation)
• To Enable And Encourage Children, Including
Those With Disabilities, To Walk And Bicycle To
School.
• To Make Bicycling And Walking To School A
Safer And More Appealing Transportation
Alternative, Thereby Encouraging A Healthy And
Active Lifestyle From An Early Age; And
Continued on next slide
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Purpose (Continued)
• To Facilitate The Planning,
Development And Implementation Of
Projects And Activities That Will
Improve Safety And Reduce Traffic,
Fuel Consumption, And Air Pollution
In The Vicinity Of Schools.
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Funding Categories
• INFRASTRUCTURE – Generally those
activities that involve the planning, design
and construction of physical improvements
• NON-INFRASTRUCTURE – Generally
those activities related to education and
the encouragement of walking and
bicycling to school as well as enforcement
and evaluation
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Guiding Principles
• Infrastructure is a prerequisite
• Relationships between all
components are everything
• Easy to implement, low cost solutions
should be implemented first
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Guiding Principles (cont.)
• Improvements requiring substantial
time and financial commitment are
identified and an implementation plan
developed
• Engineering treatments are matched
to the type of problem
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
SRTS Summary Goals
• Where it’s safe, get kids bicycling
and walking to school.
• Where it’s not safe, make the
changes necessary to make it
safe.
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Infrastructure Examples
• Sidewalk improvements (new, repairs,etc.)
• Traffic calming/speed reduction
improvements
• Pedestrian/bicycle crossing improvements
• On-street bicycle facilities
• Off-street bicycle/pedestrian facilities
• Bicycle parking facilities
• Traffic diversion improvements
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
La Infrastructure Examples
• Sidewalks, Bike/Ped. paths
• Pedestrian bridge renovation
• Flashing school zone lights
• Bike racks
• Crosswalks and signs
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Location
• State highway or local roads
• Must be within 2 miles of a primary or
middle school
• Must be public right of way
• Property acquisition must conform to
Federal requirements
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Engineering
• Creates safer
conditions for
walking and
bicycling
• Can influence the
way people
behave
West Valley City, UT
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
What’s wrong with this
picture?
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Engineering Tools Outline
• Develop a school route map
• The school zone
• Along the school route
• Crossing the street
• Slowing down traffic
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Identify Safe School Routes
• Develop a school route map
–Neighborhood Walk-abouts and
Bike-abouts
–Walking and Bicycling Audits
–Parent and student surveys
• Develop a school traffic control plan
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
School Route Maps
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
School Traffic Control Plan
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
The School Zone
• Signs and Pavement Markings
– MUTCD (http://mutcd.fhwa.dot)
– Yellow-Green school signs
• School Speed Limits
• In-street signing
• Other
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Along the School Route
• Safe and well designed facilities
– ADA requirements
• Sidewalks
– Guide for the Planning, Design, and
Pedestrian facilities (AASHTO)
Operation of
– Recommend 5’ width
• Bicycle facilities
– Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities
(AASHTO)
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Crossing the Street
• Identify good crossing locations
• Reduce crossing distances
• Use appropriate traffic controls
• Are Traffic volumes and/or speed a
safety problem
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Slowing Down Traffic
• Traffic calming
– Radar speed
displays
– Speed humps
– Other design
elements
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Engineering Considerations
• AASHTO Design Guides
• ADA Requirements
• DOTD Requirements
• Manual of Uniform Traffic Control
Devices (MUTCD)
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Summary of Solutions
• Sidewalks
• Signs and Markings
• Traffic calming/diversion
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
New Sidewalk Problems
• Drainage
– Piping ditches is expensive
• Right-of-Way
– Acquisition must conform to FHWA
requirements
• Utilities
– Relocation
– Adjustments
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Developing
a
Program
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Comprehensive SRTS Program
• The 5 E’s
–Engineering
–Education
–Encouragement
–Enforcement
–Evaluation
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Developing An SRTS Program
• Identify The Problem(s)
• Develop Solutions
– Infrastructure Improvements
– Non-Infrastructure Activities
• Estimate Cost
• Develop An Action Plan
• Develop An Evaluation Plan
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Problem Identification
“No spin – just the facts”
• Organize
• Assess Current Environment
• Assess Existing Infrastructure
• Identify Safety Problems
• Collect Data
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Organize
(Form A Team)
• SCHOOL (Principal, staff, student)
• LOCAL GOVERNMENT (Enforcement,
DPW, School Board, etc.)
• PARENTS (PTO, etc.)
• OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES
• ENGINEER (Traffic or other)
• CHAMPION (Someone who can keep
things moving)
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Assess Current Environment
• Identify students who:
– Currently walk or bike to school
– Take bus or driven to school
– Live within one or two miles of school
– Could potentially walk or bike
to school
• SRTS student and parent surveys
– See SRTS website
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Meadowview Elem.
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Assess Infrastructure
• Sidewalks, Paths, Etc
• Barriers
• Operational
• Other Problems
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Engineering Solutions
• First, consider low cost, easy to
implement solutions
• Identify and program longer-term
improvement needs
• Match the treatment to the problem
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Engineering Solutions (Cont.)
• Provide Safe Street Crossings
• Keep it simple
• Shorten crossing distances
• Carefully select crossing locations
and marked crosswalks
• Control Traffic Speed
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Identify Safety Problems
• Actual Safety Problems
• Perceived Safety Problems
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Actual Safety Problems
• Observations
– Around The School, Along The School Route,
Crossing The Street, Traffic Behavior Etc.
• Collect Data
– Crash Data From Local Police
– Crime Data
– Traffic volume and speed data
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Perceived Safety Problems
• Surveys
–Parents
–Children
• Types
–Traffic
–Crime
–Other
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Other Problems
• Weather
• Backpacks
• Too Far
• Etc.
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Identify Potential Solutions
• Improve Facilities
– Engineering
• Change Driver Behavior
– Engineering
– Enforcement
• Encourage Students/Parents
• Educate
– Students/Parents/Teachers
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Link The Solution/Problem
• Identify The Impact Of The Proposed
Solution In Regards To The Identified
Problem
– Increased Safety?
– More children walking/bicycling to school?
– Reduced speeds?
– Change in behavior?
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Develop Infrastructure Cost
Estimates
• Engineering
– Construction
– Operations
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Develop Non-infrastr. Cost
Estimates
• Encouragement
• Education
• Enforcement
• Evaluation
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Develop An Action Plan
• List All Identified Problems And Solutions
With The Cost Of Each
• Prioritize
• Develop A Time Frame For Accomplishing
• Identify Potential Source Of Funds For
Each
• Identify Steps To Put Plan Into Motion
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development
Summary
• A comprehensive strategy must be used to
achieve the goals of the program.
• The 5 E’s should be applied to solve
identified problems.
Louisiana Safe Routes to School Program
Department of Transportation and Development