Village of Caldwell Safe Routes to School School Travel Plan Ohio Department of Transportation, District 10 May 31, 2012

Transcription

1 Village of Caldwell Safe Routes to School School Travel Plan Ohio Department of Transportation, District 10 May 31, 2012

2 Caldwell School Travel Plan (STP) Safe Routes to School Table of Contents Part 1: Section 1 The Safe Routes to School Team Section 2 Introduction Section 3 Public Input Process Section 4 Description of Schools Section 5 School Demographics Section 6 Current School Travel Environment Part 2: Section 7 Existing Conditions Section 8 Assessment of Crash Data Section 9 Improvement Suggestions Countermeasures Map School Walking Map Part 3: Section 10 Action Plan Section 11 Plan Endorsements Section 12 Supporting Documents

3 Caldwell School Travel Plan (STP) Safe Routes to School Part 1

4 Caldwell Elementary Travel Plan Safe Routes to School Program Written in cooperation with the Caldwell Exempted Village School District ADR & Associates, Ltd.

5 Section 1: The Safe Routes to School Team Team members of the core group for our SRTS program were recruited by Lowell Anderson who has served on Council and as Mayor for the Village of Caldwell. Mr. Anderson has also served as the Superintendant for Caldwell Exempted Village School District. All team members have a stake in encouraging Caldwell Elementary students to walk and ride bikes to school. The Caldwell Elementary Travel Plan Task Force: Local Government o o o o Lowell Anderson Village Council Engineering Madeline Watson Noble County Health Department Encouragement Shari Rayner Noble County Health Department Encouragement Denny Knowlton Caldwell Police Department Enforcement Caldwell Elementary o o o Chad Briggs Caldwell Elementary Principal Education Denitra Warner Caldwell Elementary Transportation Director Evaluation Ruth Nau Caldwell Elementary School Nurse Encouragement The Caldwell Elementary Travel Plan Primary Contact is: Lowell Anderson Caldwell Village Council 215 West Street Caldwell, OH Phone: (740) caldwellvillageclerk@hotmail.com 2

6 Section 2: Introduction Vision: Encourage children in the Caldwell Elementary School to walk or bike to school in a safe environment, thereby encouraging a healthier long term lifestyle. Caldwell Elementary School It is unofficial policy at Caldwell Elementary to discourage students from walking or biking to school. The proximity to several state routes and an interstate make any encouragement too risky in the eyes of the school s management. With the current state of pedestrian access to the school, that is certainly the correct decision. While close to the Village and having a walking path nearby, Caldwell Elementary is very isolated by roads with no pedestrian crossings and wooded areas with poor path access and lighting. With the proper support, however, school officials are eager to explore the possibilities of their students walking or biking to school. The Caldwell Exempted Village School District Wellness Policy states: The sequential, comprehensive physical education curriculum shall provide students with opportunities to learn, practice, and be assessed on developmentally appropriate knowledge, attitude and skills necessary to engage in lifelong, health-enhancing physical activity. That wellness objective is contradicted when students who live ¼ of a mile from the school are loaded up on a bus every day with no other option for transport available. While such contradiction may be necessary in view of the dangerous nature of traffic in the area, it is still a problem. The District s Wellness Policy goes on to state, The school shall provide information to families to encourage and assist them in their efforts to incorporate physical activity into their children s daily lives. The very next lettered point in the Policy says, The school shall encourage families and community organizations to institute programs that support physical activity of all sorts. These two quotes make it very clear that proposing or supporting a program with the goal of promoting walking and biking to school is very much in line with the District Wellness Policy. In fact, to not provide their support would be a violation of that Policy, as long as the program is working in the best interests of the students. Village of Caldwell The Village of Caldwell covers approximately one square mile of area, and is populated by roughly 2000 people. It is a tight-knit community situated in rural Ohio. The school is located just to the south of the Village, approximately half a mile from the densely laid out portion of the Village. Approximately 175 students at the school live within a mile of it, and an additional 100 live within two miles, making the layout of the community very 3

7 suitable to an SRTS program. The Village has some sidewalks in the downtown area, but it is not a comprehensive system, with poor road crossings and out of specification walk designs. Many of the existing walks are in need of repair. The Task Force chose a simple, descriptive name for the report. Members of the Task Force have been working hard to illustrate to the people of Caldwell that a comprehensive walking and biking program for the Village s children is a very real possibility, and so chose a focused and purposeful name for the report to reflect the nature of their work. The Caldwell Elementary Travel Plan only covers the Caldwell Elementary School, which accommodates grades K-8. In theory, the school also houses a Middle School, but the Elementary School Principal is head of both and all signage refers to Caldwell Elementary. Village / School Partnership The task force chose a simple, descriptive name for this report, Caldwell Elementary Travel Plan. The plan reflects data gathered by the task force over an extended period. The Village initiated a partnership with the School System to study current issues that inhibit students from walking/biking to school. Public meetings were held to determine what citizens perceived as issues in the community regarding student transportation modes, specifically walking/riding. Parent surveys were used to collect data on the current number and types of transportation utilized to get to and from the school. Section 6 will give details and summarizations of these results. 4

