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Safe Routes to School

Improving Health, Safety and Transportation

Madison, WI

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc.

The need for Safe Routes to School

1. Fewer kids today walk and bike to school

2. Unintended consequences have resulted

3. SRTS programs are part of the solution


1. Fewer kids are biking and walking. More parents are driving.

2001: 16% walked

1969: 42% walked

(CDC, 2005)


Parents driving

Parents driving children to school: 20%-25% of morning traffic

(NHTSA 2003; Dept. of Environment)


What caused the shift?


School siting issues: A generation ago

Small schools

Located in community centers

(EPA, 2003)

Madison, WI


School siting issues: Today Mega-schools Built on edges of towns and cities


School consolidation has lengthened the trip between home and school


It’s not just distance

Students who live within 1 mile and walk or bike:

2001: 63% 1969: 87%

(CDC, 2005)

Madison, WI


Most common barriers to walking and bicycling to school

Long distances 62%

Traffic speeds/volume 30%

Adverse weather 19%

Fear of crime/danger 12%

Note: Sum of percentages is more than 100% because respondents could identify more than one barrier.

(CDC, 2005)


Traffic danger

Middleton, WI

Milwaukee, WI


Adverse weather

Howard’s Grove, WICentreville, VA


Fear of crime (both real and perceived)

Abandoned buildings

Other reasons

Individual community issues


2. The unintended consequences of less walking and bicycling

On the environment

On individual health


1996 Summer Olympic Games banned single occupant cars in downtown Atlanta

Atlanta, GA


Morning traffic – 23%

Peak ozone – 28%

Asthma-related events for kids – 42%

(Journal of the American Medical Association [JAMA], 2001)

Results of the ban


Engine Idling Reduces air quality

• Idling an engine produces 2X exhaust emissions as an engine in motion

Increases air pollution around the school right at the time when children are present

10 seconds of idling wastes more fuel than restarting the engine

Wastes moneyMadison, WI


Air quality

Measurably better around schools with more walkers and bicyclists

(EPA, 2003)

Chicago, IL


Physical inactivity

Most kids aren’t getting the physical activity they need

Recommended 60 minutes on most, preferably all, days of the week

(US Depts. of Health and Human Services and Agriculture, 2005)


U.S. youth overweight rates


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)


Good news!

Communities are taking action on behalf of children through Safe Routes to School

Phoenix, AZWinston-Salem, NC Alhambra, CA


3. Safe Routes to School programs are part of the solution…...to improve

walking and bicycling conditions

...to increase physical activity

...to decrease air pollution Dallas, TX


More benefits of SRTS programs

Reduce congestion around schools

Can lead to cost savings for schools(reduce need for “hazard” busing)

Others: increase child’s sense of freedom, help establish lifetime habits, teach pedestrian and bicyclist skills


Elements of SRTS programs

Education

Encouragement

Enforcement

Engineering

EvaluationMadison, WI


Education

Imparts safety skills

Creates safety awareness

Fosters life-long safety habits

Includes parents, neighbors and other drivers

Chicago, IL


Increases popularity of walking and bicycling

Is an easy way to start SRTS programs

Emphasizes fun

Encouragement

Elmhurst, IL


Enforcement

Increases awareness of pedestrians and bicyclists

Improves driver behavior

Helps children follow traffic rules

Denver, CO

Richmond, VA


Engineering

Creates safer conditions for walking and bicycling

Can influence the way people behave

West Valley City, UT


Evaluation

Is the program making a difference?


Federal Safe Routes to School program

$612 million to States 2005-2009

Funds infrastructure and non-infrastructure activities

Requires State SRTS Coordinators More information:

www.saferoutesinfo.org


Wisconsin’s program

Renee CallawaySRTS Program ManagerWisconsin Department of TransportationPO Box 7913, Madison, WI 53707-7913

Phone: (608) 266-3973Fax: (608) 266-0658Email: [email protected]


Safe Routes to School goals

Where it’s safe, get children walking and biking

Where it’s not safe, make changes

Winston-Salem, NCGreen Bay, WI


Your Safe Routes to School Plan

Your Safe Routes to School Plan will contain the following chapters:• Executive Summary• Introduction to SRTS• Present Conditions and Past Studies• Safety Issues and Routes• Study Recommendations• Developing a School Campaign


Timeline2007

• September: Meeting #1; data collection • September/October: Walking and Biking

Audits; Distribute and Collect Surveys• October: Continue Walk/Bike Audits;

Continue to Collect Surveys• November: Surveys Compiled; Meeting

#2; Develop Alternatives• December: Develop Alternatives


Timeline…

2008• January: Develop

Alternatives; Meeting #3; Start to Assemble Draft Plan

• February: Assemble Draft Plans

• March: Meeting #4; Finalize Document

• April: Finalize Documents; Delivery Safe Routes to School: Practice

and Promise (2004)


SRTS Audit

Purpose• To assess the

conditions of a ½ mile radius around each school as they relate to biking and walking

• Will help determine the recommendations in the plan

• Can be used to apply for infrastructure grants in 2008

• Grant requirement Volunteers needed!


SRTS Audit Team

Jack Hirt • Executive Director of

Bicycle Federation of WI• Involved in Safe Routes

to School planning and implementation since 2004

• Abilities include classroom instruction of bicycle and pedestrian safety, and facility design and planning for specific school sites

• Year-round bike and walk commuter


SRTS Audit Team

Jessica Wineberg • She currently bikes to

work everyday at the Bicycle Federation of WI

• She runs the largest Safe Routes to School program in the state with the Milwaukee Public Schools

• She is a League Cycling Instructor


SRTS Audit Team

Charley Weeth• Executive Director of

Wisconsin Walks• Years of experience with

pedestrian safety and access issues

• Avid walker and bicyclist, routinely out and about with his German Shepherds


Success!

The success of the plan depends on you• Talk to your

neighbors and friends

• Participate in the School Campaign

• Call your local papers

• Envision success!Madison WI


www.saferoutesinfo.org

http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/localgov/aid/saferoutes.htm

Websites

•Additional Information from the Wisconsin DOT includes:ApplicationsToolkitSurveysContactsLinks to additional information


http://www.saa-madison.com

Websites

•Additional Information from Schreiber/Anderson Associates includes:Introductory PacketSurveysContactsProject progress

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