ASHTABULA AREA SCHOOLS STP

Transcription

1 ASHTABULA AREA SCHOOLS STP SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL TRAVEL PLAN April 2013 OHIO SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL SCHOOL TRAVEL PLAN

2 SECTION 1: OUR SCHOOL/S 1A. Identify Target Schools School District School Name School Address Ashtabula Area City Schools Ashtabula Area City Schools Ashtabula Area City Schools Ashtabula Area City Schools Ashtabula Area City Schools Huron Primary School Ontario Primary School Michigan Primary School Erie Intermediate School Superior Intermediate School 2300 Wade Avenue Ashtabula, OH Wade Avenue Ashtabula, OH Wade Avenue Ashtabula, OH Wade Avenue Ashtabula, OH Wade Avenue Ashtabula, OH Grades Served K-3 K-3 K Your School s Students Average Daily Student Enrollment Black, non- Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native Asian or Pacific Islander Hispanic Multi- Racial White, non- Hispanic Economically Disadvantaged Limited English Proficient Students with Disabilities Migrant % 15.1% 12.5% 65.2% 76.7% 11.9% 13.9% % 12.2% 10.5% 65.8% 83.3% 5.5% 18.1% % 8.1% 11.2% 70.5% 77.9% 3.5% 20.5% % 9.1% 75.7% 71.0% 27.5% % 13.2% 14.8% 61.0% 77.1% 7.1% 18.8% Data from the Ohio Department of Health s A Report on the Body Mass Index of Ohio s Third Graders for Ashtabula Area City Schools is included in Appendix A. 1B. Community Stakeholders and the Safe Routes to School Team Education Representative: Name address 5 E Role: Patrick Colucci, AACS Superintendent Patrick.Colucci@neomin.org Education School Representatives: Name address 5 E Role: Dave Boyer, AACS Director of Operations David.Boyer@neomin.org Engineering 1

3 Community Representatives: Name address 5 E Role: Reji DiSalvatore, AACS Parent disalv@windstream.net Encouragement Local Government Representatives: Name address 5 E Role: Luciana Ratermann, Ashtabula Director of Planning & Community Development LRatermann@ashtabulacity.com Enforcement Augie Pugliese, Ashtabula City Council Jim Timonere, Ashtabula City Manager Brenda Sanders, Executive Assistant to the City Manager Norman Jepson, Saybrook Township Trustee jpugliese@windstream.net Jim@ashtabulacity.com BSanders@ashtabulacity.com NJepson@ccan.org Encouragement Evaluation Evaluation Engineering Health Representatives: Name address 5 E Role: Chris Seuffert, AACS Board of Education Christine.Seuffert@neomin.org Encouragement Public Safety Representatives: Name address 5 E Role: Bill Jepson, Ashtabula City Engineering Tech BJepson@ashtabulacity.com Engineering Terry Tulino, APD Resource Officer Terry.Tulino@neomin.org Enforcement 1C. The lead contact for our Plan is: Name: Jim Timonere Affiliation: Ashtabula City Manager Phone Number: address: Jim@ashtabulacity.com Mailing address: 4400 Main Avenue, Ashtabula, OH

4 SECTION 2: OUR VISION Our Vision: Successful programs benefit from the school and community working together toward a common vision. Vision statements can be a single statement, a list of goals or a short paragraph. There is no correct or incorrect vision statement. In 100 words or less, explain your team s vision for your program in the space below. The Ashtabula Team is striving to build Great Routes to Great Schools. They want to build an program that will bring the following goals to the Lakeside Elementary Campus, and the community as a whole: Provide active transportation routes to the Lakeside Elementary Campus. Unify a community of pedestrians who will use the sidewalks to reach the campus classrooms, playgrounds and walking areas. Allow for the addition of pedestrian safety infrastructure to ensure a safe active transportation experience. Improve community pride and encourage further investment in the depressed neighborhoods through which the routes will pass. Establish physical activity as the norm for students living within two miles of the campus. Continue the tradition of the Ashtabula Area City Schools students walking to their schools just as they did when the district had neighborhood schools. Improve walking and biking as a primary means to transportation to school, especially now that the district no longer buses students who live within two miles of the campus. 3

