Dr. Howard Elementary School Safe Routes to School Plan

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1 Dr. Howard Elementary School Safe Routes to School Plan

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3 Prepared by: Staff at the Champaign-Urbana Urbanized Area Transportation Study (CUUATS), a program of the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC), for the City of Champaign Approved by: Champaign City Council on July 17, 2012 Champaign Unit #4 School Board on June 11, 2012 Steering Committee: Chris Sokolowski, City of Champaign Public Works Department Mishauno Woggon, City of Champaign Planning Department Sergeant Donald Shelton, City of Champaign Police Department Barbara Ramsay, Champaign Unit #4 School District Jill Trentz, Dr. Howard Elementary School Lani McAuley, Dr. Howard Elementary School Andrea Herzog, Dr. Howard Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association Nikki Hillier, Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Cynthia Hoyle, Champaign-Urbana Safe Routes To School Project/Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District Rose Hudson, Champaign-Urbana Safe Routes To School Project Contributing Staff: Rita Morocoima-Black, CCRPC/CUUATS Transportation Planning Manager Gabriel Lewis, CCRPC/CUUATS Transportation Planner M. Sharif Ullah, CCRPC/CUUATS Senior Transportation Engineer Angelica Aquino, CCRPC/CUUATS Intern Eric Van Buskirk, CCRPC/CUUATS Intern July 2012

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5 Table of Contents Introduction...1 Existing Conditions...4 Traffic Conditions Analysis...4 Land Use Analysis...6 Crash Data Analysis...6 Crime Data Analysis...6 School District Policy & Health Analysis...6 Existing Mode Share...7 Walking to School...10 Evaluation...10 Education...10 Engineering...11 Encouragement...11 Enforcement...11 Biking to School...15 Evaluation...15 Education...15 Engineering...16 Encouragement...16 Enforcement...16 Busing to School/Family Vehicle to School...17 Evaluation...17 Education...17 Engineering...17 Encouragement...17 Enforcement...17 Dr. Howard Elementary School Safe Routes to School Plan Issue Identification and Recommendations...19 Walking to School...22 Biking to School...24 Busing/Family Vehicle to School...26 General 30 Implementation..31 High, Medium, and Low Priority Projects..31 Engineering Education...37 Encouragement..37 Enforcement...39 Evaluation...39 Implementation Tables by Discipline...41 Implementation Tables by Priority...47 IDOT SRTS Grant Projects...51 Conclusion/Next Steps Appendices A Existing Transportation Conditions B Evaluation C Public Participation i

6 List of Tables Table 1. Observed Speeds in the School Zone Table 2. Pedestrian & Bicycle Crash Summary...6 Table 3. Students within Walking Distance by Grade Table 4. Students within Biking Distance by Grade Table 5. Walking to School Issue #1 Recommendations Table 6. Walking to School Issue #2 Recommendations...23 Table 7. Biking to School Issue #1 Recommendations Table 8. Biking to School Issue #2 Recommendations Table 9. Busing/Family Vehicle to School Issue #1 Recommendations..27 Table 10. Busing/Family Vehicle to School Issue #2 Recommendations..28 Table 11. General Issue #1 Recommendations Table 12. High, Medium, and Low Priority Projects Table 13. Existing Ramp Status Table 14. Engineering Projects...41 Table 15. Education Projects...42 Table 16. Encouragement Projects...43 Table 17. Enforcement Projects...45 Table 18. Evaluation Projects...46 Table 19. High Priority Projects Table 20. Medium Priority Projects...48 Table 21. Low Priority Projects...49 List of Figures Figure 1. Champaign Unit #4 School District Boundary...2 Figure 2. Study Area...3 Figure 3. Existing Traffic Directional Circulation Figure 4. Dr. Howard family crossing James Street after school...7 Figure 5. Dr. Howard student biking across Park Avenue after school...7 Figure 6. Existing Student Distance to School Figure 7. Existing Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities...9 Figure 8. Crossing guard at James St. & Church St. ready to help walkers cross the street Figure 9. Walker crosses James St. & Park Ave. with no assistance...11 Figure 10. Missing Sidewalks & Sidewalk Gaps within Study Area...12 Figure 11. Sidewalk Ramp Map Figure Dr. Howard Safe Walking Route Map...14 ii Figure 13. Dr. Howard student works on a bicycle safety worksheet at the 2011 Wellness Fair...15 Figure 14. Dr. Howard family biking on Church Street sidewalk to school...16 Figure 15. Existing bike racks at Dr. Howard School in Summer Figure 16. Cars and buses enter the pick-up/drop-off queue on Park Avenue from three different directions...17 Figure 17. Existing Traffic Circulation...18 Figure 18. Image Locations Map...20 Figure 19. Identified Hazards & Barriers for Walking & Biking to School...21 Figure 20. Sidewalk gap on Park Avenue west of James Street...22 Figure 21. Northwest corner of Park Avenue & James Street...23 Figure 22. Bicyclist on Elmwood Drive at University Avenue with no sidewalk...24 Figure 23. Bicyclist will encounter no ramp at Park Avenue & James Street...25 Figure 24. Vehicles queueing on James Street and Park Avenue during the Dr. Howard pick-up period...26 Figure 25. School buses queuing on James Street south of Park Avenue during the Dr. Howard pick-up period...26 Figure 26. Dr. Howard staff assist parents in vehicles picking up students on Park Avenue...27 Figure 27. Vehicle speeding down University Avenue near Dr. Howard School...28 Figures Message board on University Avenue outside Dr. Howard School before the School Year started...29 Figure 32. Frequent Walker Club punch card example...30 Figure 33. Existing view of ramps at the southwest corner of James Street & Park Avenue...33 Figure 34. Proposed view of ramps at the southwest corner of James Street & Park Avenue...33 Figure 35 Suggested Ramp Improvement Map...34 Figure 36. Existing view of a speed feedback trailer on University Avenue approaching Dr. Howard School in Summer Figure 37. Proposed view of a permanent speed feedback sign on University Avenue approaching Dr. Howard School...35 Figure 38. Existing view of Park Avenue sidewalk gap...36 Figure 39. Proposed view of Park Avenue sidewalk gap closure...36 Figure 40. Existing view of Elmwood Drive without sidewalks...36 Figure 41. Proposed view of Elmwood Drive with sidewalks...36 Figure 42. New pedestrian pushbuttons and countdown signals at Prospect Avenue & Church Street...37 Figure 43. Existing view of University Avenue eastbound at James Street/Elmwood Drive...37 Figure 44. Proposed view of University Avenue eastbound at James Street/Elmwood Drive...37 Figure 45. Proposed Park & Walk Locations...39 Figure 46. Proposed Traffic Circulation...41 Figure 47. Dr. Howard family crosses James Street to get to school...53

7 Introduction Dr. Howard Elementary School Safe Routes to School Plan In the Fall of 2011, City of Champaign Public Works officials contracted with the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) to complete a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Plan for Dr. Howard Elementary School. CCRPC is the region s designated metropolitan planning organization (MPO), and has been creating safe walking route maps and school travel studies for Champaign Unit #4 School District and Urbana School District #116 since On a national level, the Safe Routes to School movement has grown out of recognition of the decline of schoolchildren walking and biking to schools. Federal transportation legislation began dedicating funding for the National Safe Routes to School Program in Reasons for the decline in schoolchildren walking and biking to school vary from school to school, but it is clear that it is a national issue and the associated problems are impossible to ignore. Fewer children walking and biking to school contributes to several issues: Childhood Obesity: The percentage of children considered severely overweight has tripled in the last 30 years. This coincides with a decrease in the number of children walking & biking to schools. 1 Traffic Congestion: Studies indicate that vehicular travel to and from school can account for up to 25 percent of the traffic volume on roads during school commute times. 2 Vehicle Emissions: Almost a third of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. in 2007 were transportation-related, and each gallon of gasoline used in transportation emits 20 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. 3 Several of these problems are self-perpetuating. The decline in physical activity in children contributes to the rise in the number of overweight children, who are in turn less likely to participate in physical activity. Seeing fewer other children walking and biking to school along with a rise in traffic, parents feel less comfortable allowing their children to walk and bike to school. This leads to increased traffic congestion as more parents drive their children to school. 20 to 25% of early morning rush-hour traffic is attributable to parents driving their children to school. 4 In recognizing the complex and cyclical nature of problems associated with this nationwide decline, it is clear that more children will walk and bike to school only through a coordinated approach with the support and involvement of the whole community. This is why the creation of a Safe Routes to School Plan which tackles the problems and opportunities particular to each school is so important. As per national guidelines, a well-produced plan combines engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement, and evaluation solutions to get more kids to school on foot and bike. With the creation and implementation of an effective plan, benefits should extend beyond the school to the wider community. All area residents will be able to enjoy healthier lifestyles from more walkable neighborhoods, less traffic congestion, and cleaner air from fewer vehicle emissions. Dr. Howard Elementary School faces a unique set of transportation challenges of its own which will be discussed in the existing conditions section of this report. Figures 1 and 2 establish the study area in relation to the Champaign Unit #4 School District and the Dr. Howard School neighborhood. 1. Hedley A, Ogden C, Johnson C, Carroll M, Curtin L, & Flegal K. Prevalence of overweight and obesity among U.S. children, adolescents and adults, Journal of the American Medical Association, 2004 September; 291(23): Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center. Safe Routes to School Guide, Spring Available: saferoutesinfo.org/introduction/health_risks.cfm. 3. Maibach, Edward, Steg, Linda, and Anable, Jillian. Promoting physical activity and reducing climate change: Opportunities to replace short car trips with active transportation. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 49 (2009): National Highway Traffic Safety Administration cited in Safe Routes to School: Pledging Safe Communities for our Children

8 Figure 1: Champaign Unit #4 School District Boundary 2

9 Figure 2: Study Area 3

10 Existing Conditions Traffic Conditions Analysis The school is bounded by Park Avenue to the north, James Street to the west, University Avenue to the south, and single-family homes to the east, east of which is McKinley Avenue. One block north of Park Avenue is Church Street. University Avenue and Church Street are one-way eastbound and westbound, respectively, connecting Downtown Champaign to Interstates 57 & 72. In fact, University Avenue and Church Street become Interstate 72 on the west side of Champaign. During school arrival and dismissal times, James Street is one-way northbound from University to Park Avenues, and Park Avenue is one-way eastbound from Russell Street (one block west of James) to McKinley Avenue. At all other times, James and Park allow two-way traffic. A traffic study completed by CCRPC in Fall 2011 (Appendix A) reveals that Church Street and University Avenue are the most heavily traveled thoroughfares surrounding Dr. Howard Elementary School. The 24-hour volume recorded in 2011 on Church Street west of James Street was over 6,400 vehicles; on University Avenue west of James Street about 5,600 vehicles; and on McKinley Avenue north of University Avenue almost 2,600 vehicles. The morning peak period for major roadways in Champaign-Urbana is between 7:30 AM and 9:00 AM, which coincides with the time that students are commuting to school. Dr. Howard Elementary School has a start time of 7:45 AM. Figure 3 shows the existing traffic directional circulation in the immediate vicinity of Dr. Howard Elementary School. The same traffic study shows that most vehicles speed on University Avenue and Church Street at school arrival and dismissal times. The posted school zone speed limit is 20 MPH, but Table 1 shows that the average and 85 th percentile speed values exceed that speed. Table 1: Observed Speeds in the School Zone Date Location Duration Observed Speed Posted (MPH) Speed Limit 85th (MPH)* Average Percentile 9/22/2011 Church St E of 7:15-8:15 AM James St 1:30-2:30 PM /13/2011 University Ave W 7:15-8:15 AM of James St 1:30-2:30 PM *School Zone Speed Limit 4

11 Figure 3: Existing Traffic Directional Circulation Dr. Howard Elementary School Safe Routes to School Plan 5

12 Land Use Analysis Dr. Howard Elementary School is a 100+ year old school in west central Champaign, nestled in one of Champaign s oldest neighborhoods. The area is almost entirely residential, comprised of homes (some historic), parks, churches, and a recreational center. The study area also includes some neighborhood commercial businesses, and the industrial company Alloy Engineering in the northwest corner. While the area is primarily residential in nature, it is located between Downtown Champaign and Country Fair Shopping Center, two of the largest commerce centers in Champaign. The proximity of two centers of commerce, as well as the fact that Church Street and University Avenue become Interstate 72 on the west side of Champaign, has implications on the volume and speed of traffic going past Dr. Howard School. The longtime establishment of residences also prevents Dr. Howard from building a parking lot on adjacent land, as there currently is none on school property (with the exception of a few visitor spaces on the school grounds). Staff, parents, and visitors must park in front of homes on streets surrounding the school, including Park and University Avenues. Crash Data Analysis Safety (perceived or actual) is frequently cited as a reason parents will not allow their children to walk or bike to school. In terms of traffic safety, six pedestrian and bicycle crashes were recorded within a three square block radius of Dr. Howard School between 2006 and 2010, the latest years that data is available. All four pedestrian crashes occurred in 2007, and both bicycle crashes occurred in Table 2 summarizes the details of these crashes. Crime Data Analysis CCRPC obtained crime data from the Champaign Police Department from 2009 and 2010 for a five square block radius around Dr. Howard School, which extends outside of the study area (east one block to New Street, and Table 2: Pedestrian & Bicycle Crash Summary Location Year Weather Injury Road Level Surface Pedestrian Crash Summary Prospect/Church 2007 Clear B Injury Dry Prospect/University 2007 Clear C Injury Dry McKinley/University 2007 Clear A Injury Dry Russell/University 2007 Clear C Injury Dry Bicycle Crash Summary Prospect/Clark 2008 Clear A Injury Dry Draper/Church 2008 Clear B Injury Dry south one block to Healey Street). The overwhelmingly highest number of violations was speeding, followed by crashes not involving injuries. Speeding included speeding in school zones and driving too fast for conditions. Other traffic safety violations included other crashes; not yielding at intersections and stop signs; traffic sign and signal violations; improper lane usage; and using a cell phone in a school zone. School District Policy & Health Analysis Champaign Unit #4 schools have a School of Choice policy allowing anyone living within the district the opportunity to attend Dr. Howard Elementary School. The district boundaries include the majority of the City of Champaign, the Villages of Savoy and Bondville, and adjacent rural areas, as seen in Figure 1. As such, Dr. Howard has no boundaries from which it draws its students; students come from all over the district to go to Dr. Howard. This contrasts with policies from decades ago that saw neighborhood schools whereby students attended the schools that were closest to their homes (and were generally close enough to walk or bike to). With the School of Choice policy, many Dr. Howard students live too great a distance from Dr. Howard to be realistically expected to walk or to bike to school on a regular basis. 6