8 Section 3: Public Input Process The SRTS project in Caldwell had a lengthy gestation. Then-Mayor Lowell Anderson heard about the program in the second half of 2009 and began to look into establishing a task force to put together a school travel plan. Late in 2009, he contacted ADR & Associates to consult on the project and at that point the team started to come together. Caldwell s SRTS Task Force held their first meeting on February 17, During the meeting, representatives of ADR explained the process to the Task Force and made suggestions as to initial courses of action. Ideas for obtaining public input were exchanged and a few courses of action were decided upon, described later in this section. The meeting minutes are attached in the Appendices. The parent surveys were distributed via homework assignment over the next week, and the results were very eye-opening. Many parents were concerned about the distance their child would walk, and potential weather problems, but the vast majority of objections had to do with crime. Being near an interstate and next to several state routes, many parents were concerned that their children could easily fall victim to a crime, such as kidnapping. Overwhelmingly, this and the presence of the halfway house in Caldwell dominated comments. The Task Force discussed these issues in correspondence and decided to address these issues directly at the next meeting. Another form of public interaction was undertaken by the Health Department officials Madeline Watson and Shari Rayner, who spent the time between the kickoff meeting and the public meeting presenting the SRTS program. Armed with a 2-mile radius map of the school and some program information, they presented it to a number of organizations, including the Noble County Commissioners, who agreed wholeheartedly with the programs aims and goals. This information campaign has done wonders for the perception of the program in the Village, and will hopefully continue to do so. A public meeting was held by the Task Force on April 14, The meeting was well attended and citizen input was recorded for use later when specific ideas will be addressed with possible future solutions. These comments gave the task force a good idea of the perceptions of citizens with the Village. The biggest barrier identified was safety of the children traveling without adult supervision to school property. There appears to be much anxiety with citizens due to the proximity of 2 state highways and Interstate 77. Another barrier for parents involves an isolated wooded area nearby. Other areas of concern involve poorly marked street crossings and connection to some neighborhoods involves poor motorist visibility. 5

9 Policies and Programs in Place As mentioned before, Caldwell Elementary has no official policy regarding walking to school, but it is strongly discouraged by the faculty and staff of the school. Bicycling is allowed, but students must seek permission from the Principal to do so. No emphasis is placed on education programs, as students do not walk or bike to school. Speaking with the police chief, he and the Sherriff try to increase their presence right before school begins and as it lets out, but mostly to help with the traffic congestion that is caused by the school s position near a busy intersection. The task force feels additional manpower and safety devices may encourage more students to walk and bike to school. 6

10 Section 4: Description of Schools Caldwell Elementary is home to 630 students in grades K-8. Despite being a largely rural area, nearly 25% of its students live within a mile of the school and nearly 45% live within 2 miles. Some of these students face what may prove to be insurmountable obstacles, like passing under the Interstate, but many of these students could easily walk to school given the proper access. This SRTS program involves only Caldwell Elementary, which is actually home to Caldwell Exempted Village District s Elementary and Middle schools. It is situated directly south of the Village of Caldwell, just outside of the Village limits. Caldwell Elementary is definitely not a traditional school setting. South of the school is the intersection of County Road 56 and State Route 78, which has gas stations and convenience stores on each of its corners. To the west is the county fairgrounds, and then Interstate 77. To the east are the ball fields and a wooded area. County Road 56 is to the west of the school, and there is only one access to it. The school s parking lot stretches out to meet C.R. 56, with a smaller one on the east side for faculty. Physical Address: Caldwell Elementary School Fairground Road Caldwell, OH Hours of operation: M-F 9:00am to 4:30pm 7

11 Section 5: School Demographics Student Ethnicity State Ethnicity This School Average White 100% 78% Source: OH Dept. of Education, Student Subgroups This School State Average Economically disadvantaged students 40% 36% Students with disabilities 13% 14% Source: OH Dept. of Education, Attendance This School State Average Attendance rate 94% 94% Source: OH Dept. of Education, Note: This chart represents the best demographic data available; no breakdown by grade could be found. 8

12 Section 6: Current School Travel Environment The extent of Caldwell Elementary pedestrian safety features are two ancient 20 MPH School Speed Limit signs, with no flashers. Bus and parent traffic enters through the same small entrance and travels down to a large loop where children can find their way to the appropriate vehicle. There are multiple teachers and faculty on duty at all times during arrival and dismissal to ensure that this potentially dangerous environment does not cause injury or worse. The school does not employ any crossing guards, as there are no sidewalks on the road near the school. More than being dangerous to the children, this method of arrival and dismissal results in long lines to get into the school parking lot in the morning and afternoon, causing a massive traffic jam that lasts for up to a half hour when school begins and ends every day. It can be a very dangerous situation, because the nearby state highway is often blocked by said traffic jam. Because of this and the other issues described earlier in the report, the school unofficially discourages any non-motorized form of transit to the grounds. Even without such discouragement, it is very doubtful that any children would regularly walk or bike to school in the area. The infrastructure in the area is inadequate for such activity. There are no bike racks at the school, and while the rear of the school is positioned at the end of a walking trail, the lack of lighting, signage and security for the path, especially in the area between the village proper and the school, discourages parents from allowing their children to use it. This is unfortunate, as there is very little vehicle traffic at the rear of the school and students would not face much difficulty in entering the facility once on school property. The surveys themselves reveal that virtually none of the children arrive on foot or bike, ever. Instead they show the split between bussed and car-driven children. The following pages contain the Village s required survey results, wellness and busing policies, the radius map, a map of the school with a traffic pattern diagram, and the meeting announcements and minutes that went into the creation of this STP. 9

13 Caldwell School Travel Plan (STP) Safe Routes to School Part 2

14 Village of Caldwell Safe Routes to School Engineering Study Ohio Department of Transportation, District 10 November 22, 2011

15 Caldwell Engineering Study Safe Routes to School Executive Summary Purpose and Need The purpose of the Village of Caldwell Safe Routes to School Engineering Study is to identify and provide active transportation choices to and from school that will improve children s safety and promote healthy lifestyles. To accomplish this, the study needs to improve connectivity for pedestrians and bicyclists, enhance safety of existing infrastructure, and identify strategies beyond infrastructure to emphasize active transportation in students lives. Background The Caldwell Exempted School District and the Village of Caldwell want to encourage children to walk to school in a safe environment, thereby encouraging a healthier long-term lifestyle. Caldwell Elementary is located south of the built-up Village and therefore has limited pedestrian accommodations. With the proper support however, school officials are eager to explore the possibilities of their students walking or biking to school. A walking path was constructed two years ago that connects the south end of the downtown with the baseball fields adjacent to the school. This path is highly used by the adults in the community, but to date has not been utilized by students attending the school. Overview of Existing Conditions Caldwell Elementary School is located in the Village of Caldwell, the county seat of Noble County, Ohio. The elementary school serves kindergarten through eighth grade. The school currently has almost no walkers or bikers. The majority of students get to and from school by bus or car. Deficiencies, Countermeasures, & Costs Proposed countermeasures for the two schools include sidewalk and path construction, intersection safety enhancements, lighting enhancements, and other infrastructure improvements. Once a safe route is created to the schools from the rest of the community, the non-infrastructure measures can be effective at building and sustaining active transportation use among students. The costs associated with proposed infrastructure countermeasures for Caldwell Elementary School totals up to approximately $214,000. i TranSystems