5 SECTION 3: CURRENT STUDENT TRAVEL Huron Primary, Ontario Primary, Michigan Primary, Erie Intermediate, and Superior Intermediate are all located on the Lakeside Elementary Campus and have been combined where necessary in this section. 3A. How many students live within walking and bicycling distance of school? Distances are cumulative; meaning that within a ½-mile of school would include students within a ¼-mile as well.) Lakeside Elementary Campus: Distance From School Number of Students % of Student Body Within a ¼-mile of school 5 0.2% Within a ½-mile of school % Within 1 mile of school % Within 2 miles of school 1, % Mapping student addresses. A map showing the school attendance boundary, school site and dots indicating where students live is included is Appendix B. 3B. How many students are currently walking and bicycling to school? What are the primary walking and bicycling routes? Lakeside Elementary Campus: Walk Bike School Bus Family Vehicle Carpool Public Transit Other Number of students morning trips) Number of students afternoon trips) Primary walking / bicycling routes 5% 0% 62% 29% 3% 0.5% 0.2% 6% 0% 67% 24% 2% 0.5% 0.2% Wade Avenue, Cemetery Road, West Avenue 3C. Are there any school or district policies that impact students walking or bicycling to school? District Bus Policies 4 Policy: In January 2013, the district busing policy was changed to bus only those students whom the state requires bussing be provided for. This means that K-8 students living two miles or less from their school are not provided transportation.

6 How it affects student travel modes 3-5 sentences): Since many students are no longer provided busing, it provides the need to find alternate means of transportation to get to and from school. School Travel Policies Policy: There are no additional school policies related to walking and bicycling. However, students at the primary schools grades K-3) are not encouraged to ride their bikes to school alone; in fact, there are no bicycle racks on the primary schools side of the campus. How it affects student travel modes 3-5 sentences): These students don t ride their bikes to school, nor are they taught the proper techniques for riding their bikes. 3D. School Arrival and Dismissal Process. Do school buses and parent vehicles use the same driveway for arrival and dismissal? Yes, all vehicles use the same driveway. No, there are separate driveways for family vehicles and school buses. Do all students use the same entrance to the school building in the morning? Yes, all students enter the building at the same location. No, students can use different entrances. Each of the buildings on the campus has one door that is used for students arriving by bus and another door for students who are dropped off by car. Are all students released at the same time during dismissal? Yes, all students are released at the same time. No, we use a staggered release process walkers are released first, bus riders second, etc.). Dismissal at the schools on the campus starts at 2:45 PM for students riding on buses; those who get picked up by car are dismissed slightly earlier and walkers are dismissed slightly later. Is school staff involved in either arrival or dismissal? Yes, we have school staff help students enter and exit the campus safely. No, school staff is not involved in either arrival or dismissal. School staff walk children to their respective buses in the afternoon and also help dismiss children to family vehicles. Are there any adult crossing guards located along student walking routes? Yes, we have at least one adult crossing guard that helps students on their walking routes. No, we do not have any adult crossing guards serving our school. An adult crossing guard is stationed along the Primary School drive near Huron Primary in the morning and at the Cemetery Road and Wade Avenue intersection in the afternoon. 5 Are there police officers that help with arrival or dismissal procedures at this school? Yes, we have at least one police officer helping direct traffic around our school. No we do not have police officers who help direct traffic around the school. At the beginning of the year, the police officers on campus help to direct traffic around

