SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL SCHOOL TRAVEL PLAN

Transcription

1 VILLAGE OF BALTIMORE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL SCHOOL TRAVEL PLAN LIBERTY UNION THURSTON MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBERTY UNION THURSTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Prepared By: Village of Baltimore 103 West Market Street Baltimore, Ohio Liberty Union Thurston Schools 621 Washington Street Baltimore, Ohio

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 1: SCHOOL TRAVEL PLAN TEAM MEMBERS... 3 SECTION 2: INTRODUCTION.. 4 SECTION 3: PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS... 6 SECTION 4: DESCRIPTION OF SCHOOLS 11 SECTION 5: SCHOOL DEMOGRAPHICS 12 SECTION 6: CURRENT SCHOOL TRAVEL ENVIRONMENT..13 SECTION 7: BARRIERS TO ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION..16 SECTION 8: CREATING SOLUTIONS.17 SECTION 9: MAPPING..19 SECTION 10: THE ACTION PLAN 20 SECTION 11: PLAN ENDORSEMENTS 24 SECTION 12: SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS.25 APPENDIX A: PARENT SURVEY RESULTS APPENDIX B: SCHOOL LOCATION MAP APPENDIX C: SCHOOL TRAVEL ENVIRONMENT INFORMATION APPENDIX D: BALTIMORE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL ENGINEERING STUDY APPENDIX E: PLAN ENDORSEMENTS 2

3 SECTION 1: SCHOOL TRAVEL PLAN TEAM The current primary contact for the Baltimore Safe Routes to School Plan is Marsha Hall Administrator Village of Baltimore 103 West Market Street Baltimore, OH The Baltimore Safe Routes to School Team is: Name Affiliation Program Area Michael Tussey, Police Chief Jason Hargot, DARE Officer Marsha Hall, Administrator James Hochradel, Member Paul Mathews, Superintendent Christina Matthews, School Nurse Art Brate, School Board Christa Grover, President Dwayne Mohler, Parent Judith Cosgray, Parent Village of Baltimore Police Department Village of Baltimore Police Department Village of Baltimore Administration Village of Baltimore Planning & Zoning Liberty Union Thurston Schools Liberty Union Thurston School Liberty Union Thurston School Liberty Union Thurston Elementary School Liberty Union Thurston School Liberty Union Thurston School Contact Information Enforcement Engineering Education/Health Encouragement Evaluation The goal of the Baltimore Safe Routes to School Team is to assemble a group of individuals with various perspectives and abilities needed to achieve the goals of the Baltimore Safe Routes to School Program. This team will meet periodically and as needed to oversee long-term objectives and accomplish the action plan. The core team will continue to invite and encourage community involvement through additional team members. The team will use the 2009 Fairfield County Active Transportation and Open Space Plan in lieu of trail and/or bicycle representatives. 3

4 SECTION 2: INTRODUCTION The Liberty Union Thurston Schools and the Village of Baltimore have formed a collaborative partnership to promote and encourage the safe and healthy travel of children to the schools located within the Village of Baltimore. Using a proven model, such as the one established by the Safe Routes to School (STRS) Program, is beneficial. Both the school and the village believe the time is right for the implementation of such a program. The village is the largest village in Fairfield County, one of the state s fastest growing counties. The school district recently received funding through the Ohio School Facilities Commission to assist with the construction of a new middle school at the site of the current elementary school. The new middle school will sit on the same property as the elementary school. Construction of the middle school is currently on-going. Because of the planned school construction, representatives from both the village and the school district met to discuss the possibility of developing a comprehensive Safe Routes to School Program. An application for funding assistance for the plan development was made to the Ohio Department of Transportation in October, Award notification was made to the village in December, 2008, the agreement between ODOT and the village was executed in March, While safety is the primary consideration in developing such a plan, healthy activities and the availability of the school to the entire community is a by-product of such a plan. The Baltimore, Ohio Safe Routes to School Plan will continue to be updated annually as conditions change. The Baltimore Safe Routes to School Stakeholder List includes: Liberty Union Thurston Schools Administration Paul Mathews, LU T School Superintendent Christina Matthews, LU-T School Nurse Liberty Union Thurston Schools Principals Hank Gavarkavitch, LU T Middle School Principal Kelli Brownfield, LU T Elementary School Principal Liberty Union Thurston Board of Education Member Art Brate, LU T School Board of Education Liberty Union Thurston School Transportation Supervisor Judy Cleland, LU-T Transportation Supervisor Liberty Union Thurston Parents Christa Grover, PTA President Dwayne Mohler Judith Cosgray Joe Taylor Village of Baltimore Representative Robert M. Kalish, Village of Baltimore Mayor Marsha Hall, Village of Baltimore Administrator James Hochradel, Planning & Zoning Commission Judy Landis, Village of Baltimore Council and Neighbor

5 Village of Baltimore Police Representatives Michael Tussey, Village of Baltimore Police Chief Jason Hargot, DARE Officer Village of Baltimore Service Department Tim Boucher, Village of Baltimore Street Supervisor Community Groups Robert Badgeley, Rotary Club of Baltimore, Ohio Lions Club of Baltimore, Ohio Kasey Farmer, Assistant Chief, Basil Joint Fire District Robert Badgeley, Baltimore Area Chamber of Commerce