13 Figure 6 illustrates the distances current students live from Dr. Howard Elementary School. The Unit #4 School District does not have a specific wellness program for students. At Dr. Howard, Physical Education (P.E.) is on a three day rotation, with each period being 40 minutes. Dr. Howard students get 80 minutes of P.E. instruction per week, and have a 15 minute recess before lunch every day. This adds up to 155 minutes; however, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity for children 1, or 300 minutes each school week. Dr. Howard students are receiving a little more than half of their recommended physical activity at school, but a 15 minute walk or bike ride to and from school every day would help them surpass that 300 minute mark. Existing Mode Share CCRPC s Traffic Study (Appendix A) shows that on a typical weekday, approximately 57% of Dr. Howard students arrive at school by school bus, 35% are dropped off in a family vehicle, about 7% walk, and 1.5% bike. Existing mode share percentages from other Dr. Howard travel tallies are recorded in Appendix B, but they used smaller sample sizes than the Traffic Study. Given that all students were tallied in the Traffic Study, these percentages were used for the purpose of this report. Figure 4: Dr. Howard family crossing James Street after school Figure 7 displays the existing bicycle and pedestrian facilities in the study area, including sidewalks, crosswalks, pedestrian pushbuttons, and school bike rack location. There are currently no bike lanes or facilities in the study area. Transportation modes are analyzed based on the five E s (Engineering, Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, and Evaluation) identified for Safe Routes to School grant disbursement by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). For the purposes of the Existing Conditions section of this report, Evaluation is analyzed first. 1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, Chapter 4. Available: Figure 5: Dr. Howard student biking across Park Avenue after school 7

14 Figure 6: Existing Student Distance to School 8

15 Figure 7: Existing Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities Dr. Howard Elementary School Safe Routes to School Plan 9

16 Walking to School Evaluation Currently, only 6.8% of students walk to Dr. Howard Elementary School. Analysis of current distances Dr. Howard students must travel from home to school reveals that approximately 13% of students live within the study area and should be able to comfortably walk to school without crossing any major safety barriers (arterial streets or railroad tracks). Figure 2 illustrates the study area bounded by these major safety barriers around Dr. Howard Elementary School within which students should feel comfortable walking to school. These numbers show that 52.3% of Dr. Howard students who live within the study area are currently walking to school. Student and parent surveys (Appendix B) found the top challenges and barriers to walking to school to be distance, unsafe feelings, difficulty crossing streets, driver behavior, infrastructure and time. In a Fall 2011 survey of Dr. Howard 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders, the top four challenges for walkers were speeding traffic, unsafe feelings, difficulty crossing streets, and weather. The top four barriers for non-walkers were distance, parents not allowing them to walk, unsafe feelings, and difficulty crossing streets. Fall 2011 parent surveys conducted by the C-U SRTS Project revealed that the top four factors parents cited for not allowing their children to walk to school were distance, time, violence/crime, and a tie for sidewalks, street crossing safety, and weather. Fall 2007 parent surveys had some of the same top concerns (distance, insufficient crossing guards, weather, sidewalks, street crossing safety), showing a history of barriers. A small survey of parents at the Fall 2011 Wellness Fair garnered comments about insufficient crossing guards, bad driver behavior, bad infrastructure, and insufficient time to walk in the morning. A generally accepted distance students are expected to walk to school is 1 mile. However, in assessing the expectation for a child to walk to school, it is important to note the child s age group, as many parents may only allow their child to walk to school after their child reaches a certain maturity level. Table 3 shows the grades of children that live within generally accepted walkable distances to school. Grade Table 3: Students within Walking Distance by Grade Students living 0 to 1/4 mile from school Students living 1/4 to 1/2 mile from school Students living 1/2 to 1 mile from school Total Kindergarten First Grade Second Grade Third Grade Fourth Grade Fifth Grade Total Education Area Safe Routes to School programs are organized through a community organization called the Champaign-Urbana Safe Routes to School (C-U SRTS) Project. Each year on the first Wednesday in October, the C-U SRTS Project coordinates a communitywide Walk n Roll to School Day as part of International Walk to School Day. Letters are distributed to parents via schools encouraging their children to participate in the event. Surveys are distributed along with the letters ascertaining parent attitudes toward transportation choices for their children to get to school. In addition to Walk n Roll to School Day, students were educated on the benefits and techniques of walking & biking to school at the Dr. Howard Wellness Fair in Fall 2011, which is an annual event. 10

17 Engineering Sidewalks are important infrastructure for the safety and comfort of pedestrians. They provide separation from vehicular traffic and are particularly important for the walking routes of children going to and from school. However, several areas within the study area are missing sidewalks or have gaps in their sidewalk networks, as shown in Figure 10. Sidewalk ramps are also important infrastructure for allowing pedestrians to safely cross the street. Figure 11 shows that many intersections in the study area have no ramps. Other intersections have ramps, but could be brought up to current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards with features like colored truncated domes. Ramp improvements would improve safe routes to school for pedestrians, especially those with disabilities. Encouragement The C-U SRTS Project coordinates with Dr. Howard Elementary School to organize events to promote walking to school. In Fall 2011, Dr. Howard Elementary School participated in C-U SRTS Project s Walk n Roll to School Day. Other area schools have started Walking School Buses and implemented Frequent Walker Clubs to encourage students to walk to and/or at school through additional safety measures and incentives. However, Walking School Buses nor a Frequent Walker Club have yet been established at Dr. Howard Elementary School. Enforcement Two crossing guards are located at intersections to help facilitate children crossing busy streets near Dr. Howard Elementary School. Crossing guards are located along established safe routes at James Street & Church Street and at James Street & University Avenue. Locating crossing guards along established safe routes encourages use of the safe routes and increases safety for students going to and from school, as shown in Figure 12. Currently, the Champaign Police Department (CPD) manages the school crossing guard program for the Champaign Unit #4 School District. However, CPD faces more challenges than it currently has staff resources to enforce. First, cars are parking on the south side of Park Avenue in front of the school during the temporary one-way eastbound traffic operation at school arrival/dismissal times, which is prohibited. Second, parent vehicles are driving west on Park Avenue from McKinley Avenue to get to Dr. Howard School at arrival/dismissal times, which is prohibited. Third, traffic at the James/Park intersection funnels from three directions to one at school arrival/dismissal times. Fourth, there is no crossing guard at James/Park to help students safely cross the intersection. Finally, traffic on University Avenue and Church Street frequently speeds. All of these things contribute to an environment immediately outside Dr. Howard School that is not inviting to walking. Figure 8: Crossing guard at James St. & Church St. ready to help walkers cross the street 11 Figure 9: Walker crosses James St. & Park Ave. with no assistance

18 Figure 10: Missing Sidewalks & Sidewalk Gaps within Study Area 12

19 Figure 11: Sidewalk Ramp Map Dr. Howard Elementary School Safe Routes to School Plan 13

20 Figure 12: Dr. Howard Safe Walking Route Map 14

21 Biking to School Evaluation A generally accepted maximum distance for a student to bike to school is 1.5 miles. 149 or approximately 37% of students live between 0.5 and 1.5 miles from Dr. Howard, yet very few Dr. Howard students bike to school. Currently, only 1.5% of students bike to Dr. Howard Elementary School. As with expectations for students to walk to school, it can be anticipated that younger children will be less likely to bike to school, particularly if they have to go a farther distance to do so. Additionally, major safety barriers such as arterial streets and railroads must be crossed when a bicyclist reaches the edge of the study area, which ranges from about 1/4 to 2/3 mile away from Dr. Howard Elementary School. Parents and students who do and don t bike cited the same challenges and barriers to biking to school as discussed in the Walking to School Evaluation section (Appendix B). Table 4 shows the grades of children that live within generally accepted bikeable distances to school. Grade Table 4: Students within Biking Distance by Grade Students living 0 to 1/4 mile from school Students living 1/4 to 1/2 mile from school Students living 1/2 to 1 mile from school Students living 1 to 1.5 miles from school Total Kindergarten First Grade Second Grade Third Grade Fourth Grade Fifth Grade Total Education As part of their health curriculum, second and fourth grade Dr. Howard students go through a bicycle Risk Watch program. This unit covers the hazards students may encounter in riding their bicycles and appropriate ways to mitigate those hazards including helmet wearing, bicycling in designated areas, extra caution at intersections, etc. In addition to this twoweek health unit for specific grades, Dr. Howard students were exposed to bicycle safety tips at the school wellness fair (see Figure 13) and are invited to attend bike rodeos held across the community organized by the C-U SRTS Project. Bike rodeos are rides on a miniature chalk street course set up in a parking lot where young cyclists are shown where and how to apply biking rules. The participants are usually escorted through the course by knowledgeable adult cyclists who point out hazards, safety tips, and rules of the road. Figure 13: Dr. Howard student works on a bicycle safety worksheet at the 2011 Wellness Fair 15

22 Engineering While older bicyclists are encouraged to use on-street biking facilities, sidewalks are generally used by younger cyclists, including elementary school students (see Figure 14). The City of Champaign has on-street bike facilities, but also does not prohibit bicycling on sidewalks in most areas (with the exception of Downtown). As such, a complete sidewalk network and a designated safe route from home to school (see Figure 12) are the most essential tools for allowing students to bike to school. Missing sidewalks and sidewalk gaps hinder the ability of students to safely bike to school even within the study area (see Figure 10). Sidewalk ramps are also important infrastructure for bicyclists using sidewalks. Many intersections in the study area have no ramps, which completely prevents them from crossing streets on sidewalks (see Figure 11). Installing ramps at these locations would improve safe routes to school for bicyclists. Encouragement While the school district has no policy prohibiting bicycle-riding to school and even provides bike racks on school property (see Figure 15), it does not have policies to encourage bicycle riding. Enforcement The Unit #4 School District currently uses a stick versus a carrot approach to biking to school. Per school district policy, students that bike to school must utilize District-provided bicycle racks on school property; however, the District assumes no liability for the bicycles. School Board policies additionally specify mechanisms by which biking policies may be revoked but do not provide the carrot of a license specifically allowing students the privilege of riding their bicycles. The conditions and challenges described in the Walking to School Enforcement section also apply to those biking to school, which do not always contribute to an environment around Dr. Howard School that is inviting to biking. Figure 14: Dr. Howard family biking on the Church Street sidewalk to school Figure 15: Existing bike racks at Dr. Howard School in Summer

23 Busing to School/Family Vehicle to School Evaluation 57% of Dr. Howard students get to school on a typical school day using the school bus, the highest of any mode. Location analysis of where current students live in relation to Dr. Howard Elementary School reveals that 47.6% of students live 1.5 miles or more from Dr. Howard School, and should be eligible for School District bus services based on School District busing policies. 35% of students are dropped off by family in a family vehicle on a typical school day, according to Fall 2011 CCRPC data. This is the second highest mode used to get to Dr. Howard School. Education School board policy requires students to be instructed in school bus safety at least twice during each school year. The instruction covers safety practices such as the operation and use of emergency doors and windows but does not go over the environmental benefits of riding the school bus versus other transportation alternatives such as riding to school in individual family vehicles. Engineering School district policy provides busing services to all students that live over 1.5 miles from Dr. Howard. The district also busses all students within the 1.5 mile boundary that would have to encounter safety hazards on their way to school. According to Dr. Howard Elementary School, there are no identified hazards that qualify its students living within 1.5 miles of the school to be bused. The large number of students arriving and leaving in family vehicles has a significant impact on the traffic congestion in the area at the beginning and end of the school day. A queue of vehicles develops and remains along Park Avenue, sometimes blocking the intersection at James Street, and generally remains for 15 to 20 minutes during the pick-up time period (see Figure 16). Additionally, this queue of vehicles idling negatively impacts the air quality in the immediate vicinity of the school. The lack of a parking lot at Dr. Howard Elementary School contributes to these issues. Encouragement School district policy prioritizes arranging bus routes so that each student has no more than a 45 minute bus ride. Busing policy also provides that students should not have a long wait in between arriving at school and the start of classes. Limiting the length of the bus ride and therefore reducing the proportional convenience of arriving in family vehicles is very important to increasing bus ridership. Enforcement Dr. Howard Elementary School has designated drop-off/pick-up routes for each mode of travel at the start and end of school (see Figure 17). Dr. Howard staff helps unload and load students from family vehicles to move the queue as efficiently as possible (see Figure 26). Dr. Howard staff also opens and closes the temporary one-way signs on Park Avenue and James Street at the beginning and end of each school day. However, this plan identifies some barriers for students to walk or bike to Dr. Howard School (see Figure 19). Railroad tracks north of Dr. Howard School are in active use and constitute a barrier for schoolchildren who would have to cross them to get to school. Additionally, Prospect, Springfield, and Mattis Avenues are major arterial streets near Dr. Howard School that constitute barriers for walking and biking. University Avenue and Church Street are minor arterial streets that can be challenging for Dr. Howard walkers and bikers to cross, too. 17 Figure 16: Cars & buses enter the pick-up/drop-off queue on Park Avenue from three different directions