7 the campus. Later in the year, once drivers know the traffic pattern, officers are around to help out wherever needed, typically along Wade Avenue at the school drives. Are students involved in any arrival or dismissal process i.e. student safety patrol)? Yes, we have a student safety patrol. No, we do not have a student safety patrol. 3E. Parent Attitudes towards walking and biking. Using the Parent Survey Summary Data Report generated by the National Center for Safe Routes to School, indicate the top 5 reasons impacting the decisions of parents who currently DO NOT allow their children to walk or bicycle to school. Reasons for not allowing children to walk or bicycle to school: Distance. Amount of traffic along route. Speed of traffic along route. Safety of intersections and crossings. Violence or crime. 3F. Safety Issues and Concerns. Summarize traffic safety issues and concerns that are gathered anecdotally from the team, parents and the community at large. Record your summary in the space below in 100 words or less. Many parents feel that the location of the new school campus prohibits students walking to school, because of both the distance to the campus from many neighborhoods in the district and because they feel the area around the campus is unsafe. Parents also cited lack of sidewalk and lack of adult supervision as concerns with letting students walk. Relevant traffic crashes. There were 39 total crashes within the STP study area. The crashes resulted in 33 injuries and 2 fatalities. The number of crashes that involved bicycles was 20. The number of crashes that involved pedestrians was 19. 3G. Walking and bicycling encouragement activities at the school. Identify and describe activities at your school that support or encourage walking and bicycling. Activity Safety Town How it encourages walking or bicycling 1-3 sentences) This program teaches children the proper pedestrian behaviors such as techniques for crossing the street. The program was discontinued for the school year but will resume after this school year ) at the Lakeside Elementary campus. 6

8 SECTION 4: KEY ISSUES IMPACTING SAFE WALKING AND BICYCLING TO SCHOOL Top 5 Issues impacting student ability to safely walk or bicycle to your school. Issue/Description 1. Issue: The new Lakeside Elementary campus was recently built in a somewhat rural area making distance to the campus a concern. While over three-quarters of the students who attend the schools on the campus are within two miles of the campus, less than a quarter are within one mile of the campus. 2. Issue: Many parents feel that there are insufficient sidewalks and other pedestrian accommodations around the new school campus especially along Wade Avenue) and they don t feel safe letting them walk or bicycle along these routes. 3. Issue: Because of the young age of many of the children that attend the schools on the campus, many parents are uncomfortable letting their children walk or bicycle to school alone. This, in turn, means that many students do not know proper walking and bicycling behaviors. 4. Issue: A number of parents don t want to let their children walk to school because of the speeds and amounts of traffic along the routes they would take. 5. Issue: Many parents are concerned with the safety of the area surrounding the school and don t feel safe letting their children walk or bicycle alone through these areas. 7

9 SECTION 5: RECOMMENDED COUNTERMEASURES 5A. Non-infrastructure Countermeasure Recommendations For each E, list and describe strategies that your team has identified. In 1-2 sentences, explain the need or Issue, then briefly describe the countermeasure EDUCATION COUNTERMEASURES EDUCATION Issue Parents don t want their children walking or biking to school unsupervised. Parents don t want their children walking or biking to school unsupervised. Because children currently don t bike, they are unaware of proper biking behaviors. Parents feel the railroad crossings are unsafe. Parents don t want their children walking or biking to school unsupervised. Medium and long term strategies: 1. Countermeasure Train parents and educators about starting a Walking School Bus program through ODOT). Participate in Walk and Bike to School Days. Start a Bike Rodeo program for 2 nd /3 rd Grade students. Start an Operation Lifesaver program. Host a Meeting to inform parents/ neighbors/etc. about Ashtabula s Goals. ENCOURAGEMENT COUNTERMEASURES ENCOURAGEMENT Issue Parents don t want their children walking to school unsupervised. Countermeasure Start a Walking School Bus program. Parents don t want their children walking to school unsupervised. Provide students with Radio Frequency Identification RFID) tags so parents know their children have arrived at school. These can also be used for other encouragement activities like mileage clubs. Visit for more information.) Medium and long term strategies: 1. Develop mileage clubs which create competition between classes or grade levels based on how far they have walked. 8

10 ENFORCEMENT COUNTERMEASURES ENFORCEMENT Issue Parents are concerned with speeding along the routes to school. Parents are concerned with speeding and safety along the routes to school. Parents are concerned with safety along routes to school. Medium and long term strategies: 1. Countermeasure Enforce School Zone speed limits. Send an Adult Crossing Guard representative to ODOT s Adult School Crossing Guard Training Program. Enforce the removal of snow and other hazards and debris from sidewalks throughout the year. EVALUATION COUNTERMEASURES EVALUATION Issue Follow-up on program effectiveness. Follow-up on program effectiveness. Medium and long term strategies: 1. Countermeasure Conduct Parent Surveys yearly to track the program. Conduct Student Travel Tallies seasonally fall / winter / spring) to see when encouragement techniques should be further employed. 9