6 SECTION 3: PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS PROGRAMS ALREADY IN PLACE Education - Pedestrian travel is included in the school s Wellness Policy (included in this section of the Plan. The Baltimore Police Department, with assistance from other various safety agencies, holds an annual Safety Day at the Elementary School, which includes aspects of walking and bicycle riding. A Bike Rodeo is currently in the planning stages by the Village s School Resource Officer. Enforcement Currently the Baltimore Police Department enforces traffic and pedestrian travel at the Elementary School site during drop off and pick up hours. This is done because the school sits on a heavily traveled state route within the village. Encouragement Again, the school s Wellness Policy and the Police Department s Safety Day both encourage safe walking and bicycle travel. However, because of the lack of sidewalks and the heavily traveled route the school sits on, students are not encourage to walk and ride bicycles to school currently. PARENT SURVEYS: An initial Parent Survey Form was sent home to the parents of students of the middle school and elementary school. The Parent Survey Form contained questions concerning issues such as distance traveled, reasons for driving, safety concerns, whether the parent would consider transportation other than pedestrian, what would cause the parent to permit the student to walk or ride a bike. The parents were asked to assume the different location of the middle school. In addition, parents were encouraged to provide written comments. In order to promote the survey and encourage the completion and return of the survey, a raffle was held at both the middle school and the elementary. All students that returned completed surveys were entered into a raffle, with the prize at each location being a bicycle. There were a total of 428 surveys returned. We believe this is an excellent return. The surveys were used to provide a summary of the current issues related to walking and biking to school that most concerns parents. A summary of the data is shown below and the actual survey totals are included in Appendix A of this report. Of the total, 166 responders live within 2 miles of their school. Of the total, 148 would be allowed to walk to bike to school without an adult if facilities were available. 6

7 Parents were asked what affected their decision to allow or not allow their child to walk of bike to school. The major reasons, in order of number of responses, noted were: Distance Speed of traffic Lack of sidewalks or pathways Amount of traffic Safety of intersections or crossings These parents were then asked if they would allow their children to walk or bike to and from school if the above situations were changed or improved. The responses for the were as follows: Distance yes, 115 no, 64 unsure Speed of traffic 182 yes, 104 no, 46 unsure Lack of sidewalks or pathways 202 yes, 94 no, 38 unsure Amount of traffic 171 yes, 104 no, 51 unsure Safety of intersections or crossings 177 yes, 97 no, 41 unsure When asked the question of how much fun walking or biking to and from school would be for their student, 180 answered fun or very fun, 150 answered neutral, and only 36 answered boring or very boring. However, when asked how healthy walking or biking to and from school would be for their student, 326 answered healthy or very healthy, and only 49 were neutral and 3 answered very unhealthy. PUBLIC MEETINGS There have not been any public meetings held specifically about the Safe Routes to School Plan. However, updates have been provided at various meetings including: School Strategic Planning public sessions, informational sessions regarding school construction project, school board and village council meetings with published minutes, and various community service organizations such as Lions Club and Rotary Club. LOCAL MEDIA COVERAGE: Information regarding the STRS program appears on the village s website, was included in articles in local newspapers, and was presented at the Baltimore Rotary Club, the Baltimore Area Chamber of Commerce, and at the schools during school functions. Posters highlighting goals set forth after the engineering component of the plan is address will be put up at both schools, and included in the information on the village s website. 7

8 LIBERTY UNION THURSTON WELLNESS POLICY The Liberty Union-Thurston Schools developed a wellness policy in The policy states: The Liberty Union-Thurston Local School District is committed to providing a school environment which promotes healthy lifestyles. The Board of Education recognizes the positive impact that educational information, programs and school experiences can play in the development of healthy lifestyles, and therefore directs the Superintendent to: Establish a District Health Council, with membership including parents, community members, students, teachers, administrators, health professionals, food service representatives and school board members to develop recommendations regarding an initial wellness program Develop procedures, in cooperation with the Building Principals and Food Service Coordinator, to provide for effective implementation of the District Wellness Program Monitor implementation of the District Wellness Program, ensuring that the District is in compliance with Federal law, and ensuring that the reimbursable school meal program meets guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Annually re-convene the District Health Council to assess the effectiveness of the District Wellness Program, and to make recommendations for continuous improvement Present District Health Council recommendations to the Board of Education The District Wellness Program shall comply with Public Law , Section 204, and will include: Goals for nutrition education, physical activity and other school-based activities promoting student wellness Nutritional guidelines for all foods available in the District during the school day As a follow-up, additional Wellness Policy recommendations have been annually, as recently as March, 2010 as shown below: COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP: The committee met in March 2010, to evaluate the implementation of policy changes, and to consider additional recommendations. Building principals and the food service supervisor are responsible for implementation and monitoring of the wellness policy. NUTRITION EDUCATION GOALS: 1. Health classes will emphasize projects and assignments involving family input and participation. 8

9 2. Nutrition information, suggestions and guidelines will be provided to students through announcements, signs on vending machines, etc. 3. The District website will include health and nutrition information. PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES: 1. The current practice of physical fitness testing in physical education classes will continue. 2. Body mass index evaluations will be completed annually for students in grades 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9, with results reported to parents, and kept in individual health files. 3. Encourage student walking and bicycle riding activities through physical education classes. Create walking incentive rewards. 4. Develop a district transportation plan which would encourage student walking and/or bicycling to and from school through the Safe Routes to School Program. Walking to and from school will be encouraged. STAFF WELLNESS: 1. Fitness classes may be offered if there is enough interest. 2. Disease management and wellness programs will be provided through the district health care plan. 3. A weight loss program will be offered for staff if there is enough interest to create a class. Community members will be invited to participate. SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM: 1. The food service department will continue to seek ways to increase servings of fresh fruits and vegetables. 2. School meals will continue to be prepared following USDA (reimbursable) regulations. 3. New menu options will be tried in order to increase participation SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM: 1. All buildings now have school breakfast programs. Efforts to increase student participation, and to try different menu items will be undertaken in the coming year. COMMUNITY HEALTH: 1. The possibility of a community health fair, coinciding with a large community event, such as the Amy s Army walk will be explored. CLASS PARTIES / BIRTHDAY TREATS / REWARD INCENTIVES: 1. Provide information to parents at the beginning of the school year, as well as reminders throughout the year, encouraging a voluntary program of healthy snacks, and portion limitation for these special events. 2. Work with room-mothers to provide healthy alternatives and portion limitation for organized parties. SNACK MACHINES: 1. Candy and gum have been removed from snack machines. 9