16 Caldwell Engineering Study Safe Routes to School Table of Contents Executive Summary... i Existing Conditions... 1 Community and School District... 1 Caldwell Elementary... 1 Field Work/Walk Audit... 2 General Observations... 3 Assessment of Crash Data... 5 Improvement Suggestions... 6 Infrastructure... 6 Non-Infrastructure Appendices Appendix A Countermeasures Map Appendix B School Walking Map ii TranSystems

17 Caldwell Engineering Study Safe Routes to School Existing Conditions Community and School District The Village of Caldwell (population 2,000) covers approximately one square mile of area just northeast of the I- 77 and State Route (SR) 78 interchange in Noble County. The Caldwell Exempted School District stretches across a 150 square mile area in the southern two-thirds of Noble County and a portion of northern Washington County. Caldwell Elementary Caldwell Elementary School is located at Fairground Road (County Road 56) approximately half a mile south of the densely laid out portion of the Village. Caldwell Elementary is home to 550 students in grades K-8. South of the school is the intersection of Fairground Road and SR 78, which is immediately adjacent to I-77 and includes a number of gas stations, fast food restaurants, and convenience stores on each of its corners. To the west of the school is the county fairgrounds, and I-77 is further west. To the east are 1 TranSystems

18 Caldwell Engineering Study Safe Routes to School baseball fields and a wooded area which includes the recently constructed walking pathway that connects to the south end of downtown near the Village Hall. The only drive to the school is via Fairground Road. The drive empties into a large parking area. A second, much smaller parking area is located behind the school and includes both paved and gravel sections. The school does not provide busing to those students who reside within a ¼-mile of the school. This amounts to one residence along SR 78 just south of the school. Field Work/Walk Audit Current conditions within the Caldwell Exempted Village School District were inventoried for Caldwell Elementary School. This process included creating maps of the areas surrounding the school, meeting with the SRTS team leader, and completing a walk audit of the campus and surrounding walkable areas. On November 7, 2011, the consulting team met with Lowell Anderson (Village Council) and Alan Craig (ODOT District 10) for a brief meeting in the Village Hall to discuss Caldwell s work to date and future steps in the completion of the School Travel Plan. Following the meeting, Mr. Anderson led a driving tour showing the barriers to walking and biking in Caldwell. The walk audit was conducted later that afternoon to observe existing conditions as well as dismissal patterns. Attendees of the walk audit included Mr. Anderson, Principal Ken Phillips (Caldwell Elementary), and the consulting team of Ron Burkitt (New Day Consulting) and David Shipps (TranSystems). The consulting team also met with Madeline Watson and Shari Rayner of the Noble County Health Department. Dismissal appeared to be very orderly. There was no congestion either on the parking lot or at the entrance/exit of the school. The buses began arriving at 2:25 pm and had all lined up along the perimeter of the front parking lot by 2:40 pm. The children were loaded without incident and the buses left the school at 2:57 pm. Parental pick-up/drop-off occurs behind the building. The first parent arrived at 2:35 pm without much more traffic until 2:50 pm when more arrived. Mr. Phillips noted that the children who ride with parents must be personally picked up at the rear of the building after the buses have left. The consulting team observed between 40 and 50 family vehicles leave the property between 3:00 pm Walking path between the Village and the school Parent dismissal behind the school 2 TranSystems

19 Caldwell Engineering Study Safe Routes to School to 3:20 pm. This equates to 2.5 vehicles leaving the parking lot per minute and appeared to be very orderly. General Observations Parent Surveys and Travel Tally s were completed at Caldwell Elementary in March of Despite being a largely rural area, nearly 25% of the elementary school students live within a mile of the school and over 40% live within 2 miles, making the layout of the community very suitable for walking and biking. Approximately 65-75% of students currently get to and from school in a yellow bus, with the remainder utilizing a family vehicle. Some of the key observations in relation to walking and bicycling to Caldwell Elementary School include: It is unofficial policy at Caldwell Elementary to discourage students from walking or biking to school. The proximity to several state routes and an interstate make any encouragement too risky in the eyes of the school s management. The community and SRTS Team believe that Caldwell Elementary is very isolated by roads with no pedestrian crossings and wooded areas with poor path access and lighting. No emphasis is placed on education programs, as students do not walk or bike to school. Bicycling is allowed, but students must seek permission from the Principal to do so. The only bike rack is located behind the school and can hold approximately 6-10 bicycles. The major issues reported by parents that affect their decision to let kids walk or bike to school include: distance, speed and amount of traffic, weather, safety of crossings, crime, and lack of sidewalks. Principal Phillips stated that the school holds a training day early in the year for all students. This includes an assembly in the gymnasium to talk about bus safety and the general rules of the road. Fairground Road currently has two 20 MPH School Speed Limit signs with no beacons. The majority of the streets within the Village have sidewalks on one or both sides. Some of the sidewalks are in poor condition, but overall the walking environment appears to be safe. However, the Back side of school along with southern terminus of walking path 3 TranSystems