11 5B. 12-Month Non-Infrastructure Activity Calendar. Non-Infrastructure Countermeasure Nov 2013 Dec 2013 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Walking School Bus training. PLAN 10 Lead: Patrick Colucci, Education Participate in Walk and Bike to School Days. Lead: Patrick Colucci, Education Start a Bike Rodeo program for 2 nd / 3 rd Grade students. Lead: Patrick Colucci, Education Start an Operation Lifesaver program. Lead: Patrick Colucci, Education Host informational meeting. Lead: Patrick Colucci, Education Start Walking School Bus Program. Lead: Reji DiSalvatore, Encouragement Provide students with RFID tags. Lead: Chris Seuffert, Encouragement Enforce School Zone speed limits. Lead: Terry Tulino, Enforcement Send Adult Crossing Guards) to ODOT training. Lead: Luciana Ratermann, Enforcement IMPLEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENT

12 Non-Infrastructure Countermeasure Nov 2013 Dec 2013 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Enforce removal of hazards and debris from sidewalks year-round. PLAN Lead: Terry Tulino, Enforcement IMPLEMENT Conduct Parent Surveys yearly. PLAN Lead: Jim Timonere, Evaluation Conduct Student Travel Tallies seasonally. Lead: Jim Timonere, Evaluation IMPLEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENT 11

13 5C. Infrastructure Countermeasure Recommendations Map ID Location Issue Countermeasure Timeframe Priority Jurisdiction Responsible Estimated Cost Possible Funding Source Status A Lakeside Elementary Campus Lack of pedestrian Add approximately 360 feet of sidewalk on the east side of the bus drive from Wade Avenue to the existing sidewalk on the campus. Additionally, a ladderstyle crosswalk and ADA curb ramps should be added across this drive and an additional 160 feet of sidewalk should be added to connect to the existing sidewalk on the west side of the bus loop. Short Term High Ashtabula Area City Schools Medium Ashtabula Area City Schools B Lakeside Elementary Campus Lack of pedestrian Add approximately 340 feet of sidewalk on the west side of the Elementary drive from Wade Avenue to the existing sidewalk on the campus. Additionally, a ladder-style crosswalk and ADA curb ramps should be added across this drive to tie into the proposed sidewalk on Wade Avenue. Short Term High City of Ashtabula Low Ashtabula Area City Schools City of Ashtabula ODOT Sign Program C Huron, Ontario, and Michigan Primary Schools Lack of bicycle Install bike racks to properly store bikes during school days and effectively promote biking to and from school. Short Term High Ashtabula Area City Schools Low Ashtabula Area City Schools D Wade Avenue and Cemetery Road intersection Lack of pedestrian A ladder-style crosswalk and ADA curb ramps should be added across the eastern leg of the Wade Avenue and Cemetery Road intersection. Appropriate pedestrian crossing signage should be added along Wade Avenue. A 4-way Stop Analysis should be done at this intersection to determine is a STOP sign is appropriate at this location. If the sign is not warranted, flashing beacons should be included with the crossing signage.) Short Term High Ashtabula Area City Schools Medium Ashtabula Area City Schools ODOT Sign Program E Wade Avenue Lack of pedestrian Add approximately 900 feet of sidewalk along the south side of Wade Avenue on the existing school property) between the Elementary drive and Ohio Avenue. Short Term High City of Ashtabula Medium City of Ashtabula 12