24 Figure 17: Existing Traffic Circulation 18

25 Issue Identification and Recommendations Dr. Howard Elementary School Safe Routes to School Plan Several issues are identified as minimizing the number of students walking and biking to Dr. Howard Elementary School, as follows: Lack of pedestrian comfort within the study area Lack of pedestrian safety within the study area Lack of comfort for cyclists within the study area Lack of safety for cyclists within the study area Congested traffic and concentrated emissions with queue development along Park Avenue and James Street during drop-off and pick-up times Each of these issues adds to and compounds the difficulty faced in encouraging students to walk and bike to Dr. Howard Elementary School. These issues are only summarized here, and have subsets of problems which will be discussed in this section. Each issue is primarily associated with a specific travel mode and will be discussed as such in the following sections. Figure 18 shows the locations of images associated with the issues that will be described in this section. Figure 19 shows identified physical hazards and barriers for walking & biking to school (active railroad tracks, high volume roads, and busy intersections). Speeding traffic on University Avenue & Church Street Early school start time 19

26 Figure 18: Image Locations Map 20

27 Figure 19: Identified Hazards & Barriers for Walking & Biking to School Dr. Howard Elementary School Safe Routes to School Plan 21

28 Walking to School Figure 20: Sidewalk gap on Park Avenue west of James Street Issue #1: Lack of pedestrian comfort within the study area. The study area has many areas without sidewalks or has sidewalk gaps. This means that pedestrians do not always have a designated path for travel separated from vehicular traffic. Along many routes, pedestrians are forced to walk in grass lawns or on the side of the road. Additionally, because so few students walk to school, students and parents are discouraged from choosing walking as a means of travel to school if sidewalks are not present along their entire route to school. A lack of experience walking to school among the student body makes it intimidating. Objective: Create an environment around Dr. Howard Elementary School which is comfortable to walk in and through. Table 5: Walking to School Issue #1 Recommendations Engineering Education Encouragement Evaluation Install missing sidewalks and fill in sidewalk gaps within the study area, prioritizing those which are closer to Dr. Howard Elementary School Continue participation in C-U Walk n Roll To School Day Continue participation in annual Wellness Fair Coordinate with C-U SRTS Project to institute incentive-based programs to encourage students to walk to school, such as a Frequent Walkers Club Coordinate with C-U SRTS Project, Champaign Police Department & Dr. Howard PTA to organize and incentivize Walking School Buses Dismiss students walking home 5-10 minutes early, which also reduces pedestrian-vehicle conflicts Continue collecting data on travel mode choices through in-class travel tallies conducted by Dr. Howard teachers Distribute district-wide surveys to parents on walking to school as part of C-U Walk n Roll To School Day 22

29 Issue #2: Lack of pedestrian safety within the study area. Students and parents will feel comfortable with walking to school only when they are assured of the safety of walking along the entire route. Most students walking to Dr. Howard Elementary School must cross University Avenue or Church Street, which have speeding traffic and a significant amount of traffic. Figure 21: Northwest corner of Park Avenue & James Street Not only are these arterial streets intimidating to cross, so is the intersection closest to Dr. Howard School. The intersection of Park Avenue and James Street can be difficult for walkers to navigate when parent vehicles encroach on the intersection. No crossing guard, school staff, or police officer is present at this intersection to safely guide walkers through it. This intersection and many others in the study area are also difficult for walkers to use because they have no sidewalk ramps, or have ramps that are not compliant with current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. Objective: Create an environment in the vicinity around Dr. Howard Elementary School which is safe to walk in and through. Table 6: Walking to School Issue #2 Recommendations Engineering Install permanent vehicular speed feedback signs on University Avenue & Church Street to make drivers conscious of their speed around the school in an effort to increase school zone speed limit compliance Install new or retrofit existing sidewalk ramps to current ADA standards, especially close to the school Install curb extensions on University Avenue at James Street/ Elmwood Drive to reduce the pedestrian crossing distance Install pedestrian countdown signals on all legs of signalized intersections Enforcement Investigate the feasibility of adding or moving a police officer, crossing guard, or school staff person to the intersection of Park Avenue & James Street at school arrival/dismissal times without decreasing safety at other intersections 23

30 Biking to School Figure 22: Bicyclist on Elmwood Drive at University Avenue with no sidewalk Issue #1: Lack of comfort for cyclists within the study area. While older cyclists can and should bike on the road and off-street bicycle facilities, sidewalks are recognized as the safest travel pathway for elementary school-aged cyclists. As such, the lack of sidewalk infrastructure within the study area is a particular hindrance to students who might otherwise choose to bike to Dr. Howard Elementary School. Objective: Increase the comfort with which students can bike to school from within the study area. Table 7: Biking to School Issue #1 Recommendations Engineering Encouragement Evaluation Install missing sidewalks and fill in sidewalk gaps within the study area, prioritizing those which are closer to Dr. Howard Elementary School Dismiss students biking home 5-10 minutes early, which also reduces bicycle-vehicle conflicts Adopt policies which encourage biking to school Continue collecting data on travel mode choices through in-class travel tallies conducted by Dr. Howard teachers Distribute district-wide surveys to parents on biking to school as part of C-U Walk n Roll To School Day 24

31 Issue #2: Lack of safety for cyclists within the study area. Figure 23: Bicyclist will encounter no ramp at Park Avenue & James Street Bicycle riding presents more safety issues than walking. Bicyclists travel faster, have more mechanical parts to negotiate, and require balance for operation. Encouraging students to bike to school then presents more safety considerations than encouraging students to walk to school. Additionally, students generally have less experience biking than adults. Extra steps have to be taken both to prepare students to bike and to create an environment that is safer for them to bike in. Currently, there are several opportunities for Dr. Howard Elementary School students to learn about and practice bike safety issues, including a mandatory bicycle Risk Watch program for second and fourth graders. The study area contains sidewalks leading to intersections, but many intersections without ramps, or ramps that are not compliant with current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. Most elementary school students are not prepared to bike on streets, so they use sidewalks. Students on sidewalks should have ramps so that they don t have to dismount their bike at each intersection. Objective: Increase the safety with which students can bike to school from within the study area. Table 8: Biking to School Issue #2 Recommendations Engineering Install permanent vehicular speed feedback signs on University Avenue & Church Street to make drivers conscious of their speed around the school in an effort to increase school zone speed limit compliance Install new or retrofit existing sidewalk ramps that meet current ADA standards, especially close to the school Install curb extensions on University Avenue at James Street/Elmwood Drive to reduce the cyclist crossing distance Install pedestrian countdown signals on all legs of signalized intersections Education Continue educating 2 nd & 4 th grade students about bicycle safety issues through the bicycle Risk Watch unit in their health class Continue educating students about bicycle safety issues at the annual Wellness Fair Sponsor a Bike Rodeo at Dr. Howard Elementary School to help train students on bicycle safety issues 25

32 Busing/Family Vehicle to School Issue #1: Morning/afternoon queue development along Park Avenue & James Street. Before the Dr. Howard school day begins and ends, a queue of family vehicles builds up along Park Avenue, extending west of James Street. Vehicles have also been observed waiting double file on James Street north of Park Avenue, which blocks vehicles that can legally north on James Street. Buses queue and load on James Street south of Park Avenue. All of these queues have been proceeding east on Park Avenue past Dr. Howard School to exit the neighborhood, as part of the temporary one-way traffic pattern during school arrival and dismissal periods. These queues of idling vehicles generally remain for 15 to 20 minutes. During this idling period, fuel efficiency is almost zero and vehicle emissions are increased in the immediate vicinity of Dr. Howard Elementary School. The increase of traffic congestion and vehicle emissions along Park Avenue and James Street during drop-off/pick-up times necessitates a creative solution. One possibility is the use of Park & Walk locations which would allow parents to park at a remote location near the school during drop-off and/ or pick-up times and have their children walk a short distance with their families and/or other children to/from school. Implementing Park & Walk sites would not only reduce the traffic and air pollution on Park Avenue at the school entrance but would allow students who don t live close to Dr. Howard to still walk to school. Once students and parents have more experience with walking to school, they may begin to feel comfortable walking to school on a more regular basis. Figure 24: Vehicles queuing on James Street (left) and Park Avenue (right) during the Dr. Howard pick-up period Figure 25: School buses queuing on James Street south of Park Avenue during the Dr. Howard pick-up period 26

33 Another measure to improve traffic safety for all modes is to enforce a traffic circulation pattern at school start/end times that is clearly understood by all users. Park Avenue from James Street to McKinley Avenue should be oneway eastbound, one lane for the first 15 minutes after school, for parents and residents. Also at this time, no parking shall be allowed on the south side of Park Avenue in front of Dr. Howard School; visitors should park east of Dr. Howard School on Park Avenue. School buses should not turn right from James Street to Park Avenue, but should instead continue north to Church Street, and then use Edwin, Church or Russell Streets to leave Dr. Howard School. All of these measures will create one lane of traffic on Park Avenue at school arrival and dismissal times. A police officer is recommended to be at the intersection of University Avenue & James Street in the morning, to slow down traffic coming to work in Champaign for students to cross the street safely; and at Park Avenue & James Street in the afternoon to monitor vehicular behavior so that students can cross the street safely. Vehicles and buses should not block the intersection of Park & James, in an effort to create a more inviting environment for students to walk or bike to Dr. Howard School. Dr. Howard parents should be vigilant to not block access to/ from residents driveways on Park Avenue. Objective: Reduce traffic congestion and vehicle emissions along Park Avenue & James Street during school drop-off/pick-up times. Figure 26: Dr. Howard staff assist parents in vehicles picking up students on Park Avenue Table 9: Busing/Family Vehicle to School Issue #1 Recommendations Education Encouragement Enforcement Evaluation Send a letter home to educate Dr. Howard families about the Park & Walk option Send a letter home to educate Dr. Howard families if the traffic pattern changes Coordinate with willing property owners to establish Park & Walk facilities in the study area Sponsor a kick-off event for Park & Walk sites Send a letter home to encourage Dr. Howard parents not to block residents driveways when waiting in cars to pick up their children Distribute rules & recommendations for usage of Park & Walk locations to all Dr. Howard families Distribute a map with a suggested traffic circulation route for Park & Walk sites to all Dr. Howard families Enforce Unit #4 s bus idling policy Continue collecting data on travel mode choices through in-class travel tallies conducted by Dr. Howard teachers Distribute district-wide surveys to parents on walking to school as part of C-U Walk n Roll To School Day 27

34 Busing/Family Vehicle to School Issue #2: Speeding traffic on University Avenue & Church Street. School zone speed limit signs are present on University Avenue and Church Street near the school. The posted school zone speed limit is 20 MPH. However, field observations found the vehicular speed during the school start and end times to be significantly higher than the school zone speed limit. Table 1 shows the average and 85 th percentile speed values along Church Street and University Avenue near the school during school start and end times. The City of Champaign placed vehicular speed feedback trailers on University Avenue and Church Street before and after the school year started to make motorists aware of how fast they were driving and to comply with the speed limit. However, the Champaign Police Department has a limited number of these trailers, and moves them to be used at other locations in Champaign, too. Permanent vehicular speed feedback signs would be beneficial to help reduce speeding in front of Dr. Howard School, and to increase safety and comfort for students walking and biking to Dr. Howard School. Objective: Reduce speeding on University Avenue & Church Street near Dr. Howard Elementary School. Figure 27: Vehicle speeding down University Avenue near Dr. Howard School Table 10: Busing/Family Vehicle to School Issue #2 Recommendations Engineering Encouragement Enforcement Evaluation Install permanent vehicular speed feedback signs on University Avenue & Church Street to make drivers conscious of their speed around the school in an effort to increase school zone speed limit compliance Place C-U SRTS Project yard signs regarding speed reduction on University Avenue & Church Street near Dr. Howard Elementary School to encourage motorists to obey the speed limit Increase the visibility of police presence around Dr. Howard Elementary School at drop-off/ pick-up times Conduct a before and after speed study if permanent vehicular speed feedback signs are installed 28