10 2. Snack machine vendors will be replaced for the 2010/2011 school year. Machines will be stocked with healthy snacks. BEVERAGE MACHINES: Elementary School: Water, flavored water and sports drinks only are available to students. Middle School: Water and flavored water only will be offered in the middle school during the school day. High School: Water, flavored water, juices, sports drinks are available as alternative offerings to the soda currently available. Students will be encouraged to voluntarily limit soda purchase to one per day. Only diet soda is available to students. CONCESSIONS, ETC.: Request that booster groups, etc. voluntarily include some low-fat alternatives. TOBACCO: 1. Continue to follow current policy: No student tobacco use at any time Staff may not use tobacco in buildings at any time Visitors may not use tobacco in buildings or at athletic events at any time 2. Designate specific outdoor smoking areas for staff members in each building 3. Promote anti-tobacco student programs 4. Provide quit-tobacco programs through the Department of Health. FUNDRAISING: 1. No fundraising sales which are primarily candy-oriented. 10

11 SECTION 4: DESCRIPTION OF SCHOOLS SCOPE: The scope of this plan focuses on implementing a comprehensive plan that addresses the needs of two of the three school in the Liberty Union Thurston School District; the elementary school and the middle school currently under construction at the same location. The location of these schools provides a unique problem, with the schools being situated on a state highway, with no pedestrian access to the site. State Highway 158 is a minor arterial highway which joins the City of Lancaster and I-70 Interstate, so there is a high volume of through commercial traffic integrated with local residential and commercial traffic. Due to the lack of a safe pedestrian route to school, virtually all students are either bused or taken and picked up by an adult. LIBERTY UNION THURSTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: The Liberty Union Thurston Elementary School is located at 1000 South Main Street (State Route 158) in the southeastern quadrant of the village. The elementary school serves approximately 568 K through Grade 5 students. Operating hours for the elementary school is 8:45am to 3:30pm, with office hours from 8:00am to 3:00pm. LIBERTY UNION THURSTON MIDDLE SCHOOL: For the purpose of this plan, it is assumed that the location of the middle school is the one currently under construction. It is located at 994 South Main Street (State Route 158) in the southeastern quadrant of the village. The school will be located east of the elementary school with coordinated access. The middle school serves approximately 437 Grade 6 through Grade 8 students. Operating hours for the middle school is 7:35am to 2:45pm, with office hours from 8:00am to 3:00pm. A map of the school(s) location is enclosed in Appendix B of this report. 11

12 DEMOGRAPHICS: SECTION 5: SCHOO0L DEMOGRAPHICS ETHNICITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL Asian 0.8%.23% Black 1.6%.68% White 97.6% 98.65% STUDENT SUBGROUPS: STUDENT SUBGROUP ELEMENTARY STATE AVERAGE Economically disadvantaged students 23.6% 35% Disabled students 7.9% 14% Gifted students 24.0% 16% Migrant students --- <1% Limited English proficient students --- 2% STUDENT SUBGROUP MIDDLE STATE AVERAGE Economically disadvantaged students 26.0% 35% Disabled students 13.0% 14% Gifted students 11.0% 16% Migrant students --- <1% Limited English proficient students --- 2% 12

13 SECTION 6: CURRENT SCHOOL TRAVEL ENVIRONMENT SCHOOL ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL PROCEDURES Elementary School: 1. Early Dismissal If a student has a reason to leave early, the student should bring a note explaining the reason for the early dismissal and when the dismissal will occur. Parents or guardians are expected to come to office at the time of dismissal in order to sign out the student. 2. Late Arrivals If the student arrives after the tardy bell rings, the student must be signed in at the office. A note from the parent or guardian is required. 3. If the student is brought to school by car, the student should be let out quickly in the area designated for student drop off and pick up, paying attention to other cars. Middle School: 1. If a student needs to be dismissed from school before the end of the school day, he/she must have a written request from his/her parent(s)/guardian(s) stating the reason for the early dismissal on file in the office no later than 9:00 a.m. the day prior to the early dismissal. A twenty four (24) hour notice prevents frivolous dismissals during events like pep rallies and other school wide functions. Your cooperation in this matter is appreciated. Forms are provided in the high school office. Upon leaving the school building for an early dismissal, the student must sign out on the sheet provided in the high school office. Upon returning from an early dismissal the same school day the student must sign in on the same sheet - same line. Failure to sign in or out will result in a Wednesday School. NO student may sign out without the permission of an administrator. A note from the students' appointment, doctor/dentist/court, must be turned in to the high school secretary upon returning to school. Failure to bring a note back from the appointment will result in the student being unexcused for the dismissal. 2. Late Arrivals If the student arrives after the tardy bell rings, the student must be signed in at the office. A note from the parent or guardian is required. 3. If the student is brought to school by car, the student should be let out quickly in the area designated for student drop off and pick up, paying attention to other cars. 4. Bicycle riders are expected to park their bicycles in the designated area. 5. Skateboards and rollerblades are not permitted on school grounds. 13

14 Both Schools: 1. School Bus Regulations: Disorderly conduct or persistent refusal to obey the school bus driver shall be reason for denying the privilege to ride the bus. This includes behavior that occurs while waiting on the bus at the bus stop. Bus rules are as follows: - The bus driver may assign seats. - Students will be courteous. - There will be no food or drink on the school bus at any time. - Students will remain seated at all time unless loading or unloading the school bus. - Students are not permitted to use their cell phones while on the bus - All school rules will apply while riding the school bus. - No animals or pets are to be transported on the school bus. - Students will obey all bus driver rules while riding the bus. SCHOOL SAFETY ISSUES/BARRIERS TO WALKING/BIKING Information below is based on the elementary school site. The middle school site and parent survey responses regarding the current middle school is not germane to this plan due to the relocation of the middle school site to the current elementary school site. No crossing guards the school does not currently provide crossing guards, adult or student to assist students in crossing streets to either school. No pedestrian or bicycle routes there are no bicycle or pedestrian routes to either school. There is an informal path that runs from a nearby residential development to the elementary school which is used by a minimal number of students. School Speed Limit Flasher Locations there are two school speed limit flasher locations currently at the elementary school location on S. Main Street (SR 158). All of these things were noted in parent surveys. Comments noted in the surveys: Rte. 158 is a huge issue semi-trucks, speed. We don t have sidewalks near us. The cars go 50 mph. The danger is high. I would allow my child to walk if the bike path was improved or crossing guards were installed by Dollar General. I felt that the school discouraged walking/biking because of the lack of sidewalks, crossing walks and guards. My biggest concern is the lack of walkways. The children have to walk in the road or through mud holes where sidewalks should be. 14