20 Caldwell Engineering Study Safe Routes to School sidewalks do not continue into the newer areas of the Village. As observed during the walk audit, bus and parent traffic enters through the same entrance and travels down to appropriate pick-up/drop-off locations. There are multiple teachers and faculty on duty at all times during arrival and dismissal to ensure that this potentially dangerous environment does not cause injury or worse. The school does not employ any crossing guards. School and local officials stated that the school arrival and dismissal can result in long lines to get into the school parking lot in the morning and afternoon, causing a traffic jam that lasts for up to a half hour when school begins and ends every day. Additionally, the intersection of Fairground Road and SR 78 can become blocked with school traffic. The consultant team did not witness considerable traffic; however, with only one entrance/exit along Fairground Road, any traffic problems could possibly create a gridlock scenario. The Village Police and County Sheriff attempt to increase their presence right before school begins and as it lets out, but mostly to help with the traffic congestion that is caused by the school s position near a busy intersection. The SRTS Team feels additional manpower and safety devices may encourage more students to walk and bike to school. The consultant team felt that the existing Village pedestrian facilities and the walking path provides a great way to get children from the Village to school. The walking path begins within the Village limits and ends at the rear of the school, bypassing the state routes that afflict the other pedestrian facilities. Existing sidewalks along Fairground Road just north of the school 4 TranSystems

21 Caldwell Engineering Study Safe Routes to School Assessment of Crash Data Ohio School Crash Statistics were provided by ODOT for This data shows that one bicycle crash occurred within a two-mile radius of the elementary school within the three-year period. The crash was located along Fairground Road just north of the SR 78 intersection. The crash did not result in an injury. The traffic volumes for roads near the schools were obtained from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and are shown in Table 1. In general, traffic volumes are relatively low, so they don t seem to be a major obstacle to active transportation in the community. Table 1: 24-Hour Traffic Volumes (ODOT) Location Volume (year) State Route 78 (at Fairground Rd) 6,850 (2011) State Route 821 (near Village Hall) 2,150 (2011) State Route 821 (at Railroad St) 2,360 (2011) 5 TranSystems

22 Caldwell Engineering Study Safe Routes to School Improvement Suggestions A comprehensive solutions strategy was developed consisting of general countermeasures for each of the 5 E s (Engineering, Encouragement, Education, Enforcement, and Evaluation). In general, the area north of Caldwell Elementary has good infrastructure for walking and bicycling. The Improvement Suggestions being made will help improve upon these existing conditions while providing suggestions for areas that lack sufficient infrastructure. After improvements are made, a concerted effort on the part of the school and parents will be necessary to encourage more walking and bicycling among students. A time frame has also been identified for each of the proposed countermeasures based on the estimated planning level costs for implementation. The different timeframes are as follows: Short Term Low Cost: $20,000 or below; Medium Term Medium Cost: $20,000 to $150,000; and Long Term High Cost: $150,000 or above. Infrastructure Sidewalks/Pathways Problem: There is an existing sidewalk surrounding the front parking lot of the school; however, it does not connect with the existing sidewalk along the east side of Fairground Road. Proposed Countermeasure 1: Install approximately 500 feet of sidewalk from the existing sidewalk along the north side of the parking lot to the northwest corner of the school property. The sidewalk would provide the shortest distance access between the existing sidewalks at the school and along Fairground Road. This could be constructed entirely on school property. Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Short Term Low Cost ($20,000) Proposed Countermeasure 2: Install approximately 200 feet of sidewalk along the north side of the school entrance drive to connect the existing school sidewalk to the Fairground Road sidewalk. This could be constructed entirely on school property. Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Short Term Low Cost ($8,000) Problem: The existing walking path terminates roughly 200 feet east of the school within a gravel parking lot that is used for parent pick-up/drop-off. The walking path needs to connect to one of the school entrances on the west side of the school. Proposed Countermeasure 1: Construct an approximately 450 foot extension of the existing walking path around the north side of the school to the entrance adjacent to the school playground. The path should be consistent with the design of the existing walking path, which was measured at 10 feet in width with asphalt used as the top layer. Where 6 TranSystems

23 Caldwell Engineering Study Safe Routes to School possible, the path should avoid the existing gravel lot to separate automobile and pedestrian traffic. This could be constructed entirely on school property. Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Short Term Low Cost ($20,000) Proposed Countermeasure 2: Continue the walking path to the west around the school playground and connect to the existing sidewalk along Fairground Road for a distance of 650 feet. The path should be consistent with the design of the existing walking path. This could be constructed entirely on school property. Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Medium Term Medium Cost ($26,000) Problem: The existing walking path loops just north of the water treatment facility that is located just south of downtown Caldwell. There are no sidewalks that children could safely use between the path and Main Street. Currently, children must either walk along narrow Railroad Street or walk through the gravel parking lot just north of the path. Proposed Countermeasure 1: Install approximately 600 feet of sidewalk from the existing walking path to the sidewalk along Main Street. Existing Railroad Street is very narrow and has limited right-of-way to construct a sidewalk making Main Street the better option. The property to the west of Railroad Street could be utilized. The sidewalk would almost certainly be located on private property requiring real estate acquisition or land donation. Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Medium Term Medium Cost ($24,000) Proposed Countermeasure 2: Railroad Street south of Main Street accesses the water treatment facility and apartments for retirees, so traffic volumes are extremely low. Railroad Street could be signed as a shared street (both pedestrians and vehicles). The surrounding properties and residents could be educated on when students may be using the roadway in the morning and afternoon to travel to and from school. Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Short Term Low Cost ($2,000 for signage and paint) Problem: There are no connections from the existing walking path to surrounding roadways (and sidewalks) within the Village. Proposed Countermeasure 1: Provide a connection between the walking path and Main Street in the vicinity of Lewis Street. The connection would likely require the installation of sidewalk (approximately 100 feet) from just north of the alley that runs parallel to the south of Main Street to the back of the property adjacent to a gravel parking area. From there, the connection should be constructed similar to the walking path (approximately 200 feet in length). There is a considerable slope down to Possible area for connection from Lewis Street to walking path 7 TranSystems