35 Figures 28-31: Message board on University Avenue outside Dr. Howard School before the School Year started 29

36 General Issue #1: Early school start time. The Dr. Howard school day begins at 7:45 AM. Parents have cited this as a barrier for allowing their children to walk or bike to school. For some families, this is too early to send their child to school on foot or bike. For other families, this is too late in the morning to walk or bike with their child and still get to work on time. Driving then becomes the most convenient option. School buses must also be distributed across the Unit #4 School District, so many elementary schools must have earlier start and end times, and others late start/end times to be able to bus all students to school. However, Dr. Howard students could still get some walking in before, during, or after school. Issue #2: Early school start time. The Dr. Howard Elementary school day begins at 7:45 AM. Parents have cited this as a barrier for allowing their children to walk or bike to school. For some families, this is too early to send their child to school on foot or bike. For other families, this is too late in the morning to walk or bike with their child and still get to work on time. Driving then becomes the most convenient option. School buses must also be distributed across the Unit #4 School District, so many elementary schools must have earlier start and end times, and others late start/end times to be able to bus all students One strategy is to identify adults who have availability before and/or after school to form a Walking School Bus. A Walking School Bus is led by an adult or older student, has a designated route, and designated times to pick up students from their homes. Together, the group walks to school together, which has social and safety benefits. Students can also walk home together in a Walking School Bus. Figure 32: Frequent Walker Club punch card example Courtesy: National Center for Safe Routes to School (NCSRTS) Table 11: General Issue #1 Recommendations Education Create Walking School Bus maps and schedules to distribute to Dr. Howard families Encouragement Work with Dr. Howard parents to identify adults to lead Walking School Bus routes Coordinate with the C-U SRTS Project to create a Frequent Walker Club 30

37 Implementation Dr. Howard Elementary School Safe Routes to School Plan High, Medium, and Low Priority Projects Based on the recommended strategies for Dr. Howard Elementary School s identified issues, the following implementation projects are suggested and divided based on the priority of their implementation. Table 12: High, Medium, and Low Priority Projects Engineering Education Encouragement Install new or retrofit existing sidewalk ramps to meet current ADA standards, especially close to Dr. Howard School Install permanent vehicular speed feedback signs on University Avenue & Church Street in Dr. Howard school zones Install missing sidewalks and fill in sidewalk gaps within the study area, especially close to Dr. Howard School Install pedestrian countdown signals on all legs of signalized intersections Install pedestrian pushbuttons on all legs of signalized intersections Install curb extensions on University Avenue at James Street/ Elmwood Drive to reduce the pedestrian crossing distance Send a letter home to educate Dr. Howard families if the traffic pattern changes Continue educating 2 nd & 4 th grade students about bicycle safety issues through the bicycle Risk Watch unit in their health class Send a letter home to educate Dr. Howard families about the Park & Walk option Continue participation in C-U Walk n Roll To School Day Continue participation in annual Wellness Fair Continue educating students about bicycle safety issues at the annual Wellness Fair Create Walking School Bus maps and schedules to distribute to Dr. Howard families Sponsor a Bike Rodeo at Dr. Howard School to help train students on bicycle safety issues Send a letter home to encourage Dr. Howard parents not to block residents driveways when waiting in cars to pick up their children Work with Dr. Howard parents to identify adults and/or older students to lead Walking School Bus routes Place C-U SRTS Project yard signs regarding speed reduction on University Avenue & Church Streer near Dr. Howard School to encourage motorists to obey the speed limit Coordinate with willing property owners to establish Park & Walk sites in the study area Sponsor a kick-off event for Park & Walk site(s) Adopt policies which encourage biking to school Coordinate with C-U SRTS Project to institute incentive-based programs to encourage students to walk to school, such as a Frequent Walkers Club Dismiss students walking or biking home 5-10 minutes early, which also reduces conflicts with vehicles Coordinate with C-U SRTS Project, Champaign Police Department & Dr. Howard PTA to organize and incentivize Walking School Buses 31

38 Enforcement Table 12 (cont d): High, Medium, and Low Priority Projects Investigate the feasibility of adding or moving a police officer, crossing guard, or school staff person to the intersection of Park Avenue & James Street at school arrival/dismissal times without decreasing safety at other intersections Increase the visibility of police presence around Dr. Howard School at pick-up/drop-off times Investigate the feasibility of changing the school arrival/dismissal traffic pattern Distribute a map with a suggested traffic circulation route for Park & Walk sites to all Dr. Howard families Distribute rules & recommendations for usage of Park & Walk sites to all Dr. Howard families Enforce Unit #4 s bus idling policy Evaluation Conduct a before and after speed study if permanent vehicular speed feedback signs are installed Continue collecting data on travel mode choices through in-class travel tallies conducted by Dr. Howard teachers Distribute district-wide surveys to parents on walking and biking to school as part of C-U Walk n Roll To School Day 32

39 Engineering Ramp Modernization The highest priority engineering project is the improvement of sidewalk ramps near Dr. Howard School. Sidewalk ramps are important infrastructure, especially for people with disabilities and young bicyclists. Most elementary school students are not prepared to bike on streets, so they use sidewalks. These cyclists using sidewalks should have ramps so that they do not have to dismount their bike at each intersection. Table 13 shows that almost 40% of the intersection legs in the study area currently have no sidewalk ramps. Another 51% of these intersection legs could be modernized to have ramps with colored truncated domes that assist people with disabilities to cross streets, and meet current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. The City of Champaign should install and modernize sidewalk ramps as opportunities become available through street resurfacing, grant funding, or by inclusion in other infrastructure maintenance projects. The City should collect a sidewalk ramp inventory for the study area in order to identify the deficiencies at each ramp and to prioritize the locations. Suggested priorities include the presence of a ramp and steepness of existing slopes along with proximity to Dr. Howard School (see Figure 35). Figure 33: Existing view of ramps at the southwest corner of James Street & Park Avenue Figure 33 shows an existing view of a corner near Dr. Howard School with no ramp on one side. Figure 34 shows what this corner could look like with ramps with colored truncated domes. Study Area 3 square block radius around Dr. Howard Table 13: Existing Ramp Status No ramp exists Ramp exists without truncated domes Ramp exists with truncated domes # % 39.5% 51.1% 9.4% # % 35.6% 60.6% 3.8% Figure 34: Proposed view of ramps at the southwest corner of James Street & Park Avenue 33

40 Figure 35: Suggested Ramp Improvement Map 34

41 Speed Feedback Signs The second highest priority engineering project is to install permanent speed feedback signs near Dr. Howard School. University Avenue and Church Street near Dr. Howard Elementary School carries speeding traffic (see Table 1), which is intimidating to walkers and bikers who have to cross these streets to get to/from home. The Champaign Police Department placed vehicular speed feedback trailers on University Avenue and Church Street before and after the school year started (see Figure 36). However, the Champaign Police Department has a limited number of these trailers, and uses them in other locations in the city. Permanent vehicular speed feedback signs under the School Zone Speed Limit 20 MPH signs would alert motorists of their speed every time they drive past it, and could increase compliance with the posted speed limit (see Figure 37). Missing Sidewalks Sidewalks are important infrastructure for the safety and comfort of pedestrians and young bicyclists. They provide separation from vehicular traffic and are particularly important for the walking and bicycling routes of children going to and from school. However, several areas within the study area are missing sidewalks or have gaps in their sidewalk networks (see Figure 10). Since local funding for sidewalk construction and gap projects are limited, the City of Champaign generally prioritizes addressing sidewalk deficiencies along designated safe walking routes, requests from residents, and other gaps of demonstrated pedestrian activity. These locations will compete with other locations throughout the city for the limited funding available. Figure 36: Existing view of a speed feedback trailer on University Avenue approaching Dr. Howard School in Summer 2011 Also, in areas without sidewalks, the City s general goal is to construct sidewalk on one side of the street. Therefore, streets with no sidewalk will get priority in sidewalk projects over streets that already have sidewalk on one side. Additionally, adjacent property owner support, elevation differences, mature trees, and utility conflicts in the parkway must be evaluated and weighed against the projected benefit and use of a new sidewalk when considering sidewalk installation. Figures show existing views of streets near Dr. Howard School where a sidewalk ends or does not exist, and what it could look like with sidewalks. 35 Figure 37: Proposed view of a permanent speed feedback sign on University Avenue approaching Dr. Howard School

42 Figure 38: Existing view of Park Avenue sidewalk gap Figure 40: Existing view of Elmwood Drive without sidewalks Figure 39: Proposed view of Park Avenue sidewalk gap closure Figure 41: Proposed view of Elmwood Drive with sidewalks 36

43 Busy Intersections Several intersections on the boundary of the study area are of particular concern for students walking and biking to/from Dr. Howard School (see Figure 18). However, all signalized intersections currently have pedestrian pushbuttons, except for the northeast corner of Springfield & Prospect Avenues (see Figure 11). Fortunately, IDOT is planning to install a pushbutton at this location during planned intersection improvements in IDOT also installed pedestrian countdown signals on Prospect Avenue at Church Street and University Avenue in These countdown signals tell pedestrians and bicyclists how many seconds they have left to cross the intersection. IDOT plans to install pedestrian countdown signals at Prospect & Springfield Avenues in Mattis Avenue at Springfield Avenue, University Avenue, Church Street, and Glenn Park Drive still need pedestrian countdown signals installed, which are intersections also controlled by IDOT. Figure 43: Existing view of University Avenue eastbound at James Street/Elmwood Drive Figure 42: New pedestrian pushbuttons and countdown signals at Prospect Avenue & Church Street Curb Extensions Curb extensions, or curb bumpouts, narrow the roadway and reduce the pedestrian crossing distance by providing an extension of the sidewalk area into the parking lane. A curb extension can also slow turning vehicles and prevent motorists from parking on or near a crosswalk. 1 Installing curb extensions on the east leg of the University Avenue at James Street/ Elmwood Drive intersection (see Figures 43 and 44) could be evaluated, after which time the cost and benefits would be weighed. 1. Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center. Safe Routes to School Guide, Spring Available: www. guide.saferoutesinfo.org/introduction/health_risks.cfm. 37 Figure 44: Proposed view of University Avenue eastbound at James Street/Elmwood Drive

44 Education Continue Wellness Fair, International Walk to School Day, Risk Watch Dr. Howard Elementary School should continue involvement in current initiatives to teach students about and encourage students to walk and bike to school. This includes continuing the organization of an annual Wellness Fair and participation in International Walk to School Day. Champaign- Urbana s Walk n Roll to School Day is held on International Walk to School Day, typically on the first Wednesday of October, and is coordinated by the C-U SRTS Project. Dr. Howard should work with the C-U SRTS Project, as the coalition has been able to bring University of Illinois student athletes, elected officials, and giveaways to participating schools. Dr. Howard Elementary School should also continue mandating a health unit for 2 nd & 4 th graders on bicycle safety issues. Bike Rodeo Dr. Howard School should host bike rodeos as part of Champaign-Urbana Safe Routes to School (C-U SRTS) Project s bike rodeo program to teach children bicycle safety skills. Encouragement C-U SRTS Project Initiatives The Champaign-Urbana Safe Routes to School (C-U SRTS) Project has been very successful with several of its initiatives to encourage students to walk and bike to area schools. Dr. Howard staff should coordinate with the C-U SRTS Project to bring these programs to Dr. Howard School. A Frequent Walker Club has been successful in several Champaign and Urbana elementary schools where students are encouraged to log the amount that they walk and are given incentives based on the cumulative distance that they log. Incentive-based programs will help get Dr. Howard students excited about walking and biking to school. Park and Walk This plan aims to mitigate the concentrated vehicle emissions and congested traffic on Park Avenue at Dr. Howard Elementary School s entrance at dismissal times. Before Dr. Howard dismisses, a queue of family vehicles builds up along Park Avenue, extending west of James Street (see Figure 15). The pick-up traffic frequently blocks driveways on Park Avenue, blocking residents on their properties when they have the right to leave. Additionally, this queuing of idling vehicles generally remains for 15 to 20 minutes. Twenty cars idling in the queue for 15 minutes would be wasting an additional 50 gallons of fuel per week. During this idling period, fuel efficiency is almost zero and vehicle emissions are increased in the immediate vicinity of Dr. Howard. The increase of traffic congestion and vehicle emissions along Park Avenue during pick-up times necessitates a creative solution. This plan proposes to establish at least one Park & Walk location near Dr. Howard School to redirect some of the traffic that otherwise develops along Park Avenue and James Street. Figure 45 shows potential locations for Park & Walk sites in all directions around Dr. Howard School. Some are street corridors; others use parking areas near parks. Cooperation with the Champaign Park District and neighboring residents is necessary for these locations to be successful Park & Walk sites. Diverting some of the traffic on Park Avenue to a proposed Park & Walk location will restrict idling and improve air quality around Dr. Howard. Removing these idling cars from the school queue would prevent 970 pounds of CO 2 per week from being emitted. Another program to encourage students and parents to walk and bike to school is the organization of Walking School Buses. Walking School Buses are organized in coordination with parents to enable students to walk to school in groups under adult supervision. This encourages students to walk to school whose parents are worried about their students walking to school alone. Bike trains can provide the same sense of securities for parents and students, where an adult leads a group of students who bike to school. 38