15 That would be so great if my son could walk/ride his bike to school. He was so excited to go to middle school so he could ride. Then we found out he would be going to the elementary for 5 th grade and he was disappointed. CURRENT SCHOOL TRAVEL Elementary School: Of the 568 elementary school students, currently virtually no elementary school children walk to school. The elementary school sits on the edge of the Village, on a heavily traveled state highway. Even those children who live in the neighborhood or directly across the street are bused unless the parent drops off the child, because of the lack of sidewalks and the street being a heavily traveled state highway. An accurate count of the number of students being dropped off by parents is difficult, because it varies according to schedules and special events. Parent drop off in the morning is a higher volume than in the afternoon. Middle School: Current travel to the middle school is not germane to this plan. A new middle school is in the process of being constructed at the same site as the elementary school, at a more suburban setting than the current middle school that sits next to the high school closer to the center of the Village, with sidewalks available. There are currently 437 middle school students. 15

16 SECTION 7: BARRIERS TO ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION Obstacles can come in many forms and may include physical barrier (missing or poor walkways and bikeways, distance, lack of access or street lighting, difficult crossings), traffic problems (driver recklessness, vehicle volumes and speeds), public safety issues and attitudes toward walking and bicycling. The SRTS team identified such barriers which prevent children from using active transportation to get back and forth to school. See the attached Baltimore Safe Routes to School Engineering Study for barriers to active transportation. 16

17 SECTION 8: CREATING SOLUTIONS The Baltimore SRTS Team reviewed the Baltimore Safe Routes to School Engineering Study and developed solutions to the barriers to active transportation, utilizing the Safe Routes to School Five E s (Engineering, Education, Enforcement, Encouragement and Evaluation). GOALS: Our goals are to: Increase the safety and number of walking and biking routes Increase the number of students walking and biking to school, by both improved infrastructure and increased education and awareness Raise awareness and promote safe driving within the school zone and throughout the village where students walk and bike to school Improve the barriers caused by the location of the schools on S.R. 158 Improve signalization STRATEGIES: Infrastructure Projects Engineering Construct sidewalks/walking paths along the road that connects the school campus with the village East side of SR 158 SR 256 where current sidewalks terminate Fill in gaps of current sidewalks on the route from the village to the school campus West side of SR 158 Park Drive Construct walking path from residential areas and the school campus Between Dorchester Drive and school campus Improve crosswalks, through the installation of flashing beacons and repainting of crosswalks Install pedestrian signals Install new school zone speed limit flashers Install additional bicycle racks at the school campus Non-Infrastructure Projects 17

18 Education Safety Town. This program has already been implemented by the Baltimore Police Department, and will continue. This educates children on a number of safety issues, including pedestrian, bike and bus safety. Bike Rodeo. The Baltimore Police Department s School Resource Officer is currently working on this program. This clinic will feature information and hands-on activities which stress cycling safety for young cyclists. Walking Program. This program educates children on safe walking habits. It includes as part of program the development of safe walk route maps and the distribution of walking maps. Encouragement Walking School Bus. This encourages students to walk or bike to school through the creation of a walking path system, with students joining the group on certain days of the week. Walking/Biking Days. This encourages students to walk or bike to school certain days of the week. Enforcement Target zones to monitor speeds of vehicles and enforce speed limits. Provide visible presence for enhanced behavior of drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists to deter dangerous activites. Provide guidance and education to pedestrians and motorists on traffic laws and necessary safety measures. Deter bicycle theft and vandalism at bicycle storage areas outside schools. Evaluation Pedestrian/Bicycle counts. They will be collected throughout the school year to monitor the effectiveness of various SRTS countermeasures and to determine the increase in walkers and bikers. Parent/Teacher follow-up surveys. Follow-up surveys will be conducted periodically to identify which programs are working and which require changes to address unmet needs. Speed data and traffic infractions. Effectiveness of infrastructure solutions will be evaluated periodically, partially through the collection of this data. 18

19 SECTION 9: MAPPING Refer to Appendices A and B of the attached Baltimore Safe Routes to School Engineering Study for Countermeasures Map and School Walking Map. 19

20 SECTION 10: THE ACTION PLAN The Baltimore Safe Routes to School Action Plan has been formed using the Baltimore Safe Routes to School Engineering Study as a basis for the development of the action plan. There are several strategies included in the Action Plan that are being constructed by the Liberty Union Thurston Schools as part of the middle school construction project currently underway. These include: 1) Construction of 1800 LF of sidewalk, 8 ft. wide, from SR 158 to the middle school at a cost of $14,400; 2) Construction of 2000 LF of a bike lane with markings and signage along the schools northern access drive at a cost of $1,200; 3) Installation of bike racks for twenty-four bikes at a cost of $6,

21 Strategy Type Strategy Detail Time Frame Responsible Party Engineering Construct asphalt multi-use path on east side of SR158 between existing sidewalk and school Construct sidewalk on west side of SR 158 between existing sidewalks Repaint crosswalk at existing sidewalk on SR158 at school Install flashing beacons with infrared pedestrian detectors in front of school at existing crosswalk Construct asphalt multi-use path between Dorchester Drive and school campus Install pedestrian signals with countdown indicators at intersection of SR256/SR 158 and SR256/Basil St. Construct sidewalk to fill gap between existing sidewalk on both sides of Park Drive Construct sidewalk on east side of SR158 between Water Street and railroad tracks Construct sidewalk on north side of SR256 between Hansbarger Avenue and existing sidewalk Construct sidewalk on south side of SR256 between Holder Road and existing sidewalk Long term high priority Medium term high priority Short term high priority Medium term high priority Medium term Medium priority Short term low priority Medium term medium priority Medium term low priority Medium term medium priority Medium term medium priority Village of Baltimore Village of Baltimore Village of Baltimore Village of Baltimore Village of Baltimore Village of Baltimore Village of Baltimore Village of Baltimore Village of Baltimore Village of Baltimore Status Not funded Not funded Planned Not funded Not funded Not funded Not funded Not funded Not funded Not funded Estimated Cost High ($170,000) Medium ($44,000) Low ($6,000) Medium ($23,000) Medium ($54,000) Low ($6,500) Medium ($50,000) Medium ($24,000) Medium ($44,000) Medium ($80,000) Possible Funding Source ODOT SRTS Percent Students Affected 100% of eligible pedestrians ODOT SRTS Village ODOT SRTS ODOT SRTS/ LOCAL Village ODOT SRTS ODOT SRTS/ Local ODOT SRTS ODOT SRTS 10% of eligible pedestrians 50% of eligible pedestrians 30% of eligible pedestrians 10% of eligible pedestrians 5% of eligible pedestrians 5% of eligible pedestrians