14 Map ID Location Issue Countermeasure Timeframe Priority Jurisdiction Responsible Estimated Cost Possible Funding Source Status F Wade Avenue/W. 29 th Street and Ohio Avenue intersection Lack of pedestrian A ladder-style crosswalk and ADA curb ramps should be added across the southern leg of the Wade Avenue/W. 29 th Street and Ohio Avenue intersection. Appropriate pedestrian crossing signage should be added for this crossing. Short Term High City of Ashtabula Low City of Ashtabula ODOT Sign Program G W. 29 th Street Lack of pedestrian Add approximately 950 feet of sidewalk along the south side of W. 29 th Street between Ohio Avenue and Michigan Avenue. ADA curb ramps and ladderstyle crosswalks should be added at all cross streets as needed. Short Term High City of Ashtabula Medium City of Ashtabula H W. 29 th Street and Michigan Avenue intersection Lack of pedestrian A ladder-style crosswalk and ADA curb ramps should be added across the western leg of the W. 29 th Street and Michigan Avenue intersection. Appropriate pedestrian crossing signage should be added along W. 29 th Street. Short Term High City of Ashtabula Medium Ashtabula Area City Schools ODOT Sign Program I W. 29 th Street Lack of pedestrian Add approximately 1,520 feet of sidewalk along the south side of W. 29 th Street between Michigan Avenue and Griswold Road tying into the existing sidewalk at Griswold Road). ADA curb ramps and ladder-style crosswalks should be added at all cross streets as needed. Short Term High City of Ashtabula Medium City of Ashtabula J W. 29 th Street and Griswold Road intersection Lack of pedestrian A ladder-style crosswalk and ADA curb ramps should be added across the southern leg of the W. 29 th Street and Griswold Road intersection. Appropriate pedestrian crossing signage should be added for this crossing. Short Term High City of Ashtabula Low City of Ashtabula ODOT Sign Program K Griswold Road and West Avenue intersection Lack of pedestrian Add approximately 300 feet of sidewalk on the east side of Griswold Road, cutting diagonally from the intersection with W. 29 th Street to the intersection with West Avenue. ADA curb ramps should be added on the east side of Griswold at W. 29 th Street). Short Term High City of Ashtabula Low City of Ashtabula 13 L Cemetery Road Lack of pedestrian Add approximately 2,560 feet of sidewalk along the east side of Cemetery Road between Wade Avenue and W. 19 th Street / Carpenter Road. Short Term High City of Ashtabula / Saybrook Township Medium City of Ashtabula Saybrook Township

15 Map ID Location Issue Countermeasure Timeframe Priority Jurisdiction Responsible Estimated Cost Possible Funding Source Status M Cemetery Road Lack of pedestrian A ladder-style crosswalk and ADA curb ramps should be added across the northern leg of the Cemetery Road and Andrew Street intersection tying in with the existing and proposed sidewalk). Appropriate pedestrian crossing signage should be added along Cemetery Road. Short Term High City of Ashtabula / Saybrook Township Low City of Ashtabula Saybrook Township ODOT Sign Program N Cemetery Road and W. 19 th Street / Carpenter Road intersection Lack of pedestrian A ladder-style crosswalk and ADA curb ramps should be added across the eastern leg of the Cemetery Road and W. 19 th Street / Carpenter Road intersection. Appropriate pedestrian crossing signage with flashing beacons should be added along W. 19 th Street / Carpenter Road. Short Term High City of Ashtabula / Saybrook Township Medium City of Ashtabula Saybrook Township ODOT Sign Program O W. 19 th Street / Carpenter Road Lack of pedestrian Add approximately 1,250 feet of sidewalk along the north side of W. 19 th Street / Carpenter Road between Union Avenue and Myrtle Avenue. ADA curb ramps and ladder-style crosswalks should be added at all cross streets as needed. Short Term High City of Ashtabula Medium City of Ashtabula P W. 19 th Street / Carpenter Road Lack of pedestrian Add approximately 870 feet of sidewalk along the north side of W. 19 th Street / Carpenter Road between Myrtle Avenue and Ohio Avenue. ADA curb ramps and ladder-style crosswalks should be added at all cross streets as needed. Short Term High City of Ashtabula Medium City of Ashtabula Q W. 19 th Street / Carpenter Road Lack of pedestrian Add approximately 2,200 feet of sidewalk along the north side of W. 19 th Street / Carpenter Road between Ohio Avenue and West Avenue. ADA curb ramps and ladder-style crosswalks should be added at all cross streets as needed. Medium Term High City of Ashtabula Medium City of Ashtabula R West Avenue and W. 38 th Street intersection Poor pedestrian Improve the crossing at this location by restriping the crosswalks in the ladderstyle and adding pedestrian countdown timers. Appropriate pedestrian crossing signage should be added on West Avenue. Additionally, ADA curb ramps should be added where needed. Short Term High City of Ashtabula Low City of Ashtabula ODOT Sign Program 14