24 Caldwell Engineering Study Safe Routes to School the walking path; however, there are several locations where there is a gradual decline. The sidewalk and path would almost certainly be located on private property requiring real estate acquisition or land donation. Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Short Term Low Cost ($13,500) Proposed Countermeasure 2: The walking path is located just west of the existing Village Hall. There is a concentration of students who live to the east of SR 821 (West Street), but they would need a connection to the walking path. There is an underutilized parcel located between the Village Hall and the NAPA Auto Parts store on the west side of SR 821 in the vicinity of the Bridge Street intersection. A connection to the walking path could be provided for an approximate distance of 400 feet. Sidewalk would need to be constructed along the west side of SR 821 to reach the Bridge Street intersection and existing sidewalk to the north of the intersection (approximately 100 feet). The sidewalk and path would almost certainly be located on private property requiring real estate acquisition or land donation. Additionally, a crossing should be provided across SR 821 at the southern leg of the Bridge Street intersection. That includes installing ADA curb ramps, painting a ladderstyle crosswalk, and pedestrian crossing signage. Consideration should be given to providing flashing beacons to alert motorists of the potential for pedestrians. Looking north towards Village Hall (on the left) along SR 821 Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Medium Term Medium Cost ($36,500 $21,500 for path and sidewalk, $5,000 for ADA ramps, crosswalk paint, and signage, and $10,000 for two crossing beacons) Proposed Countermeasure 3: A connection between Fairground Road and the existing walking path should be provided just west of the water treatment plant. The path would be approximately 600 feet in length and should be consistent with the design of the existing walking path. The right-of-way has already been acquired for this pathway. It would provide access to students who live along Fairground Road and the properties to the north and west. Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Medium Term Medium Cost ($24,000) 8 TranSystems

25 Caldwell Engineering Study Safe Routes to School General Infrastructure Problem: Caldwell Elementary School does not have 20 MPH school zone beacons notifying drivers of the school zone along Fairground Road. Proposed Countermeasure: Install 20 MPH school zone beacons on Fairground Road at the property lines for the school. Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Medium Term Medium Cost ($25,000) Problem: There is no connection between the apartments at the northwest corner of the Fairground Road and CR 58 intersection to the sidewalk on the east side of Fairground Road. Proposed Countermeasure: Install ADA curb ramps on the northern leg of the intersection, paint a ladder-style crosswalk, construct approximately 100 feet of sidewalk, and include pedestrian crossing signage. Since the intersection is located at a curve in the road, consideration should be given to providing flashing beacons to alert motorists of the potential for pedestrians. Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Medium Term Medium Cost ($20,000 - $5,000 for sidewalks, $5,000 for ADA ramps, crosswalk paint, and signage, and $10,000 for two crossing beacons) Problem: The existing walking path traverses a wooded area that can be very dark in the morning during winter months and creates an unsafe condition. Proposed Countermeasure: Install lighting at various locations along the existing walking path. Where necessary, consider additional lighting with the construction of all new paths. All lighting should be lamp post style and solar powered. Costs for solar powered lamp posts vary greatly, but on average it is safe to assume $1,500 per post (including installation). The existing path would likely require 10 posts. Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Short Term Low Cost ($15,000) Problem: The elementary school only has a single bicycle rack located behind the school where there is considerable vehicular traffic. Proposed Countermeasure: The school should install new bike racks in a high visibility location at the entrance to the school, perhaps adjacent to the path extension on the northwest corner. Schools should ensure that bike storage exceeds demand at all times. When expanding or replacing bike storage in the future, the schools should consider U-style bicycle racks for durability and efficiency. Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Short Term Low Cost ($300 per rack; each parks two bikes) U-style bicycle rack (source: theparkcatalog.com) 9 TranSystems

26 Caldwell Engineering Study Safe Routes to School Non-Infrastructure Some of the infrastructure projects listed above will have to be implemented before more students can walk or bike to school. Without a safe path for non-motorized users to travel to school, it cannot be expected that more students will walk or bike. However, infrastructure is not enough. Even though over 25% of students live within one mile of the school campus, many families may not choose to have their children walk or bike even if safe routes exist. It can be difficult to try something new for the first time, and that includes changing the way children travel to school. Additionally, even after that first time of walking or biking, parents can be drawn back to driving by the allure of the automobile. After all, a 10-minute walk can be a two-minute drive. For this reason, non-infrastructure programs must become consistent parts of the school culture throughout each school, year after year. While driving may be easy, active transportation is economical and good for the environment. Most importantly, as rates of childhood obesity continue to increase, walking and biking are healthy. Incorporating walking and biking as normal parts of everyday life ensures that children get the exercise they need. Non-infrastructure programs such as encouragement and education can assist families in thinking about these issues and changing the transportation they use to and from school. Education Raise public awareness of safe non-motorized travel to and from school and promote positive prevention measures. The parents of school age children in the Caldwell School District have serious concerns regarding abduction and general crime. The aim of any educational program should be to build confidence in all those involved for the safety and security of the children. Walking Program: A walking program could be established to educate children on safe walking habits. This program should be developed around school curriculum and rewards could be provided for completing the program. School Walk-Smart routes have been produced that establish recommended travel routes in order to encourage walking to school by providing a safe and efficient route to school. School crossing guard locations, crosswalk locations, and existing intersection controls are provided to inform students and parents of area conditions. Walk- Smart route maps will be distributed to each student at each school in order to educate students and parents on the appropriate route to/from their school. Safety Town: The Village or School District could coordinate a Safety Town program every year for pre-kindergarten aged children. Through the program, children are taught a number of safety issues including pedestrian, bicycle, and bus safety. Encouraging, or even requiring, students to attend this before they begin kindergarten is a great way to get them to start learning pedestrian and bicycle safety from a young age. 10 TranSystems