22 Strategy Type Strategy Detail Time Frame Responsible Party Engineering Education Encouragement Replace existing school zone speed limit flashers with new flasher beacons with support beam and mast arm Install sidewalk and bike lane from SR158 along school entrance drive to middle school to separate traffic Install sidewalk along entrance drive from school to recreation fields Install bike racks spaced sufficiently apart to store additional bicycles Safety Town program for pre- Kindergarten aged children Bike Rodeo by School Resource Officer safety clinic for young cyclists from kindergarten to eighth grade Walking Program to educate children on safe walking habits Walking School Bus creates walking paths with students joining the group at designated points Walking/Biking Days to encourage students to walk and bike to school on certain days of the week Provide visible presence for enhanced behavior of drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists to deter dangerous activities Medium term high priority Short term medium priority Medium term medium priority Short term medium priority Short term high priority Short term medium priority Dependent upon infrastructure Dependent upon infrastructure Dependent upon infrastructure Dependent upon infrastructure Village of Baltimore Status Not funded Estimated Cost Medium ($40,000) School In process Low ($15,600) School Planned Medium ($ TBD) School In process Low - ($6,000) Police Dept. and School Police Dept. Police Dept. and School School and Police Dept. School Police Dept. On-going Currently being planned See time frame See time frame See time frame On-going in part Low ($ TBD) Low ($ TBD) Low ($ TBD) Low ($ TBD) Low ($ TBD) Possible Funding Source ODOT SRTS School School School and Grant Police Dept. and donations Police Dept. and donations School School School Percent Students Affected 100% 100% of eligible pedestrians 100% of eligible pedestrians 100% of eligible bikers 100% 100% of bikers 100% of walkers 100% of walkers 100% of walkers and bikers N/A Police Dept. 100% 22

23 Enforcement Target zones to monitor speeds of vehicles and enforce speed limits by School Resource Officer Short term high priority Strategy Type Strategy Detail Time Frame Responsible Party Enforcement Evaluation Provide guidance and education to pedestrians and motorists on traffic laws and necessary safety measures Deter bicycle theft and vandalism at bicycle storage areas outside schools Pedestrian/Bicycle Counts collected annually through a School Travel Tally Sheet Short term high priority Dependent upon infrastructure Dependent upon infrastructure Police Dept. On-going N/A Police Dept. 100% Status Estimated Cost Possible Funding Source Police Dept. On-going N/A Police Dept. 100% Police Dept. School See time frame See time frame Percent Students Affected Low N/A 100% of bikers N/A School 100% Parent/Teacher Follow-up Surveys Medium term high priority Speed Data and Traffic Infraction Medium term evaluation high priority School Planned N/A School 100% Police Dept. Planned N/A Police Dept. 100% 23

24 SECTION 11: PLAN ENDORSEMENTS The Baltimore Safe Routes to School Team consists of Village administration, school administration, local law enforcement and community. Both the Village of Baltimore and the Liberty Union Thurston Schools are committing to remain as partners in fulfilling the items addressed in the school travel plan. The endorsements of the following are included in Appendix D: Baltimore Safe Routes to School Team Liberty Union Thurston School Board Baltimore Village Council Mayor, Village of Baltimore

25 SECTION 12: SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS Appendix A: Appendix B: Appendix C: Appendix D: Parent Survey Results School Location Map School Travel Environment Information Plan Endorsements 25

26

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29 Baltimore Safe Routes to School Engineering Study Ohio Department of Transportation, District 5 June 30, 2010

30 Baltimore School Travel Plan (STP) Safe Routes to School Executive Summary Purpose and Need The purpose of the Village of Baltimore 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 Liberty Union Thurston Local Schools and the Village of Baltimore value the health and environmental benefits provided by walking and bicycling and aim to improve student participation in active transportation. Construction began in June 2010 on the new Liberty Union-Thurston Middle School adjacent to the existing elementary school. School and community leaders hope to increase the number of students who walk or bike to and from the new Liberty Union Thurston Elementary and Middle School campus. Overview of Existing Conditions Liberty Union Thurston Elementary School and Liberty Union Thurston Middle School are located in the Village of Baltimore, Ohio. The elementary school serves kindergarten through 5 th grade. The middle school serves grades 6-8. Neither school has many students walking or biking. The majority get to and from school by bus or car. Deficiencies, Countermeasures, & Costs Proposed countermeasures for the two schools include intersection safety enhancements, sidewalk and path construction, and other infrastructure. Once a safe route is created to the schools from the rest of the community, then non-infrastructure measures can be effective at building and sustaining active transportation use among students. The costs associated with proposed infrastructure countermeasures for the two schools totals up to approximately $540,000. i TranSystems

31 Baltimore School Travel Plan (STP) Safe Routes to School Table of Contents Executive Summary... i Existing Conditions... 1 Liberty Union Thurston Elementary School... 3 Liberty Union Thurston Middle School... 3 Assessment of Crash Data... 4 Improvement Suggestions... 5 Infrastructure... 5 Non-Infrastructure... 7 Other Issues...12 Appendices...13 Appendix A Countermeasures Map Appendix B School Walking Map ii TranSystems