16 Map ID Location Issue Countermeasure Timeframe Priority Jurisdiction Responsible Estimated Cost Possible Funding Source Status S West Avenue and W. Prospect Road/US 20 intersection Poor pedestrian Improve the crossing at this location by restriping the crosswalks in the ladderstyle and upgrading the pedestrian signals to pedestrian countdown timers. Appropriate pedestrian crossing signage should be added. Short Term High City of Ashtabula Low City of Ashtabula ODOT Sign Program Addition of countdown timers is in progress through a City project. 15

17 SECTION 6: PUBLIC INPUT A public meeting to discuss the Ashtabula Area City Schools STP was held during the Board of Education meeting on March 20, 2013, at Lakeside High School. Key feedback from that meeting is outlined below; materials from the meeting are included in Appendix C. Public Input Process: Presented at Board of Education Meeting Date: March 20, 2013 Target Audience: Board of Education members, parents, residents, Team members Key Input Received: The following input was received from community members regarding the proposed countermeasures included in the Ashtabula Area City Schools STP: Concern over using concrete sidewalks instead of asphalt multi-purpose paths. Asphalt would also allow for more means of transportation from other community members. Asphalt pathways would not hold up well with the weather in Ashtabula. And while providing a project that can benefit more members of the community than just children, this is a Safe Routes to School project so that is the top concern. The impacts that the sidewalks will have on the residents and their property is a concern. Will they have a say in this at all since their property is being impacted? Sidewalks will be installed in the existing right-of-way where possible, hopefully in most areas. Residents wonder about sidewalks being maintained, especially ones located on vacant properties. This is something that city and township officials will need to work out and enforce. One way to address this is to have the kids who are using the sidewalks voice concerns to residents about not being able to use poorly-maintained sidewalks. Additionally, an enforcement measure has been added to the plan to ensure that residents keep sidewalks clear of snow and other hazards. Concern about there being enough room along Cemetery Road for a sidewalk to be installed. There should be a sufficient amount of right-of-way along Cemetery Road to allow for the installation of a sidewalk. It was noted by members of the Board that the project will have benefits to all members of the community, not just students. It was also mentioned that Ashtabula could become the role model for communities around them. One parent voiced concern of the usefulness of these projects. It was explained by both the Team and the Board of Education that these projects are meant to provide another modal choice for children to have a safe way to get to school the district will still provide bussing as they currently do and parents can still drop off their children, but these projects provide safe walking and biking routes for parents and children who want to have that option as well. 16

18 SECTION 7: FINAL PLAN ENDORSEMENTS The endorsement for the Ashtabula Area City School s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan is included in Appendix D. 17

19 APPENDIX A: OHIO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 3 RD GRADE BMI REPORT The Ashtabula Area City Schools are located in Ashtabula County. The prevalence of overweight or obese 3 rd graders in the county is 30-39% based on the Ohio Department of Health s A Report on the Body Mass Index of Ohio s Third Graders ).

20 APPENDIX B: MAPPING

21 k There are 128 students within a 1/2mile of the school campus, 437 students within 1 mile, and 1,607 students within 2 miles. Address locations were provided for 2,026 students. k Legend k Elementary Campus 1/2-mile Radius 1-mile Radius Student Locations 2-mile Radius School District Lakeside Elementary Campus Ashtabula County Student Location Map O 0 1,000 2,000 Feet 4,000

22 Q O N P M L D A B E F G H I K J LAKESIDE ELEMENTARY CAMPUS C C C R Legend 1/4-mile Buffer 1/2-mile Buffer 1-mile Buffer S Lakeside Elementary Campus Proposed Countermeasures O Feet ,000