27 Caldwell Engineering Study Safe Routes to School Bike Rodeo: A Bike Rodeo is usually a bicycle safety clinic featuring bicycle safety inspections and a short safety lecture about the rules of the road. This is followed by a ride on a miniature chalk street course set up in a parking lot where young cyclists are shown where and how to apply the rules. Optional activities include helmet fitting, prizes and drawings, and, in some cases, commercial activities such as booths set up by bicycle shops. The main focus of a bike rodeo is cycling safety for young cyclists from kindergarten to eighth grade. Rodeos are usually held a week or two after school is out for the summer. They are usually held on a Saturday in a large parking lot where a fairly large chalk course can be laid out with simulated streets, intersections, crosswalks, and stop signs. The participants are usually escorted through the course by knowledgeable adult cyclists who point out hazards and safety tips while explaining how to apply the rules of the road that were mentioned in the lecture. This initial lecture is best handled by local police officers, either assigned or volunteers, who are familiar with bicycle safety issues and who are cyclists themselves. These officers are frequently interested in participating in such events because they see crashes resulting from uneducated cyclists. Education & Encouragement Campaign: Have activities throughout the year at Caldwell Elementary to promote and encourage appropriate walking and bicycling behaviors to both students and parents. These events can be held during school hours as well as evening events that parents would be able to attend. Events can include: Walk to School Contests rewarding students who walk to school the most out of a classroom or from the whole school with extra credit or breakfast with a local celebrity. Frequent Walker Cards providing students with rewards from participating local retailers. Golden Sneakers award a prize that goes around the school at a chosen interval (weekly, monthly, etc) to the student or classroom who has walked the most miles or trips; additionally, golden sneakers markers can be used to mark preferred routes to school. Walk/Bike Across America students keep track of the distance they walk or bicycle (figured by mapping the route they take from their house or a drop-off point to the school) and at a certain time each week, the class adds up their collective mileage and map it to see how far they ve walked (teachers can incorporate lessons about the places their class has walked to). Classes can compete to see who has walked the farthest and the winning class can get a prize. Make sure to publicize all events in school newsletters, on the district s website, and even with the local media. There can even be a monthly column in the school newsletters and/or online detailing an SRTS event being held that month or just a key concept related to SRTS. 11 TranSystems

28 Caldwell Engineering Study Safe Routes to School Encouragement Provide safe and effective methods to promote active transportation. Walking School Bus: One way to encourage students to walk to school is by starting a walking school bus. The walking school bus is a group of children walking to school with one or more adults. The walking school bus can also take the form of a bicycle train with adults supervising children riding their bicycles to school. Walking school buses can be started by neighborhood parents and can grow to accommodate more students as interest grows. Adult supervision ensures a safer walk or bicycle ride to school for students while students benefit from exercise and fun with friends. For safety precautions, the Caldwell Police Department (or Noble County Sheriff s Office) can provide background checks and fingerprint all volunteers. Volunteers are provided with vests that identify them as drivers and utilize walkie-talkies or cell phones so they can coordinate with other volunteers or police officers. The volunteers can either go door to door to pick up children or stand at designated stations. To keep the drivers motivated and involved, they can receive small incentives throughout the year which could include gift certificates or other items donated by local businesses. The volunteers increase the eyes on the street and can quickly identify problem intersections and criminal activity. Walking/Biking days: Schools can establish a day of the week when walking and bicycling to school is especially encouraged and kids can walk to school with adult supervision. For example, every week on Wednesday, orange cones can be set up along the route to increase awareness to motor vehicle drivers that more kids will be walking this day and to highlight the path the students will be walking. Parents can be involved by volunteering to be assigned to a hazard area (street corner, street crossing, or slippery spot) or they can walk with their children to school. This is a great weekly walking event where kids can also spend more time with their parents. Information on the National Walk to School Day is available at Remote Drop-off/Pick-up Location: In situations where a majority of students are bused or are driven because they live far away, finding an alternative drop-off/pick-up location is a great idea. Buses and private vehicles can stop a few blocks away (up to a half mile) from the school in a parking lot that has safe pathways connecting to the school. Students are greeted by adult volunteers (parents, grandparents, community members, law enforcement officials, or teachers) who walk with the children the remaining way to school. The Caldwell Village Hall is approximately a half-mile from the school and the walking path provides direct access to the school. The school could recruit volunteers or perhaps parents would consider parking and walking with a group of students to/from school. The Village Hall has ample parking behind the building. 12 TranSystems

29 Caldwell Engineering Study Safe Routes to School Enforcement Prevent unsafe behaviors of drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists while reinforcing active travel behaviors. Enforcement countermeasures would potentially include the following measures: Provide a visible presence for enhanced behavior of drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists to deter dangerous activities. Periodically monitor the speeds of vehicles and enforce the speed limits, especially along Fairground Road in front of the school campus. Provide guidance/education to pedestrians and motorists on traffic laws and necessary safety measures to follow when in school zones. Deploy speed trailers to further assist in the education and enforcement of the speed limits in the vicinity of the schools. Provide classroom education on the rules of the road and safely getting to and from school. Patrolling in winter months to make sure citizens are keeping their sidewalks clear of snow and enforcing fines if they are not complying. The school zone enforcement and education is a countermeasure that is anticipated to be combined with other enforcement, education, engineering, and encouragement strategies that are a part of the overall school travel plan. Evaluation Provide annual evaluation of program effectiveness and improve partnerships between the school district (including the individual schools) and local agencies. Pedestrian/Bicycle Counts: Pedestrian and bicycle counts can be collected yearly through a School Travel Tally Sheet filled out by home room teachers. This process can be used after the proposed countermeasures have been implemented to see how much the number of walkers and bicyclists to school rises. Parent Surveys: Parent surveys were administered in March 2010 as one of the first steps of the School Travel Plan. To determine the effectiveness of any proposed countermeasure(s), follow-up surveys should be conducted yearly. The results of the surveys can identify which existing programs and/or designs require modification to address unmet needs. Specific focus should be placed on the type of measures that will increase a parent s perception of safety so they will allow or encourage their child to walk or bicycle to school. Speed Data and Traffic Infractions: The effectiveness of the proposed infrastructure countermeasures will be evaluated, in part, by the collection of speed data and traffic infractions. Speed counts will be conducted at or near locations where proposed countermeasures have been implemented and possibly where there is previous speed data, if available. Before and after data will be compared to determine possible benefits, such as lower traffic speeds and/or traffic volumes. 13 TranSystems