32 Baltimore School Travel Plan (STP) Safe Routes to School Existing Conditions Current conditions within the Liberty Union Thurston Local Schools were inventoried for Liberty Union Thurston Elementary School and Liberty Union Thurston Middle School in the Village of Baltimore, Ohio. This process included creating maps of the areas surrounding each of the schools and completing a walk audit of the campus and surrounding walkable areas. A walk audit was conducted on May 27, 2010, to observe conditions and arrival and dismissal patterns. The TranSystems consulting team met with Paul Mathews (school superintendent), Art Brate (school board member), Marsha Hall (Village of Baltimore administration), and Kelli Brownfield (elementary school principal). Several general issues exist in relation to walking and bicycling to the Baltimore schools: The middle school is moving from its current location at 600 Washington Street to a site adjacent to the existing elementary school. The old location was in the middle of a residential neighborhood, which was good for active transportation. Officials would like students who walked or biked to the old location to continue doing so to the new school. For the school travel plan, this future site is the focus for active transportation solutions. Having two schools on a single campus can simplify infrastructure needs because students only need to travel to one location throughout elementary and middle school. Unfortunately, the campus is located on the outskirts of Baltimore to the south of most residential neighborhoods. The campus is disconnected from the rest of the village because of a lack of sidewalks or pathways along State Route 158 (South Main Street). Sidewalks exist along much of SR 158, but they terminate several blocks north of the school campus. While SR 158 is the main north-south road through the village, SR 256 (Market Street) is the main eastwest road. Market Street has sidewalks throughout the majority of Baltimore. In many locations the sidewalks exist on both sides of the road and are separated from the curb by a grass buffer. West of Students arriving by bus and car at the elementary school Entrance to the elementary school 1 TranSystems

33 Baltimore School Travel Plan (STP) Safe Routes to School Mill Street, several sections of SR 256 have sidewalk adjacent to the curb, which decreases comfort for pedestrians so caution should be used. While SR 256 is safe for non-motorized users, a comfortable alternative route is on Washington Street which parallels SR 256 to the north. SR 158 connects the City of Lancaster and I-70, so there is a high volume of through commercial traffic integrated with local residential and commercial traffic. SR 158 is a barrier for residents who must cross the road in order to reach the school campus. While the school campus is disconnected from the rest of the village, the built-up portions of Baltimore are relatively closely spaced together and mostly safe for walkers and bicyclists. Some signalized intersections lack pedestrian crossing devices at crosswalks, most notably at the intersection of SR 158 and SR 256. Without clear assistance from the intersection infrastructure, pedestrians may be put in unnecessary danger at intersections. The school has no crossing guards to assist students with crossing SR 158 or other locations. While the schools are just beginning to think about encouraging students to walk and bike, they should be commended for their administration of parent surveys. An excellent rate of return of over 40% was achieved by entering students who returned surveys into a raffle for a new bicycle. The effect that an incentive had on increasing the response rate is promising for future active transportation encouragement programs. Parent surveys showed about 20% of respondents live within one mile of the school campus. The majority of respondents live more than 2 miles away. The top consideration of parents regarding walking and biking is the distance to school. The second highest consideration of parents regarding walking and biking is the speed of traffic. When asked what situation could improve for them to allow their children to walk or bike to school, parents top response was sidewalks or pathways. The large majority of parents felt that the schools neither encouraged nor discouraged children from walking or biking to school. Downtown Baltimore about 0.6 mile north of the school campus State Route 158 in front of the school campus 2 TranSystems

34 Baltimore School Travel Plan (STP) Safe Routes to School Liberty Union Thurston Elementary School The elementary school is located at 1000 South Main Street (SR 158). It serves approximately 568 Kindergarten through Grade 5 students. Operating hours for the elementary school are 8:45 am to 3:30 pm. The entrance of the building is on the school s northeast side. A bike rack is located in front of the entrance. The building has a semicircle driveway between SR 158 and the west side of the school that provides access to buses dropping off and picking up students. A parking lot for visitors and staff exists north of the school in front of the entrance. Access to this parking lot is through a separate drive from the buses off of SR 158. A second parking lot for only staff exists south of the school. Parents use the visitor parking lot driveway to drop off and pick up students off at the school entrance. During both arrival and dismissal, cars line up and stack along the parking lot and out onto SR 158. During the field visit, cars were lined up to the north along SR 158 almost to Johnson Street, which is roughly a half mile away from the main entrance. School officials indicate that due to the lack of safe routes to school, almost all students are either bused or dropped off and picked up by a caretaker. Cars stacking on SR 158 to drop off students at the elementary school An informal walking trail signified by a worn-in path in the ground connects the residential neighborhood north of the schools to the elementary school. Liberty Union Thurston Middle School The middle school is currently located at 600 Washington Street. However, for the purpose of this plan, it is assumed that the site of the middle school is the one currently under construction adjacent to the existing elementary school. It will be located at 994 South Main Street (State Route 158). The school will be east of the elementary school with coordinated access. The middle school serves approximately 437 Grade 6 through Grade 8 students. Operating hours for the middle school are 7:35 am to 2:45 pm. A class uses an informal path through the trees to walk to the public library north of the elementary school 3 TranSystems

35 Baltimore School Travel Plan (STP) Safe Routes to School Assessment of Crash Data Ohio School Crash Statistics were provided by ODOT for This data shows one bicycle and zero pedestrian crashes in the Village of Baltimore. The crash was not fatal but did result in injury. The crash occurred at the intersection of SR 256 (W. Market Street) and Basil Street, approximately one mile from the schools. The minimal number of crashes indicates that Baltimore streets are safe for pedestrians and bicyclists. However, this does not necessarily mean that the surrounding traffic conditions are ideal for students. It could be that many people are not walking or biking in the first place because they perceive these activities to be unsafe given the existing travel environment. Traffic volumes were obtained from the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) for the state highways near the schools, as shown in Table 1. These traffic volumes show that SR 256 (Market Street) and SR 158 (Main Street) are the main traffic thoroughfares through Baltimore. Traffic flow is accommodated by generally one travel lane in each direction on each roadway. Table 1: Average Two-Way Daily Traffic Volumes (MORPC) Location ADT SR 256 (W. Market Street) 6,700 SR 158 (N. Main Street) 5,400 4 TranSystems