45 Figure 45: Proposed Park & Walk Locations Dr. Howard Elementary School Safe Routes to School Plan 39

46 Enforcement Traffic Safety at Park & James The intersection of Park Avenue and James Street immediately outside Dr. Howard School is not inviting to students to walk/bike to/from school. The temporary traffic pattern at school arrival/dismissal times converts these streets to one-way streets. Park Avenue is one-way eastbound from Russell Street to McKinley Avenue. James Street is one-way northbound from University to Park Avenues, and is limited to school buses only. Currently, all exiting traffic is funneling eastbound on Park Avenue. This means that three directions of traffic are funneling into one at Park & James. Vehicles frequently encroach on the intersection, blocking crosswalks that walkers and bikers use. Cars are not supposed to drive west on Park Avenue at these times, but this rule is not always followed. This creates less space on Park Avenue for vehicles to exit the school area. Cars queuing on Park Avenue before school ends also block residents in their driveways. A police officer and/or school staff person should be placed at this intersection during afternoons, to ensure that vehicles are not blocking the intersection, driveways, walkers, and bikers. Student safety patrol members are not recommended to be at this intersection, because there is too much traffic, and they may not be tall enough for motorists to see them. Another recommendation is to restrict school buses from turning right onto Park Avenue, and instead continuing north on James Street (see Figure 46). This will reduce the amount of traffic on Park Avenue. Park Avenue between James Street and McKinley Avenue should also be one-way eastbound, one-lane for all drivers for the first 15 minutes after school dismisses. A final recommendation is to establish and promote Park & Walk locations near Dr. Howard School, to reduce congestion and improve air quality near the school (see Figure 45). Police Visiblity & Speeding Traffic Speeding traffic on University Avenue and Church Street near Dr. Howard School is a significant hindrance to students who might otherwise walk or bike to school. The visibility of police officers and vehicles should be increased around Dr. Howard School at school arrival and dismissal times. This may reduce the speed of vehicles, and increase the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists. It is recommended 40 for a police officer to be stationed at the University/James intersection in the morning, in an effort to reduce speeding from vehicles coming into Champaign for work; and for the police officer to be stationed at the Park/ James intersection in the afternoon, in an effort to ensure good driver behavior regarding parents waiting to pick up their children. Evaluation Speed Study Speeding is a problem on University Avenue and Church Street near Dr. Howard School. An engineering strategy recommended in this plan to reduce speeding is to install permanent vehicular speed feedback signs. If these are installed, the City of Champaign should conduct a speed study to see how fast vehicles drive before and after the signs are installed, to measure the effectiveness of the signs. The speed information listed in Table 1 could be used for the before data. Surveys The results from surveys of Dr. Howard students and families are an integral part of the evaluation of existing conditions and the potential with regard to getting students to walk and bike to school. Survey results have been used to analyze: Travel mode choices for Dr. Howard students Reasons students are not walking or biking to Dr. Howard School Opportunities for increasing the number of students walking and biking to Dr. Howard School Opportunities to increase the safety of students walking and biking to Dr. Howard School The following surveys should be continued on an annual basis: In-class travel tallies conducted by Dr. Howard School teachers to record the modes of travel their students used to get to and from school for a week Walkability checklists to evaluate the ease of walking to Dr. Howard School through a physical audit Parent surveys to evaluate parent opinions on allowing/ encouraging their children to walk or bike to school Student travel surveys to evaluate student opinions on walking or biking to school

47 Figure 46: Proposed Traffic Circulation Dr. Howard Elementary School Safe Routes to School Plan 41

48 Implementation Tables by Discipline: The following tables outline suggested implementation projects by discipline, then sorted by their implementation priority. Implementation priority was based on a combination of steering committee and public input. Public input was sought from Dr. Howard parents, staff, and neighborhood residents at the March 2012 public meeting and parent/teacher conferences (Appendix C). Table 14: Engineering Projects Project Description Project Location Discipline Priority Responsible Agenc(ies) Install new sidewalk ramps Various locations Engineering High City of Champaign Retrofit existing sidewalk ramps to meet current ADA standards Install permanent vehicular speed feedback signs on University Avenue & Church Street in Dr. Howard school zones Various locations Engineering High City of Champaign University Avenue & Church Street school zones Engineering High City of Champaign Install missing sidewalks Various locations Engineering Medium City of Champaign Install pedestrian countdown signals on all legs of signalized intersections Install pedestrian pushbuttons on all legs of signalized intersections Evaluate the costs and benefits of installing curb extensions across University Avenue at James Street/Elmwood Drive Prospect & Springfield Avenues Mattis & Springfield Avenues Mattis & University Avenues Mattis Avenue & Church Street Mattis Avenue & Glenn Park Drive Northeast corner of Prospect & Springfield Avenues University Avenue at James Street/Elmwood Drive Engineering Engineering Medium Low Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Engineering Low City of Champaign 42

49 Table 15: Education Projects Project Description Project Location Discipline Priority Responsible Agenc(ies) Send a letter home to educate Dr. Howard families if the traffic pattern changes Continue educating 2 nd & 4 th grade students about bicycle safety issues through the bicycle Risk Watch unit in their health class Send a letter home to educate Dr. Howard School families about the Park & Walk option Continue participation in C-U Walk n Roll To School Day Continue participation in annual Wellness Fair Continue educating students about bicycle safety issues at the annual Wellness Fair Create Walking School Bus maps and schedules to distribute to Dr. Howard families Sponsor a Bike Rodeo at Dr. Howard Elementary School to help train students on bicycle safety issues --- Education Medium City of Champaign --- Education Low --- Education Low --- Education Low C-U SRTS Project C-U SRTS Project --- Education Low --- Education Low --- Education Low --- Education Low C-U SRTS Project C-U SRTS Project 43

50 Table 16: Encouragement Projects Project Description Project Location Discipline Priority Responsible Agenc(ies) Send a letter home to encourage Dr. Howard parents not to block residents driveways when waiting in cars to pick up their children Work with Dr. Howard parents to identify adults and/or older students to lead Walking School Bus routes Place C-U SRTS Project yard signs regarding speed reduction on University Avenue & Church Street near Dr. Howard School to encourage motorists to obey the speed limit Coordinate with willing property owners to establish Park & Walk sites in the study area Sponsor a kick-off event for Park & Walk site(s) Adopt policies which encourage biking to school Coordinate with C-U SRTS Project to institute incentive-based programs to encourage students to walk to school, such as a Frequent Walkers Club University Avenue & Church Street school zones --- Encouragement Medium --- Encouragement Low Potential Locations: Davidson Park, 1108 W. Church St. Eisner Park/Hays Center, 1311 W. Church St. McKinley Avenue (Church-Park) Russell Street (Church-University) Sabin Avenue (Church-University) Elmwood Drive (University-Flora) Park Avenue (McKinley-Willis) Encouragement Encouragement Encouragement 44 Low Low Low --- Encouragement Low --- Encouragement Low Dr. Howard School PTA City of Champaign Dr. Howard School PTA C-U SRTS Project City of Champaign Participating property owners C-U SRTS Project Champaign Police Department Champaign Unit #4 School District Property owners C-U SRTS Project Champaign Police Department Champaign Unit #4 School District Participating property owners Champaign Unit #4 School District C-U SRTS Project

51 Project Description Project Location Discipline Priority Responsible Agenc(ies) Dismiss students walking or biking home 5-10 minutes early Coordinate with C-U SRTS Project, Champaign Police Department & Dr. Howard PTA to organize and incentivize Walking School Buses --- Encouragement Low --- Encouragement Low Dr. Howard School PTA C-U SRTS Project Champaign Police Department 45

52 Table 17: Enforcement Projects Project Description Project Location Discipline Priority Responsible Agenc(ies) Investigate the feasibility of adding or moving a police officer, crossing guard, or school staff person to the intersection of Park Avenue & James Street at school arrival/dismissal times without decreasing safety at other intersections Increase the visibility of police presence around Dr. Howard School at drop-off/pickup times Investigate the feasibility of changing the school arrival/dismissal traffic pattern Distribute a map with a suggested traffic circulation route for Park & Walk sites to all Dr. Howard families Distribute rules & recommendations for usage of Park & Walk sites to all Dr. Howard families Enforce Unit #4 s bus idling policy Park Avenue at James Street Streets around Dr. Howard Elementary School Dr. Howard Elementary School Enforcement Medium Champaign Police Department --- Enforcement Medium Champaign Police Department Enforcement Medium City of Champaign Champaign Police Department --- Enforcement Low --- Enforcement Low Enforcement Low C-U SRTS Project Champaign Police Department Participating property owners Champaign Unit #4 School District 46

53 Table 18: Evaluation Projects Project Description Project Location Discipline Priority Responsible Agenc(ies) Conduct a before and after speed study if permanent vehicular speed feedback signs are installed Continue collecting data on travel mode choices through in-class travel tallies conducted by Dr. Howard teachers Distribute district-wide surveys to parents on walking and biking to school as part of C-U Walk n Roll To School Day --- Evaluation Medium City of Champaign --- Evaluation Low --- Evaluation Low C-U SRTS Project teachers CCRPC/CUUATS C-U SRTS Project CCRPC/CUUATS 47

54 Implementation Tables by Priority: The following tables outline suggested implementation projects by priority. Implementation priority was based on a combination of steering committee and public input. Public input was sought from Dr. Howard parents, staff, and neighborhood residents at the March 2012 public meeting and parent/teacher conferences (Appendix C). Project Description Project Location Discipline Priority Responsible Agenc(ies) Install new sidewalk ramps Various locations Engineering High City of Champaign Retrofit existing sidewalk ramps to meet current ADA standards Install permanent vehicular speed feedback signs on University Avenue and Church Street in Dr. Howard School zones Various locations Engineering High City of Champaign University Avenue & Church Street school zones Table 19: High Priority Projects Engineering High City of Champaign 48

55 Project Description Project Location Discipline Priority Responsible Agenc(ies) Install missing sidewalks Various locations Engineering Medium City of Champaign Investiage the feasibility of adding or moving a police officer, crossing guard, or school staff person to the intersection of Park Avenue & James Street at school arrival/dismissal times without decreasing safety at other intersections Conduct a before and after speed study if permanent vehicular speed feedback signs are installed Increase the visibility of police presence around Dr. Howard School at drop-off/pick-up times Send a letter home to encourage Dr. Howard parents to not block residents driveways when waiting in cars to pick up their children Investigate the feasibility of changing the school arrival/dismissal traffic pattern Install pedestrian countdown signals on all legs of signalized intersections Send a letter home to educate Dr. Howard families if the traffic pattern changes Table 20: Medium Priority Projects Park Avenue at James Street Enforcement Medium Streets around Dr. Howard Elementary School Champaign Police Department --- Evaluation Medium City of Champaign --- Enforcement Medium Champaign Police Department --- Encouragement Medium Prospect & Springfield Avenues Mattis & Springfield Avenues Mattis & University Avenues Mattis Avenue & Church Street Mattis Avenue & Glenn Park Drive Enforcement Medium Engineering Medium --- Education Medium Dr. Howard School PTA City of Champaign City of Champaign Champaign Police Department Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) C-U SRTS Project 49

56 Project Description Project Location Discipline Priority Responsible Agenc(ies) Continue educating 2nd & 4th grade students about bicycle safety issues through the bicycle Risk Watch curriculum in their health unit Install pedestrian pushbuttons on all legs of signalized intersections Send a letter home to educate Dr. Howard families about the Park & Walk option Work with Dr. Howard parents to identify adult and/or older students to lead Walking School Bus routes Evaluate the costs and benefits of installing curb extensions on University Avenue at James Street/Elmwood Drive Continue participation in C-U Walk n Roll to School Day Place C-U SRTS Project yard signs regarding speed reduction on University Avenue and Church Street near Dr. Howard School to encourage motorists to obey the speed limit Coordinate with willing property owners to establish Park & Walk sites in the study area Table 21: Low Priority Projects Northeast corner of Prospect & Springfield Avenues --- Education Low 50 Engineering Low --- Education Low --- Encouragement Low University Avenue at James Street/ Elmwood Drive Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) C-U SRTS Project Dr. Howard School PTA Engineering Low City of Champaign --- Education Low University Avenue & Church Street school zones Potential Locations: Eisner Park/Hays Center, 1311 W. Church St. Davidson Park, 1108 W. Church St. McKinley Avenue (Church- Park) Russell Street (Church- University) Sabin Avenue (Church- University) Elmwood Drive (University- Flora) Park Avenue (McKinley-Willis) Encouragement Encouragement Sponsor a kick-off event for Park & Walk site(s) Encouragement Low Low Low C-U SRTS Project C-U SRTS Project City of Champaign Participating property owners C-U SRTS Project Champaign Police Department Champaign Unit #4 School District Property owners C-U SRTS Project Champaign Police Department Champaign Unit #4 School District Participating property owners