30 11!( 6!( 4a!( 4b!( 9!( 5!( 10!( 8!( 7!( 2!( 3!( 1!( Caldwell Elementary Caldwell Schools Proposed Countermeasures Map Feet ,000 I Proposed Beacon Æý Proposed Crosswalk Proposed Lighting! Proposed Bike Rack Walking Path Construction Sidewalk Construction Upgrade Signage Existing Walking Path è Traffic Signal 1/2 Mile Radius

31 School Walking Maps Description These maps are intended to be a resource for parents as well as school administrators to demonstrate the safest routes for children to walk or bike to/from school. It is important to note that the final choice falls in the hands of the parents of every student. Recommended Route these streets are recommended for children to walk or bike along due to the presence of sidewalks or other off-street pathways. Recommended Route with Caution these streets are low volume, low speed, residential streets without sidewalks/other pathways or they are high volume, high speed arterial streets with sidewalks/other pathways. In either case, these streets are recommended for children to walk or bike along with Caution. Discouraged Route these streets are not recommended for children to walk or bike to/from school since they have NO sidewalks or other off-street pathways. School Flasher approximate locations of 20 MPH school zone flashers. Traffic Signal locations of existing traffic signals. ½ Mile Radius this distance is roughly considered the furthest that children between Kindergarten and Eighth Grade will walk to school. It should take a child approximately 20 minutes to walk or 10 minutes to bike a ½ mile (times can vary depending on terrain and other stoppages).

32 èéëìí èéëìí èéëìí èéëìí ËÌ Caldwell Elem ËÌ èéëìí èéëìí Caldwell Schools Walking Map 1 inch = 1,000 feet Feet ,000 2,000 I Recommended Route Recommended Route with Caution Discouraged Route ËÌ 20 MPH School Zone Sign èéëìí Traffic Signal 1/2 Mile Radius

33 Caldwell School Travel Plan (STP) Safe Routes to School Part 3

34 Rank Strategy Type Strategy Detail Time Frame Responsible Party Status 1 Engineering 2 Engineering Add 450 feet to the existing walking path from the entrance near the playground, around the playground, and connecting to the sidewalk along the north side of the school drive/parking lot. Continue walking path for 650 feet from the existing path to the entrance near the school playground (on the northwest side of the school). Estimated Cost Possible Funding Source Percent of Students Affected Medium Term Village of Caldwell & Noble County Planning Stage $26,000 SRTS 80% Short Term Village of Caldwell & Noble County Planning Stage $20,000 SRTS 80% 3 Engineering Install new bicycle racks in highly visible locations at the school. Short Term Village of Caldwell & Noble County Planning Stage $2,000 SRTS 100% 4a Engineering Install 300 feet of sidewalk connecting the walking path and Main Street (near Lewis Street). Short Term Village of Caldwell Planning Stage $13,500 SRTS 40% 4b Engineering Install 400 feet of sidewalk connecting the walking path to the Village Hall; this also includes ADA ramps, crosswalks and appropriate signage. Medium Term Village of Caldwell Planning Stage $36,500 SRTS 40% 5 Engineering Install lighting at various locations along the existing walking path. Short Term Village of Caldwell & Noble County Planning Stage $15,000 SRTS 80% 6 Engineering Sign Railroad Street as a shared street (for both pedestrians and vehicles). Short Term Village of Caldwell Planning Stage $2,000 SRTS 70% 7 Engineering 8 Engineering Install 200 feet of sidewalk on school property (along the north side of the school entrance drive to the existing school sidewalk to the Fairground Road sidewalk). Install 500 feet of sidewalk on school property (from the existing sidewalk on the north side of the parking lot to the northwest corner of the property). Short Term Village of Caldwell & Noble County Planning Stage $8,000 SRTS 100% Short Term Village of Caldwell & Noble County Planning Stage $20,000 SRTS 10% 9 Engineering Install 600 feet of sidewalk connecting the walking path to Fairground Road. Medium Term Village of Caldwell Planning Stage $24,000 SRTS 50% 10 Engineering Install ADA curb ramps on the northern leg of the Fairground Road and CR 58 intersection, paint a ladder-style crosswalk, construct 100 feet of sidewalk, include pedestrian crossing signage, and provide flashing beacons. Engineering Action Plan Medium Term Village of Caldwell & Noble County Planning Stage $20,000 SRTS 10% 11 Engineering Install 600 feet of sidewalk from the existing walking path to the sidewalk along Main Street. Medium Term Village of Caldwell Planning Stage $24,000 SRTS 50% $211,000

35 Percent of Time Estimated Possible Funding Strategy Type Strategy Detail Responsible Party Status Students Frame Cost Source Affected Education Walking Program Short Term Caldwell School District Planning Stages Low Cost SRTS 100% Education Safety Town Medium Term Caldwell School District & Village of Caldwell Planning Stages Medium Cost SRTS 100% Education Bike Rodeo Medium Term Caldwell School District & Village of Caldwell Planning Stages Low Cost SRTS 100% Education & Encouragement Education & Encouragement Education & Encouragement Education & Encouragement Walk to school contests Short Term Caldwell School District Planning Stages Low Cost SRTS 100% Frequent walker cards Short Term Caldwell School District Planning Stages Low Cost SRTS 100% Golden sneakers award Short Term Caldwell School District Planning Stages Low Cost SRTS 100% Walk/bike across America Short Term Caldwell School District Planning Stages Low Cost SRTS 100% Encouragement Walking school bus Short Term Caldwell School District Planning Stages Low Cost SRTS 100% Encouragement Walking/Biking days Short Term Caldwell School District Planning Stages Low Cost SRTS 100% Encouragement Remote drop-off/pick-up location Medium Term Caldwell School District & Village of Caldwell Planning Stages Medium Cost SRTS 100% Enforcement Visible presence Short Term Caldwell Police Department/Noble County Sheriff s Office Planning Stages Low Cost SRTS 100% Enforcement Monitor speeds Medium Term Caldwell Police Department/Noble County Sheriff s Office Planning Stages Low Cost SRTS 100% Enforcement Education/guidance to pedestrians and motorists Medium Term Caldwell Police Department/Noble County Sheriff s Office Planning Stages Low Cost SRTS 100% Enforcement Speed trailors Medium Term Caldwell Police Department/Noble County Sheriff s Office Planning Stages Medium Cost SRTS 100% Caldwell Police Department/Noble County Sheriff s Office & Enforcement Rules of the road education in classroom Medium Term Caldwell School District Planning Stages Low Cost SRTS 100% Enforcement Monitor snow removal in winter Medium Term Village of Caldwell Planning Stages Low Cost SRTS 100% Evaluation Pedestrian/Bicycle counts Long Term Non-Engineering Action Plan Caldwell Police Department/Noble County Sheriff s Office & Caldwell School District Planning Stages Low Cost SRTS 100% Evaluation Parent follow-up surverys Long Term Caldwell School District Planning Stages Low Cost SRTS 100% Evaluation Speed data and traffic infractions Long Term Caldwell Police Department/Noble County Sheriff s Office Planning Stages Low Cost SRTS 100%