36 Baltimore School Travel Plan (STP) Safe Routes to School Improvement Suggestions Infrastructure A comprehensive solutions strategy was developed consisting of proposed countermeasures for each of the 5 E s (Engineering, Encouragement, Education, Enforcement, and Evaluation). Infrastructure improvements could fill gaps in connectivity and add safety to the existing infrastructure. Infrastructure improvements alone are not enough, however, so non-infrastructure programs will need to be put in place in order to cause more students to use active transportation. A time frame has been identified for each proposed countermeasure based on the estimated cost 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. Problem: SR 158, the only road that connects the schools with the village to the north, has gaps in sidewalks. Proposed Countermeasure 1: Construct a 0.8 mile long asphalt multi-use path on east side of SR 158 between existing sidewalk at Johnson Street and southern edge of schools at Creekview Drive. Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Long Term High Cost ($170,000) Proposed Countermeasure 2: Construct approximately 1100 feet of 5-ft wide sidewalk on the west side of SR 158 between existing sidewalks at Elmwood Avenue and Kellner Avenue. Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Medium Term Medium Cost ($44,000) SR 158 lacks sidewalks to access the school campus Problem: SR 158 is a barrier for students who live west of the road and have to cross it in order to reach school. As an example, students who live on Creekview Drive are picked up by the bus so that they do not have to cross the road, even though they only need to travel 500 ft to the school. Proposed Countermeasure 1: Repaint existing crosswalk across SR 158 at the existing sidewalk that extends from the elementary school building to the road. This crosswalk is approximately 360 ft north of Creekview Drive. Use high visibility ladder striping in the crosswalk. Add 20 ft of 5-ft wide sidewalk on the west side of the crosswalk to connect to the existing sidewalk. Include accessible curb ramps compliant with Americans With Disabilities Act. Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Short Term Low Cost ($6,000) 5 TranSystems

37 Baltimore School Travel Plan (STP) Safe Routes to School Proposed Countermeasure 2: Install flashing beacons with infrared pedestrian detectors on SR 158 in front of the school at the existing crosswalk described above. This improvement will emphasize the crosswalk to drivers and allow for safe crossing by pedestrians. Since the flashing beacon would be activated only when users are present at the crosswalks, motorists would not become conditioned to ignore the devices. Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Medium Term Medium Cost ($23,000) Problem: The schools are not connected to residences to the north with sidewalks or pathways. Proposed Countermeasure: Construct an asphalt multi-use path between Dorchester Drive and the school campus. This approximately ¼ mile path would create a connection to the residential areas away from the traffic on SR 158. Just north of Dorchester Drive is the library, swimming pool, and park, which are regularly visited by students on their way home from school. Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Medium Term Medium Cost ($54,000) Problem: Signalized intersections at SR 256/SR 158 and SR 256/Basil Rd do not have pedestrian crossing devices, which can increase safety. Proposed Countermeasure: Install pedestrian signals with countdown indicators at the intersections of SR 256/SR 158 and SR 256/Basil Rd. Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Short Term Low Cost ($6,500) Pedestrian signal with countdown (source: walkinginfo.org) Problem: Gap in sidewalks on S. Park Drive creates discontinuity to infrastructure on a parallel roadway alternative to SR 158, decreasing safety for non-motorized users. Proposed Countermeasure: Fill sidewalk gap by constructing approximately 400 ft of 5-ft wide sidewalk on west side of Park Drive between Jefferson Street and Elmwood Drive, and constructing approximately 850 ft of sidewalk on east side of Park Drive between Johnson Street and Elmwood Drive. Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Medium Term Medium Cost ($50,000) Problem: Sidewalk discontinues on the east side of SR 158 south of the railroad tracks, decreasing safety for non-motorized users. Proposed Countermeasure: Construct approximately 600 ft of 5-ft wide sidewalk on east side of SR 158 between Water Street and railroad tracks. Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Medium Term Medium Cost ($24,000) Problem: Sidewalk exists along much of SR 256 and provides the key east-west connection through the village. The sidewalk discontinues Sidewalk lacking on south side of railroad tracks 6 TranSystems

38 Baltimore School Travel Plan (STP) Safe Routes to School on SR 256 a few blocks before connecting to residential areas to the east, decreasing safety for nonmotorized users. Proposed Countermeasure 1: Construct approximately 1100 ft of 5-ft wide sidewalk on north side of SR 256. Construct sidewalk between Hansberger Avenue and the existing sidewalk east of Gordon Avenue. Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Medium Term Medium Cost ($44,000) Proposed Countermeasure 2: Construct approximately 2000 ft of 5-ft wide sidewalk on south side of SR 256 from existing sidewalk at Granville Street and terminating at Holder Road. Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Medium Term Medium Cost ($80,000) Problem: 20 mph school flashers exist on SR 158 but are located immediately adjacent to crossing areas, potentially not providing enough notice to drivers to slow down. Furthermore, the flashers, which are located on the side of the road, are not as visible as they could be. Proposed Countermeasure: Replace existing school zone speed limit flashers with new flasher beacons with support beam and mast arm to be more visible and hang directly over the roadway. Instead of using the current locations, place the new flasher beacons approximately 300 feet north and south of the school property. Time Frame (Estimated Cost): Medium Term Medium Cost ($40,000) Problem: The elementary school only has a single bicycle rack. School officials were unsure where and how many bike racks would be located at the new middle school site. Proposed Countermeasure: The school should install new bike racks spaced sufficiently apart to store additional bicycles. New bike racks should be installed in a high visibility location at the entrance to the middle school as well. 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) Non-Infrastructure U-style bicycle rack (source: theparkcatalog.com) 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. Although much of the Village of Baltimore is 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 7 TranSystems