23 APPENDIX C: PUBLIC MEETING MATERIALS

24 CITY OF ASHTABULA OFFICE OF CITY MANAGER MUNICIPAL BUILDING 4717 Main Avenue Ashtabula, OH JAMES M. TIMONERE Office 440) CITY MANAGER FAX 440) PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release For More Information Contact: James Timonere, City Manager 440) The City of Ashtabula and the Ashtabula Area City Schools are in the process of developing a Safe Routes to School ) program to encourage safe walking and biking to and from the Lakeside Elementary Campus. is a national and international movement to create safe, convenient, and fun opportunities for children to bicycle and walk to and from schools. The program has been designed to reverse the decline in children walking and bicycling to schools. The Ohio program is funded by the Federal Highway Administration and administered by the Ohio Department of Transportation ODOT). In Ohio, the first step in developing a program is the development of a School Travel Plan STP). The STP is a written document that outlines a community's intentions for enabling students to engage in active transportation i.e. walking or bicycling) as they travel to and from school. By completing an STP, a community will have a guiding document to assist in improving walking and bicycling conditions for students, including strategies for promoting and encouraging active transportation to school. An approved STP is the requirement for further funding requests from ODOT. Ashtabula s program began in 2011 with the distribution of surveys to parents of K-8 children regarding their opinions on the current walking and biking environment. In January, the project team conducted intensive walking audits of the community. The audits primarily focused on the areas within two miles of the campus. The project team will unveil the DRAFT STP to the public at the Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at 7:00 PM. The meeting will be held at Lakeside High School in the Large Instruction Room. Please stop by and provide your comments or have your questions answered. We look forward to seeing you there ######## Equal Opportunity Employer

25 Ashtabula Area City Schools Safe Routes to School plan to be unveiled» The Star Beaco... Page 1 of 2 3/15/2013 The Star Beacon; Ashtabula, Ohio March 15, 2013 Ashtabula Area City Schools Safe Routes to School plan to be unveiled By SHELLEY TERRY - sterry@starbeacon.com Star Beacon ASHTABULA The city and the Ashtabula Area City Schools District are working together to develop a Safe Routes to School ) program for Ash-tabula Lakeside Elementary Campus students. Safe Routes to School ) is an international movement to create safe, convenient and fun opportunities for children to bicycle and walk to and from schools. The program has been designed to reverse the decline in children walking and bicycling to schools, City Manager Jim Timonere said. The project team will unveil a draft of the school travel plan to the public at the Ashtabula Board of Education meeting, starting at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Lakeside High School. Everyone is welcome. The Ohio program is funded by the Federal Highway Administration and administered by the Ohio Department of Transportation ODOT). The first step in developing a program, which includes new sidewalks and bike paths, is to come up with a school travel plan. The plan is a written document that outlines a community s intentions for enabling students to engage in walking or bicycling as they travel to and from school. An approved plan is the requirement to receive funding from ODOT. Ashtabula s program began in 2011 with the distribution of surveys to parents of K-8 children, regarding their opinions on the current walking and biking environment, Timonere said. In January, the project team, consisting of teachers, parents and community leaders, conducted walking audits of the community. The audits primarily focused on the areas within two miles of the campus, Timonere said. January was also the beginning of the school district s new minimum busing policy designed to save the district $750,000, and allow it to end the year on the plus side financially, according to a resolution passed by the school board in September. The busing changes mean the district completely eliminated transportation of students in grades 9-12, and students in grades K-8 who live less than two miles from the school.

26 Ashtabula Area City Schools Safe Routes to School plan to be unveiled» The Star Beaco... Page 2 of 2 3/15/2013 Superintendent Patrick Colucci has said it s an unfortunate situation, but the administrators and school resource officers have made the procedures as safe as possible. Parents in the neighborhood of Wade Avenue have indicated they would like to see sidewalks for their children. The Safe Routes to School program gave $584 million to 10,400 U.S. schools from 2005 to 2010, said Ashtabula resident Kevin Grippi, who first spearheaded the movement.

27 The Ashtabula Area City Schools and the City of Ashtabula are in the process of developing a Safe Routes To School program to encourage safe walking and biking to the Elementary Campus. This may include sidewalks and other improvements outlined in a School Travel Plan. The project team will unveil this plan to the public at the Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, March 20th 7:00 pm at Lakeside High School in the Large Instruction Room. You are invited to hear the important details and have your questions answered Feedback is needed so we hope to see you there Learn more

28 APPENDIX D: ENDORSEMENTS

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