57 Project Description Project Location Discipline Priority Responsible Agenc(ies) Adopt policies which encourage biking to school --- Encouragement Low Distribute a map with a suggested traffic circulation route for Park & Walk sites to all Dr. Howard families 51 Champaign Unit #4 School District --- Enforcement Low Continue collecting data on travel mode choices through inclass travel tallies conducted by Dr. Howard teachers --- Evaluation Low C-U SRTS Project CCRPC/CUUATS Continue participation in annual Wellness Fair --- Education Low Continue educating students about bicycle safety issues at the annual Wellness Fair --- Education Low Create Walking School Bus maps and schedules to distribute to Dr. Howard families Coordinate with C-U SRTS Project to institute incentive-based programs to encourage students to walk to school, such as a Frequent Walkers Club Dismiss students walking or biking home 5-10 minutes early, which also reduces conflicts with vehicles Distribute rules and recommendations for the usage of Park & Walk sites to all Dr. Howard families Sponsor a bike rodeo at Dr. Howard School to help train students on bicycle safety issues Coordinate with C-U SRTS Project, Champaign Police Department & Dr. Howard PTA to organize and incentivize Walking School Buses Enforce Unit #4 s bus idling policy Distribute district-wide surveys to parents on walking to school as part of C-U Walk n Roll to School Day --- Education Low --- Encouragement Low C-U SRTS Project C-U SRTS Project --- Encouragement Low --- Enforcement Low --- Education Low --- Encouragement Low Dr. Howard Elementary School Enforcement Low --- Evaluation Low C-U SRTS Project Champaign Police Department Participating property owners C-U SRTS Project Dr. Howard School PTA C-U SRTS Project Champaign Police Department Champaign Unit #4 School District C-U SRTS Project CCRPC/CUUATS

58 IDOT SRTS Grant Projects Based on these recommended strategies, the Dr. Howard SRTS Plan Steering Committee, led by the City of Champaign and CCRPC, plan to apply for at least one comprehensive improvement projects during the next call for IDOT SRTS grant applications. The working title for this grant application is Walking & biking Activities to improve the Livability of Kids at Dr. Howard (WALK Dr. Howard). These projects plan to represent a combination of Engineering, Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, and Evaluation strategies to get more Dr. Howard Elementary School students walking/biking to school more safely. Implementation of these projects is dependent on IDOT SRTS funding. If funding is not awarded, prioritization of these projects will be reconsidered by the City of Champaign and Dr. Howard Elementary School. 52

59 Conclusion/Next Steps Clearly, the benefits of improving the walking & biking environment to Dr. Howard Elementary School will reach more than just Dr. Howard Elementary School students. Engineering improvements to sidewalks, ramps, and the crossing of streets with fast-moving vehicles will make the pedestrian environment better for all residents and visitors of the neighborhood surrounding Dr. Howard School. Educating Dr. Howard students about health benefits and safe techniques for walking & biking to school will also educate Dr. Howard parents and families. Encouraging students to walk & bike to Dr. Howard will instill a greater value on walking & biking in the community and will ultimately create advocates for the needs of pedestrians and cyclists. Improving the traffic circulation around Dr. Howard School will increase the traffic safety for all modes around Dr. Howard School. Figure 47: Dr. Howard family crosses James Street to get to school More broadly, increasing the number of students walking & biking to Dr. Howard Elementary School will be part of a nationwide initiative to tackle the crippling issues of childhood obesity, environmental degradation due to auto-dependency, and traffic congestion. In looking at these broader issues, the recommendations listed in this report are only the beginning to combating these issues. However, as this plan is implemented and Dr. Howard Elementary School develops into an exemplary school for walking & biking, more area schools will learn from the successes and failures at Dr. Howard and develop their own Safe Routes to School Plans. The ripple effect will enable the efforts at Dr. Howard to create a greater impact on the aforementioned broader, national issues. 53

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61 Appendix A - Existing Transportation Conditions The existing transportation conditions analysis for Dr. Howard School includes a detailed analysis of the following: Existing traffic circulation around the school during school arrival and dismissal times. Existing transportation mode share information for the school Pedestrian and bicycle facilities Traffic crashes around the school for the most recent 5 years (2006 to 2010) Figure A1: Directional Traffic Circulation around the School Existing Traffic Circulation Dr. Howard School is located to the west of Downtown Champaign in close proximity to some heavily traveled roadways. Figure A1 shows the traffic flow characteristics and intersection control types around the school site. As shown in Figure A1, auto traffic can access the school off Park Avenue, which is a temporary one-way (eastbound) street during the school start and end times. Traffic Operations Table A1 shows 24-hour traffic volumes on major roadways around the school. As can be seen in Table A1, Church Street and University Avenue are the heaviest traveled routes around the school. Table A1: 24-Hour Traffic Volumes Roadway 24-Hour Volume Year Church St. West of James St. 6, University Ave. West of James St. 5, McKinley Ave. North of University Ave. 2, A1

62 Peak Hour Traffic Flow The typical morning peak period for major roadways in Champaign-Urbana is from 7:30 AM to 9:00AM. Dr. Howard School starts at 7:45 AM. School bound travelers go through the morning peak period traffic to reach the school. Vehicular turning movement volumes and pedestrian & bicyclist activities were recorded around major intersections by of the school on a typical weekday morning from 7:15AM to 8:15AM. The Dr. Howard school day ends at 2:00PM. Vehicular, pedestrian, and bicyclist volumes were counted in the afternoon from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM at major intersections. Table A2 shows the highest hourly volumes at different approaches of the study intersections during the morning and afternoon counting periods. Table A2: Highest Hourly Traffic Volumes Highest Hourly Approach Volume (Morning) Intersection Northbound Southbound Eastbound Westbound Left Through Right Left Through Right Left Through Right Left Through Right Prospect/University Prospect/Church McKinley/University McKinley/Park McKinley/Church James/University James/Park James/Church Russell/University Russell/Church Highest Hourly Approach Volume (Afternoon) Prospect/University Prospect/Church McKinley/University McKinley/Park McKinley/Church James/University James/Park James/Church Russell/University Russell/Church Grey cells in Table A2 represent prohibited traffic movements. A2

63 Intersection Level-of-Service The intersections mentioned in Table A2 were evaluated in order to quantify existing operating conditions. The analysis was completed using the Synchro 7 software, which is based upon methodologies outlined in the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM 2000) published by the Transportation Research Board in A microsimulation analysis was completed using SimTraffic software. Selected intersection criteria such as Level of Service (LOS), approach delay and intersection delay were analyzed to determine the existing operational conditions during the morning and afternoon peak hours selected based on school start and end times. Level of Service is a qualitative measurement describing operational conditions, from A (best) to F (worst), within a traffic stream or at an intersection. Level of Service is quantified for signalized and unsignalized intersections using vehicle control delay. Control delay is the component of delay that results from the type of traffic control at an intersection. It is measured by comparing the controlled condition against the uncontrolled condition. The difference between the travel time that would have occurred in the absence of the intersection control and the travel time that results from the presence of the intersection control is the control delay. Average control delay per vehicle is estimated for each lane group, aggregated for each approach and for the intersection as a whole. Table A3: Level-Of-Service Criteria for Signalized Intersections Level of Service Average Control Delay per Vehicle Description A Less than 10 seconds Free flow B 10.1 to 20 seconds Stable flow (slight delays) C 20.1 to 35 seconds Stable flow (acceptable delays) D 35.1 to 55 seconds Approaching unstable flow (tolerable delayoccasionally wait through more than one signal cycle before proceeding) E 55.1 to 80 seconds Unstable flow (approaching intolerable delay) F Greater than 80.0 Forced flow (jammed) seconds Source: HCM 2000 Table A3 describes Level of Service criteria for signalized intersections. A3

64 Table A4 shows the Level of Service criteria for unsignalized intersections. Table A4: Level-Of-Service Criteria for Unsignalized Intersections Level of Service Two-Way Stop Control Average Control Delay (seconds/vehicle) All-Way Stop Control Average Control Delay (seconds/vehicle) A Less than 10 Less than 10 B 10.1 to to 15 C 15.1 to to 25 D 25.1 to to 35 E 35.1 to to 50 F Greater than 50 Greater than 50 Source: HCM 2000 Table A5 shows the Level of Service and average control delay at intersections near the school during the morning (7:15am to 8:15am) and afternoon (1:30pm to 2:30pm) peak hours selected based on school start and end times. As can be seen in Table A5, northbound and southbound traffic at the McKinley Avenue/University Avenue intersection experienced higher delay during the morning peak hour. At this intersection, high traffic volume on University Avenue provided a smaller number of adequate gaps for the minor approach traffic on McKinley Avenue. Intersection Prospect Ave/ University Ave Prospect Ave/ Church St McKinley Ave/ University Ave McKinley Ave/ Park Ave McKinley Ave/ Church St James St/ University Ave James St/Park Ave James St/ Church St Table A5: Intersection Peak Hour Levels-Of-Service AM Afternoon Avg. Avg. Approach Control Control LOS LOS Delay Delay (sec/veh) (sec/veh) Northbound D 35.4 C 30.4 Eastbound D 43.4 C 23.4 Southbound C 25.2 B 17.8 Overall D 35.4 C 24.2 Northbound B 15.6 B 11.8 Southbound C 21.3 B 19.8 Westbound C 29.5 C 28.3 Overall C 20.7 B 18.6 Northbound E 39.6 B 12.3 Southbound F B 14 Eastbound B 13.2 B 11.9 Westbound A 9.7 A 9.7 Northbound C 17.1 C 18.4 Southbound B 11.7 B 13.5 Northbound B 14.2 A 10 Southbound C 15.3 B 11.5 Northbound A 7.1 A 7.3 Southbound A 8.5 A 7.6 Eastbound A 8.1 A 7.4 Westbound N/A N/A Overall A 8.3 A 7.5 Northbound B 13.8 B 12.2 Southbound B 13.7 B 11 A4

65 Figure A2 shows the Level of Service for the intersections during the morning peak hour. The center circles at intersections represent the overall intersection LOS, while the arrows represent the LOS for each approach. Figure A2: LOS during the Morning Peak Hour Existing Travel Mode Share Information Table A6 summarizes the travel modes used by the Dr. Howard School students. As can be seen in Table A6, approximately 35% of students were dropped off by their parents and 57% students used the school buses. Only 6.8% of students walked to school on a typical weekday. Table A6: Existing Mode Share Travel Mode Number of Students Percentage Car Bus Walk Bike Total A total of 113 cars were counted while dropping off 140 students in the drop-off zone in the morning. Student occupancy per car was 1.23 students per car. A5

66 Figure A3 shows the typical routes for different modes of travel near the school. Figure A3: Modal Traffic Circulation around the School A6

67 Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities around the School Figure A4 shows the safe walking routes to school, developed as part of the Safe Routes to School Program. As shown in Figure A4, crossing guards facilitate safety for students while crossing the roads at two locations (James Street/Church Street and James Street/University Avenue intersections) around the school. Figure A4: Dr. Howard School Safe Routes to School Map Figure A5 shows the pedestrian activities around the school during the school start and end periods. Figure A5: Pedestrian Volumes at the Intersections near the School A7

68 Figure A6 shows traffic signs and markings installed around the school area. Figure A6: Traffic Signs and Markings A8

69 Traffic Crashes Traffic crash data from 2006 to 2010 was analyzed for the intersections and roadway segments in close proximity to the school. Table A7 shows the crash summary for the intersections around the school. Table A7: Intersection Traffic Crash Summary Intersection Year Total Crashes Prospect Ave/University Ave Prospect Ave/Church St Prospect Ave/Clark St McKinley Ave/University Ave McKinley Ave/Park Ave McKinley Ave/Church St Draper St/Church St Russell St/University Ave James St/University Ave James St/Park Ave James St/Church St A9

70 Table A8 shows the mid-block crashes along different roadway segments around the school. Roadway Table A8: Mid-block Traffic Crash Summary Segment Year Total From To Crashes University Avenue James St McKinley Ave Park Avenue McKinley Ave Prospect Ave Church Street James St McKinley Ave Church Street McKinley Ave Prospect Ave McKinley Avenue Church St University Ave Crash Types Table A9 shows crash type information for study intersections. As shown in Table A9, rear-end and turning crashes are predominant crashes at signalized intersections. There were also six reported pedestrian/bicyclist crashes within a three square block radius of Dr. Howard School. Intersection Intersection Control Table A9: Crash Types Angle Turning Rear End Crash Type Pedestrian Bicyclist Sideswipe same direction Prospect Ave/University Ave Signalized Prospect Ave/Church St Signalized Prospect Ave/Clark St Two way Stop McKinley Ave/University Ave Two way Stop McKinley Ave/Park Ave Two way Stop McKinley Ave/Church St Two way stop Draper St/Church St Two way Stop Russell St/University Ave Two way Stop James St/University Ave Two way Stop James St/Park Ave Two way Stop James St/Church St Two way Stop Total A10

71 Crash Severity Crash severity levels are generally classified into three different categories: Fatal Crash Injury Crash Property Damage Only (PDO) The Illinois Department of Transportation s (IDOT) Division of Traffic Safety categorizes injury crashes into three severity categories: A-Injury, B-Injury and C-Injury. A-Injury is the most severe and C-Injury is the least severe. Table A10 shows the severity levels of intersection crashes at the study intersections. The Equivalent Property Damage Only (EPDO) values in the table represent the crash severity rate for the corresponding intersection. The higher the EPDO value, the more hazardous the location. Figure A7 shows the crash severity for all crashes which occurred at both intersections and mid-block locations in the corridor between 2006 and Table A10: Crash Severity Crash Severity Intersection Injury EPDO Fatal PDO A B C Prospect/University Prospect/Church Prospect/Clark McKinley/University McKinley/Park McKinley/Church Draper/Church Russell/University James/University James/Park James/Church Total Figure A7: Crash Severity A11