39 Baltimore School Travel Plan (STP) Safe Routes to School 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 the year, 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. 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 of Baltimore or Liberty Union Thurston Local Schools 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, bike, 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 bike safety from a young age. Bike Rodeo: A Bike Rodeo is usually a bicycle safety clinic featuring bike 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 bike shops. The main focus of a bike rodeo is cycling safety for young cyclists from kindergarten to eighth grade. Rodeos typically occur 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 escorted through the course by knowledgeable adult cyclists who point out hazards, safety tips, and explain how to apply the 8 TranSystems

40 Baltimore School Travel Plan (STP) Safe Routes to School 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. Encouragement Provide safe and effective methods to promote active transportation. Regarding encouragement programs, a good strategy is to start small, with a single activity such as a Walk To School day in the near future. This initial event will provide momentum to lead to regularly occurring activities such as those listed below that constantly encourage active transportation throughout the year. Walk to School Day: Students should be encouraged to walk or bike to school on the International Walk to School Day (IWALK). In 2008, more than 3,016 schools from all 50 states participated in Walk to School Day. While the event lasts only one day, communities are using Walk to School Day as a first step to create a walkable community that is safe for all residents. Walk to School Days promote child health awareness and safer routes for walking and bicycling to schools. Although walk to school events cannot guarantee that students will continue to walk, they are a positive first step. With the large number of people walking, parents and children feel safer and have fun. Walk to School Day may help skeptical parents or school personnel to see the value of walking, so that they support ongoing activities. The next Walk to School Day is Wednesday, October 6, More information on IWALK is available at 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. Programs can be listed with the school and interested parents can sign up to volunteer. For safety precautions, the Baltimore Village Police Department 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. 9 TranSystems

41 Baltimore School Travel Plan (STP) Safe Routes to School Walking/Biking days: Schools can establish a day of the week when walking and biking 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 for kids to spend more time with their parents. Enforcement Prevent unsafe behaviors of drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists while reinforcing active travel behaviors. Enforcement solutions would potentially include the following measures: Provide visible presence for enhanced behavior of drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists to deter dangerous activities. Monitor the speeds of vehicles and enforce the speed limits. Provide guidance/education to pedestrians and motorists on traffic laws and necessary safety measures. 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. Develop crossing guard training whose benefits will be twofold: the police will get engaged in pedestrian issues while at the same time educating crossing guards and the general public. Patrolling in winter months to make sure citizens are keeping their sidewalks clear of snow and enforcing fines if they are not complying. Deter bicycle theft and vandalism at bicycle storage areas outside schools. The school zone enforcement and education is a solution 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 homeroom teachers. This process can be used after solutions have been implemented to see how much the number of walkers and bikers to school rises. 10 TranSystems

42 Baltimore School Travel Plan (STP) Safe Routes to School Parent/Teacher Follow-up Surveys: Parent surveys were administered as one of the first steps of the School Travel Plan. To determine the effectiveness of any solution(s), follow-up surveys should be conducted periodically with parents and students. The results of the surveys can identify which existing programs and/or design 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 bike to school. Speed Data and Traffic Infractions: The effectiveness of infrastructure solutions will be evaluated, in part, by the collection of speed data and traffic infractions. Speed counts will be conducted at or near locations where solution 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. 11 TranSystems

43 Baltimore School Travel Plan (STP) Safe Routes to School Other Issues In the parent surveys, distance was the greatest consideration in allowing children to walk and bike to school. About 20% of parent respondents live within one mile of the school campus, but the majority of families live more than 2 miles away. The recommendations for infrastructure and noninfrastructure countermeasures focus on families that live within one or two miles from school. Unfortunately, little can be done to get the majority of children who live more than two miles away to walk or bike to school. The distance is a barrier that cannot be overcome. In the big picture, and beyond the scope of this document, perhaps the best strategy to increase the number of children walking and biking to school is to guide future residential development in close proximity to the elementary and middle school campus. For example, the residential development north of the school campus is a good example of the type of construction that should occur in the future. The streets have sidewalks and the homes are located close to the schools. It would be unfortunate if any new residential development was disconnected from the rest of existing active transportation infrastructure and not located near the schools. 12 TranSystems

44 Baltimore School Travel Plan (STP) Safe Routes to School Appendices Appendix A Proposed Countermeasure Map Appendix B School Walking Map 13 TranSystems

45 Appendix A Proposed Countermeasures Maps

46 !( 1 è!( 2 è è!( 2!( 1!( 1!( 2 Ë!( 4!(!( 1 3!( Ë 4!( 3 Liberty Union - Thurston Elementary School!( 5 Liberty Union - Thurston Middle School Liberty Union-Thurston Schools Countermeasures 1) Construct Sidewalks 2) Crossing Improvement 3) Install Multi-Use Path 4) Replace/Move School Zone Flashers 5) Install New Bike Racks Sidewalk/Path Construction 1 Mile Radius Ë School Flasher 1/2 Mile Radius è Traffic Signal Ü 1 inch = 1,200 feet

47 Appendix B School Walking Maps

48 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. Marked Crosswalks locations of existing crosswalks. Crossing Guard locations where crossing guards are present during arrival and dismissal. Difficult Intersections these intersections (signalized or un-signalized) should be crossed with caution due to one or more of the following issues; high volumes, high speeds, or lack of crosswalks (or other crossing devices). School Flasher approximate locations of 20 MPH school zone flashers. Traffic Signal locations of existing traffic signals. Enrollment Area this is the approximate area in which students are located. 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).

49 Æý Æý Æý Rè Æý Æý Æý ÆýÆýÆý Æý Æý è Æý Æý Æý Æý Rè ÆýÆý Æý Æý RÆý Æý R R Æý ÆýÆý Æý Æý R Ë Æý Ë R Liberty Union - Thurston Elementary School Liberty Union - Thurston Middle School Liberty Union-Thurston Schools Walking Map Recommended Route!( G Crossing Guard è Traffic Signal Æý Recommended Route with Caution Discouraged Route Marked Crosswalks R Difficult Intersection Ë School Flasher 1/2 Mile Radius 1 Mile Radius Ü 1 inch = 1,200 feet

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