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60 policy..., , BOARD OF EDUCATION CALDWELL EXEMPTED VILLAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT OPERATIONS 8600/page 1 of 3 TRANSPORTATION It is the policy of the Board of Education to provide transportation for those students whose distance from their school makes this service necessary within the limitations established by State law. Such laws and rules shall govern any question not. covered by this policy. School buses shall be purchased, housed, and mm..lltained by the Board for the transportation of resident students between their home areas and the schools of the District to which they are assigned or to their nonpublic or community schools. The Superintendent may substitute smaller buses for reasons of economy or efficiency of operation. Children living beyond the following walking limits shall be entitled to bus transportation: A. Kindergarten in Morning and afternoon one (1) mile B. Grades 1 through 6 one (1) mile c. Grades 7 through 12 one (1) mile Exceptions to the foregoing limits may be made in the case of a temporarily or permanently-disabled child who has been so certified by a physician and in the case of adverse safety conditions. Transportation of eligible vocational or special education children between their home areas and schools outside the District shall be arranged through the use of Board-owned vehicles, through cooperation with other districts, through commercial cbrrie:rs, a..tldj or by other means in the most efficient and economical manner. Transportation to and from school shall be provided for each student residing in the District and attending a State-chartered nonpublic school that is located within the thirty (30) minute travel limitation established by State law on the same basis as established for resident students as set forth above. Chartered nonpublic school students who are transported by the Board may be assigned to ride on buses upon which resident students are also assigned..

61 policy BOARD OF EDUCATION OPERATIONS CALDWELL EXEMPTED VILLAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT 8600/page 2 of 3 Furthermore, transportation to and from school shall be provided for each student residing in the District and attending an approved community school. However, if that community school is located outside the District, transportation will only be provided consistent with the thirty (30) minute travel limitation established by State law. Students residing in the District and attending an approved community school located within the District will be provided transportation on the same basis as established for resident students set forth above. Students transported to an approved community school may be assigned to ride on buses upon which resident students are also a:;signed. Transportation of eligible nonpublic or community school children between their home areas and schools shall be arranged through the use of, District-owned vehicles, through cooperation with other districts, through commercial carriers, and/or by other means in the most efficient and economical manner. However, if the Board determines that said transportation is impracticable, then the parent(~l shall be provided payment-in-lieu of transportation at the amount established by State law, unless otherwise directed by action of the State Board of Education. Bus routes shall be established so that an authorized bus stop is available within reasonable walking distance of the home of every transported resident student. The Board shall approve the bus routes annually. The Superintendent is authorized to make any necessary changes in the approved route and shall inform the Board at the next regular meeting. The Board authorizes the installation and use of video recording devices in the school buses to assist the drivers in providing for the safety and well-being of the students while on a bus. Students meeting the Federal defmition of "homeless" will be transported from their temporary place of residence to their school of assignment, at the request of the parent, guardian or unaccompanied minor, to the same extent as all other students of the District and consistent with this Policy. If the homeless student's temporary residence is located outside the boundaries of the District, the Liaison for Homeless Children will coordinate with the Director of Transportation to contact the district in which the student temporarily resides to arrange for joint transportation of the student and to seek inter-district agreement on a method for apportioning the cost of such joint transportation. In no event will a homeless student be denied enrollment based on issues related to student transportation.

62 policy ~--, BOARD OF EDUCATION OPERATIONS CALDWELL EXEMPTED VILLAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT 8600/page 3 of 3 The Superintendent shall be responsible for developing and implementing appropriate administrative guidelines for this policy. R.C , , et seq., (F) R.C et seq. A.C ; et seq., U.S.C et seq. Revised 8/9/94 Revised 10/ 10/ 02

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66 Village. Of Caldwell 215 West Street ' Caldwell, Ohio OFFICE OF THE MAYOR Phone: (740) Fax: (740) April 14,2010 Steering Committee Public Meeting 3:30pm In Attendance: Nick Mill - ADR &Associates Chad Briggs- Principal, Caldwell Elementary School Denitra Warner - Transportation Coordinator Ruth Nau -"School Nurse Dennis Knowlton - Caldwell Police Chief Sherri Rayner - Noble Gounty Health Department Madelyn Watson - Noble county Health Department Lowell Anderson - Chairperson Mimutes of J"Ieeting Mr. Mill reported that 43% of school children live within a two mile radiu~ of the Caldwell Elementary School: Thus lending support for the development of a bicycle ~atb for Safe Routes To School. A discussion concerning the hilly terrain of the school district led to the safety issue of using bicycles as a mode of transportation by the students. It"was agreed that crossing guards would' be needed at heavily traveled roadways where bicyclist would be crossing the roadway. In addition, policing of the bicycle paths would be a parent concern for students traveling alone. Mr. Mi 11 suggested that we solicit letters of support for thi s,, project from businesses, corporations, government officials, merchants, etc. to be included in our application to Ohio Department of Transportation. In addition, it was agreed that a Suggestion Box for public comments be placed in the school office. There being no further business to come before the committee the meeting was adjourned at 4:30pm Respectfully submitted, ~~~ Lowell Anderson, Chairperson

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