72 Pedestrian and Bicycle Crashes Facilitating pedestrian and bicyclist safety is one of the primary focuses of this school travel plan. As shown in Table A9, there were 6 reported pedestrian and bicyclist crashes around the school between 2006 and Table A11 summarizes the details of these crashes. Table A11: Pedestrian and Bicyclist Crashes Pedestrian Crash Summary Injury Road Location Year Weather Level Surface Prospect/Church 2007 Clear B-Injury Dry Prospect/University 2007 Clear C-Injury Dry McKinley/University 2007 Clear A-Injury Dry Russell/University 2007 Clear C-Injury Dry Bicyclist Crash Summary Prospect/Clark 2008 Clear A-Injury Dry Draper/Church 2008 Clear B-Injury Dry Issues Identified The following issues were identified through the existing transportation conditions analysis for Dr. Howard School. Student Drop-Off/Pick-Up and Temporary One-Way Operation Approximately 35% of the students are dropped off and/or picked up by their parents. This results in large queues on Park Avenue during the dropoff and pick-up periods. Figure A8 shows the building of the queue along Park Avenue during the student pick-up period. Figure A8: Vehicle Queue at the Pick-up/Drop-off Zone A12

73 The following issues related to queuing at drop-off/pick-up and temporary one-way operations were identified: Park Avenue operates as a temporary one-way eastbound during the school start and end times. Large school buses line up on James Street south of Park Avenue and travel east on Park Avenue after loading/ alighting students. As parking is allowed on the north side of Park Avenue during the temporary one-way traffic operation, the right turning maneuver for the large school buses become very difficult (as shown in Figure A9). Field observation noticed a few parent vehicles traveling west on Park Avenue at school arrival and dismissal times, which is illegal, park on the north side of Park Avenue, then enter the school. As shown in Table A2, some vehicles do not obey traffic regulatory signs and travel along wrong direction when the temporary traffic operation is in effect. The queue generally remains for 15 to 20 minutes. Vehicle speed in the queue is very low and fuel efficiency is almost close to zero miles per hour (during the idling period). 20 cars in the queue for 15 minutes would be wasting an additional 5 gallons of fuels during the drop-off and pick-up periods. For a regular week this would lead to wastage of 50 gallons of fuel. Figure A9: Right Turn Maneuver by Large School Bus A13

74 Traffic Speed in the School Zone As shown in Figure A6, School Zone Speed Limit signs are placed along University Avenue and Church Street near the school. The posted School Zone Speed Limit is 20 mph. However, field observed vehicular speed during the school start and end times were significantly higher than the posted school zone speed limit. Table A12 shows the average and 85th percentile speed values along Church Street and University Avenue near the school during school start and end times. Table A12: Observed Speed in the School Zone Date Location Duration Observed Speed (mph) Posted Speed Limit (mph)* 85th Average Percentile 9/22/2011 Church St. East 7:15-8:15 AM of James St. 1:30-2:30 PM /13/2011 University Ave. 7:15-8:15 AM West of James St. 1:30-2:30 PM *School Zone Speed Limit A14

75 Appendix B - Evaluation Surveys The following surveys were analyzed in the development of the Dr. Howard SRTS Plan: Dr. Howard SRTS Report 2009 Dr. Howard Wellness Fair 2011 Grades 3-5 Travel Survey 2011 C-U SRTS Project Surveys Fall 2011 o Walkability Checklists o Parent Surveys Dr. Howard SRTS Report 2009 The C-U SRTS Project hired CCRPC in 2009 to create the C-U SRTS Report, summarizing all of the Safe Routes to School surveys collected at Champaign-Urbana public schools since School-specific reports were created as well. Dr. Howard Elementary School Safe Routes to School Plan Travel tallies administered by Dr. Howard teachers in Spring 2007 showed that about 44% of students arrived & departed in a family vehicle, 31% by bus, 15% by walking, 6% by carpool, and 0.9% by bike. The full report can be found on the CUUATS website: pdf/safewalking/report/drhoward.pdf. Dr. Howard Wellness Fair 2011 On Tuesday, October 4, 2011, Dr. Howard School held an evening wellness fair. Families were able to visit stations in the gym, including CCRPC s station on Safe Routes to School. Students could fill out bike safety activity sheets, and could enter a raffle drawing for a bike helmet and bike light set, all courtesy of the C-U SRTS Project. CCRPC staff also talked with parents about school travel issues and conducted informal travel tallies, summarized below. The Dr. Howard SRTS Report summarizes the parent surveys filled out in Spring The top negative factors that Dr. Howard parents cited for not letting their children walk or bike to school are: 1) Distance 2) Tie: a. Crossing Guards b. Weather or climate 3) Tie: a. Sidewalks or pathways b. Safety of Intersections & Crossings B1

76 Table B1: Dr. Howard Wellness Fair Travel Survey Dr. Howard School Wellness Fair Travel Survey - 10/4/2011 Mode to/ from School AM Tally PM Tally Comment Type Comment Comment Tally Walk 5 6 Crossing Guards Driver Behavior Need more crossing guards 1 Parent is sad there is no safety patrol 1 Parents turn around while driving away from school to watch their child enter the building, not paying attention to road 1 Parents on cell phones in school zone 1 Infrastructure Park & McKinley no curb cuts 1 Time Family walks in afternoon because they have more time to do so 1 Bike School Bus Distance Too far 2 2 miles from home to school 1 Family Vehicle Convenience School is on parent s way to work 2 Age/Maturity Parent could allow child to walk when they are older 1 Barrier Family lives east of Prospect Avenue 1 Time 15 minute walk 1 TOTAL Other parent comments: 1 child walks to Dr. Howard School 1 child bikes to Jefferson Middle School B2

77 Grades 3-5 Travel Survey 2011 CCRPC staff interviewed all 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders on Wednesday, October 26, CCRPC administered travel tallies by asking students by a show of hands how they arrived at school that morning. CCRPC also asked students about their opinions on walking & biking to school. Table B2: Dr. Howard In-Class Travel Tallies Dr. Howard School In-Class Travel Tallies - 10/26/2011 Grade Total Walk Bike Walked to the Bus Stop School Bus Family Vehicle Total (excluding Walking to Bus Stop) Table B3: Dr. Howard In-Class Travel Percentages Dr. Howard School In-Class Travel Percentages - 10/26/2011 Grade Walk Bike Walked to the Bus Stop School Bus Question #6: If you walked or biked to school or the bus stop, how often do you do it? Grade Regularly Once in awhile TOTAL Total Family Vehicle 3 3.1% 1.6% 32.8% 45.3% 50.0% 4 9.0% 1.5% 44.8% 49.3% 40.3% 5 9.1% 9.1% 36.4% 43.6% 38.2% Average 7.0% 3.8% 38.2% 46.2% 43.0% Table B4: Question #6 Results B3

78 Question #7: If you walk or bike to school, what problems do you face? Table B5: Question #7 Results Response 3rd 4th 5th Grade Grade Grade Total a) Broken sidewalk Speedy traffic b) Weather c) Feels unsafe d) Hard to cross streets Church Street Bradley & McKinley Avenues Bradley Avenue Crescent Drive Fourth Street & Beardsley Avenue Kirby Avenue Maple Street McKinley Avenue Miller Avenue University Avenue Waterview Way William Street Williamsburg Drive e) Cars drive too fast Table B6: Question #7 Results cont d. Response 3rd 4th 5th Grade Grade Grade Total f) Other: Barriers Barriers Railroad tracks Driver Behavior Inattentive drivers Cars ignore kids when they cross street Cars not looking for pedestrians Cars turn suddenly People honk Infrastructure Broken glass on sidewalk No sidewalk McKinley Avenue Russell Street Personal Safety Dogs Kids approached on street asking if they need a babysitter People following kids Unknown cars waiting at bus stop Route Blind spots / lack of visibility Don t know the route Take wrong turns Traffic Safety A lot of semi trucks B4

79 Question #8: If you don t walk or bike to school, why? Table B7: Question #8 Results Response 3rd 4th 5th Grade Grade Grade Total a) Too far from school b) Parents don t allow it c) Broken sidewalk West Champaign d) Weather e) Feels unsafe f) Hard to cross streets Kirby Avenue Bradley Avenue I Prospect Avenue Windsor Road g) Cars drive too fast Too many fast cars Busy streets h) Other: Barriers Interstate highway overpass Bicycling No bike Driver Behavior Cars not using turn signals Family Influence Mom never lets child ride bike Parents go to work early Dad is at school Mom doesn t trust anybody Mom doesn t trust child Parents don t think it s safe Sister goes to a different school Table B8: Question #8 Results, cont d. Response 3rd 4th 5th Grade Grade Grade Total Maturity Not old enough No sidewalk No sidewalks Personal Safety Car or van followed child Fear of kidnapping Fear of strangers A lot of neighborhood watch signs Dogs (big) Fear of bullies Feels like someone is behind child Gunshots in the neighborhood No cell phone (in case of emergency) People throw rocks Unsafe walking routes Route Too many turns Time Not enough time Too long Traffic Safety A lot of traffic at the corner of James/Park at school dismissal Street is dangerous B5

80 Question #9: If these problems didn t exist, how many of you would walk or bike to school? Table B9: Question #9 Tally Grade Tally # of Students Present Percentage % % % Total % B6

81 C-U SRTS Project Surveys Fall 2011 The C-U SRTS Project administered travel surveys annually as part of its IDOT SRTS grant requirements. The Fall 2011 surveys were distributed before Walk n Roll To School Day on Wednesday, October 5, 2011, and families were encouraged to return them that day with their input. Walkability Checklists Thirteen families filled out walkability checklists in Fall 2011, evaluating their walk to school. The problems that respondents had were sidewalks or paths started or stopped; no sidewalks, paths or shoulders; lack of striped crosswalks or traffic signals; and drivers driving too fast. However, the majority of respondents were able to follow safety rules easily, and had a pleasant walk. The average family rating was 21.6 out of 30 possible points, which means that walkability around Dr. Howard School is pretty good. Full results can be found on pages B8 to B15. Parent Surveys Seventeen families filled out surveys about walking and biking to school in Fall The majority of these families live over 2 miles from Dr. Howard, although some live near the school. Two families live in Savoy. One student walked to and from school, while the rest traveled by family vehicle or school bus. Travel times vary, but one student s bus ride home takes at least 50 minutes. The majority of these parents would not feel comfortable letting their child walk or bike at any grade level, but some responded that late elementary or middle school would be permissible. The highest number of parents cited distance as the biggest factor for not letting their kids walk or bike, followed by time, violence/crime, and weather. If distance and time were changed, most parents would allow their kids to walk or bike. If violence or crime were reduced, many parents would still not let their kids walk or bike. Several parents said they were not sure if they would allow their child to walk or bike if distance or convenience of driving were changed. More parents felt that Dr. Howard School is neutral rather than encouraging walking and biking to school. The same number of parents thought their child has fun walking or biking to school as those who are neutral. However, the majority of these parents think that walking or biking to school is very healthy for their children. Full results can be found on pages B16 to B26. B7

82 Fall 2011 Dr. Howard Walkability Checklists Number of Surveys: School 2011 Dr. Howard 13 Figure B1: Q1 Did you have room to walk? Table B10: Q1 Results Response 2011 Yes 30.8% Sidewalks or paths started and stopped 30.8% Sidewalks were broken or cracked 15.4% Sidewalks were blocked with poles, signs, shrubbery, dumpsters, etc. 7.7% No sidewalks, paths, or shoulders 30.8% Too much traffic 23.1% Location of Problems James St, Church St Bradley Ave bridge over I-57 Curtis Rd Russell St Table B11: Q1 Problems & Locations Type of problems at Locations Listed Sidewalks or paths started and stopped. Sidewalks were broken or cracked. No sidewalks, paths, or shoulders. Too much traffic. Sidewalks or paths started and stopped. No sidewalks, paths, or shoulders. Too much traffic. No sidewalks, paths, or shoulders. B8

83 Figure B3: Q2 Was it easy to cross streets? Figure B2: Q1 Rating Table B12: Q1 Rating Rating Awful 0% 2 Many Problems 23.1% 3 Some Problems 7.7% 4 Good 23.1% 5 Very Good 0% 6 Excellent 30.8% Table B13: Q2 Results Response 2011 Yes 30.8% Road was too wide 23.1% Traffic signals made us wait too long or did not give us enough time to cross 7.7% Needed striped crosswalks or traffic signals 46.2% Parked cars blocked our view of traffic 7.7% Trees or plants blocked our view of traffic 7.7% Needed curb ramps or ramps needed repair 0% Something else 15.4% B9

84 Table B14: Q2 Specific Comments Q2 Dr. Howard 2011 Something else (specific comments) Need stop signs there are many corners in our neighborhood without any stop signs Figure B4: Q2 Rating Location of Problems Bradley & Bluegrass Curtis & Dunlap All along our walk from home all the way to school. No stop signs at Royal/Union, Royal/White, Draper/ White, Draper/Clark, Park/Russell. Need a 4 way stop at Park/James. Q2 Table B15: Q2 Problems & Locations Tables B16: Q2 Comments Type of problems at Locations Listed Road was too wide. Needed striped crosswalks or traffic signals. Road was too wide. Traffic signals made us wait too long or did not give us enough time to cross. Needed striped crosswalks or traffic signals. Needed striped crosswalks or traffic signals. Parked cars blocked our view of traffic. Trees or plants blocked our view of traffic. Comments Table B17: Q2 Rating Rating Awful 0% 2 Many Problems 7.7% 3 Some Problems 15.4% 4 Good 23.1% 5 Very Good 15.4% 6 Excellent 23.1% Dr. Howard 2011 No roads to cross B10

85 Figure B5: Q3 Did drivers behave well? Bradley & Mattis Curtis & Dunlap Location of Problems Where the highway (I-72) turns into University Ave Table B19: Q3 Problems & Locations Type of problems at Locations Listed Drove too fast Drove too fast. Sped up to make it through traffic lights or drove through traffic lights. Backed out of driveways without looking. Drove too fast. Table B20: Q2 Comments Table B18: Q3 Results Response 2011 Yes 30.8% Some problems, none specified 7.7% Backed out of driveways without looking 23.1% Did not yield to people crossing the street 7.7% Turned into people crossing the street 7.7% Drove too fast 30.8% Sped up to make it through traffic lights or drove through traffic lights 7.7% Dr. Howard 2011 Q2 Comments People drive too fast along our walk B11

86 Figure B6: Q3 Rating Figure B7: Q4 Was it easy to follow safety rules? Table B21: Q3 Rating Rating Awful 0% 2 Many Problems 0% 3 Some Problems 23.1% 4 Good 30.8% 5 Very Good 0% 6 Excellent 23.1% Question Response 2011 Cross at crosswalks or where you could see and be seen by drivers? Stop and look left, right and then left again before crossing streets? Walk on sidewalks or shoulders facing traffic where there were no sidewalks? Cross with the light? Table B22: Q4 Results Yes 76.9% No 7.7% Yes 84.6% No 0% Yes 61.5% No 23.1% Yes 38.5% No 23.1% B12

87 Figure B8: Q4 Rating Location of Problems Bradley & Bluegrass Curtis & Dunlap Table B23: Q4 Problems & Locations Type of problems at Locations Listed Could not walk on sidewalks or shoulders facing traffic where there were no sidewalks Could not cross at crosswalks or where they could see and be seen by drivers. Could not walk on sidewalks or shoulders facing traffic where there were no sidewalks. Q4 Dr. Howard 2011 Table B24: Q4 Comments Comments No light (2) The street curves and it is difficult to see Table B25: Q4 Rating Rating Awful 0% 2 Many Problems 0% 3 Some Problems 15.4% 4 Good 7.7% 5 Very Good 30.8% 6 Excellent 23.1% B13

88 Figure B9: Q5 Was your walk pleasant? Q5 Dr. Howard 2011 Table B27: Q5 Specific Comments Something else (specific comments) On some corners lots of acorns and walnuts to walk on top of Table B28: Q2 Problems & Locations Location of Problems Type of problems at Locations Listed Mattis Ave Needed more grass, flowers, or trees Figure B10: Q5 Rating Table B26: Q5 Results Response 2011 Yes 69.2% Needed more grass, flowers, or trees 7.7% Scary dogs 0% Scary people 7.7% Not well lighted 0% Dirty, lots of litter or trash 0% Dirty air due to automobile exhaust 0% Something else 7.7% Table B29: Q5 Rating Rating Awful 0% 2 Many Problems 0% 3 Some Problems 7.7% 4 Good 30.8% 5 Very Good 7.7% 6 Excellent 38.5% B14

89 Figure B11: Q6 How does your neighborhood stack up? Add up your ratings and decide. Dr. Howard Elementary School Safe Routes to School Plan Table 27: Q7 Maps and Additional Comments This information was placed into the following categories, in the following order: Route Problem Area(s) Comment(s) Score Meaning It s a disaster for walking! 0% It needs a lot of work. You deserve better than that. 23.1% Okay, but it needs work. 7.7% Celebrate a little. Your neighborhood is pretty good. 38.5% Celebrate! You have a great neighborhood for walking. 15.4% Year Average Rating Meaning Tables B25 and B26: Q6 Results Celebrate a little. Your neighborhood is pretty good. Q7 Dr. Howard 2011 Maps & Additional Survey Comments Problem Area: Park & James needs better markings Comment: N/A we live too far from school Comment: This doesn t apply because our areas not shown Comment: We live miles from school Comment: The way from my neighborhood to school (especially the Bradley Ave bridge [over I-57]) needs work. Route: S on McKinley Ave, W on Church St, S on W side of James St, cross W & S legs of Park/James to Dr. Howard School Problem Areas: No sidewalks on E side of Royal Ct, S side of White St from Royal to Draper, W side of Russell St from Church to University. No stop signs at Royal/Union, Royal/White, Draper/White, Draper/Clark, Park/Russell. There needs to be a 4 way stop at Park/James instead of a 2 way [stop]. B15

90 Fall 2011 Dr. Howard Parent Surveys Number of Surveys: School 2011 Dr. Howard 17 Figure B13: Q2 Is the child who brought home this survey male or female? Figure B12: Q1 What is the grade of the child who brought home this survey? Table B28: Q1 Results Grade K % 29.4% 11.8% 23.5% 23.5% 5.9% 5.9% B16

91 Figure B14: Q3 How many children do you have in Kindergarten through 8 th grade? Table B30: Q4 What is the street intersection nearest your home? North/South Street East/West Street City Comments Bluegrass Ln Bradley Ave Champaign Carolyn Dr Kirby Ave Champaign Duncan Rd Daniel St Champaign Duncan Rd Windsor Rd Champaign Fair St University Ave Champaign James St --- Champaign New St Church St Champaign Royal Ct Royal Ct Champaign Russell St Church St Champaign Russell St, Kelly Ct Champaign Yes, that is what is on the street sign in my yard # of K-8 Children Table B29: Q3 Results Percent 52.9% 29.4% 17.6% Staley Rd Windsor Rd Champaign Wendover Pl Pinegrove Pl Champaign Windward Blvd Waterford Pl Champaign Wynstone Dr Curtis Rd Champaign Paddock Dr E Curtis Rd Savoy Prairie Rose Ln Sunflower St Savoy B17

92 Figure B15: Q4 What city do you live in? Figure B16: Q5 How far does your child live from school? Table B31: Q4 What city do you live in? City Champaign Savoy Percent 87.5% 12.5% Table B32: Q5 Results Distance from Home to School Percent Less than ¼ mile 11.8% ¼ mile up to ½ mile 5.9% ½ mile up to 1 mile 11.8% 1 mile up to 2 miles 5.9% More than 2 miles 64.7% Don t know 0% B18

93 Figures B17 and B18: Q6 On most days, how does your child arrive at and leave from school? Dr. Howard Elementary School Safe Routes to School Plan Table B33: Q6 Results - To School Mode to School Percent Walk 5.9% Bike 0% School Bus 29.4% Family Vehicle 64.7% Carpool 0% Transit 0% Other 0% Table B34: Q6 Results - From School Mode to Home Percent Walk 5.9% Bike 0% School Bus 41.2% Family Vehicle 52.9% Carpool 0% Transit 0% Other 0% Table B35: Q6 Comments Comments Leave for home: School bus 4 days/week, Family Vehicle 1 day/week It s not safe for her to walk by herself B19

94 Figures B19 and B20: Q7 How long does it normally take your child to get to/from school? Table B36: Q7 Results - From School Travel Time to School Percent Less than 5 minutes 23.5% 5-10 minutes 17.6% minutes 35.3% More than 20 minutes 11.8% Don t Know/Not Sure 11.8% Table B37: Q7 Results - From School Travel Time from School Percent Less than 5 minutes 23.5% 5-10 minutes 17.6% minutes 29.4% More than 20 minutes 23.5% Don t Know/Not Sure 5.9% Table B38: Q7 Comments Comments minutes [on the school bus]! (Too long) B20

95 Figure B21: Q8 Has your child asked you for permission to walk or bike to/from school in the last year? Figure B22: Q9 At what grade would you allow your child to walk or bike to/from school without an adult? Table B39: Q9 Results Grade I would not feel comfortable at any grade % 5.9% 5.9% 5.9% 17.6% 64.7% Table B40: Q9 Comments Comments To bus B21

96 Figure B23: Q10 What of the following issues affected your decision to allow, or not allow, your child to walk or bike to/ from school? Table B41: Q10 Results Response % Distance 64.7% Convenience of driving 17.6% Time 47.1% Child s participation in before/after-school activities 17.6% Speed of traffic along route 29.4% Amount of traffic along route 29.4% Adults to walk or bike with 23.5% Sidewalks or pathways 35.3% Safety of intersections and crossings 35.3% Crossing guards 5.9% Violence or crime 41.2% Weather or climate 35.3% Other 5.9% Table B42: Q10 Other Comments Other Age B22

97 Figure B24: Q11 Would you probably let your child walk or bike to/from school if this problem were changed or improved? Table B43: Q11 Results My child already walks or bikes to/from school Number Percent 1 5.9% Table B44: Q11 Results Response Yes No Not Sure Distance 58.8% 5.9% 17.6% Convenience of driving 11.8% 17.6% 17.6% Time 58.8% 5.9% 5.9% Child s participation in before/afterschool activities 23.5% 17.6% 11.8% Speed of traffic along route 35.3% 5.9% 5.9% Amount of traffic along route 41.2% 5.9% 5.9% Adults to walk or bike with 29.4% 23.5% 0% Sidewalks or pathways 23.5% 23.5% 5.9% Safety of intersections and crossings 41.2% 11.8% 5.9% Crossing guards 17.6% 23.5% 0% Violence or crime 29.4% 29.4% 0% Weather or climate 41.2% 23.5% 0% B23

98 Figure B25: Q12 In your opinion, how much does your child s school encourage or discourage walking and biking to/from school? Figure B26: Q13 How much fun is walking or biking to/from school for your child? Table B45: Q12 Results Level of Encouragement Percent Strongly Encourage 0% Encourage 35.3% Neither 47.1% Discourage 0% Strongly Discourage 11.8% Table B46: Q13 Results Level of Fun Percent Very Fun 17.6% Fun 29.4% Neutral 29.4% Boring 0% Very Boring 5.9% Table B47: Q13 Comments Comments N/A B24

99 Figure B27: Q14 How healthy is walking or biking to/from school for your child? Figure B28: Q15 What is the highest grade or year of school you completed? Table B48: Q14 Results Perception of Healthiness Percent Very Healthy 52.9% Healthy 23.5% Neutral 17.6% Unhealthy 0% Very Unhealthy 0% Table B49: Q13 Comments Comments N/A Table B50: Q15 Results Level of Education Completed Percent Grades 1-8 (Elementary) 0% Grades 9-11 (Some high school) 0% Grade 12 or GED (High school graduate) 5.9% College 1-3 years (Some college or technical school) 29.4% College 4 years or more (College graduate) 64.7% Prefer not to answer 0% B25

100 School Dr. Howard 2011 Table B51: Q16 Please provide any additional comments below: Additional comments We should have walking carpools. The bus ride takes an hour (or more). She took the bus when we started at Dr. Howard, but I was spending more time waiting for her bus to arrive at our bus stop than it took for me to pick her up. My kindergartner has very short legs. He will probably walk/bike to school in a few years. Don t let my kid walk or bike alone because of crime. People trying to take kids. Really wish our area had sidewalks! (and streetlights) I gave info re: my home, which is > 2 miles away. Twice a week my daughter spends the night with her father, who lives just a few blocks away from school and she walks sometimes with him. My child is a bus student. The school is too far walking/biking. I prefer who pick up/ drop off to when I could see my child so she would walk to and from her bus but it was changed. My child would like to bike to school. However, due to distance (we are 6 miles from school) and weather reason, she can not go by bike. B26

101 Appendix C - Public Participation Dr. Howard Elementary School Safe Routes to School Plan Implementation Tables by Votes Received The following table outlines the suggested implementation projects based on the number of total votes each project received from stakeholders. CCRPC staff presented this plan to Dr. Howard parents, staff, and neighborhood residents in March 2012, and invited these stakeholders to vote on their top preferred strategies at the public meeting and parent/teacher conferences. Priority was determined based on steering committee input and voting results. Table C1: Implementation Tables by Votes Received Project Description Project Location Discipline Priority Responsible Agenc(ies) Votes Install permanent vehicular speed feedback signs on University Avenue and Church Street in Dr. Howard School zones Fill in sidewalk gaps within the study area, especially close to Dr. Howard School Install new or retrofit existing sidewalk ramps to meet current ADA standards, especially close to Dr. Howard School Investiage the feasibility of adding or moving a police officer, crossing guard, or school staff person to the intersection of Park Avenue & James Street at school arrival/dismissal times without decreasing safety at other intersections Conduct a before and after speed study if permanent vehicular speed feedback signs are installed Increase the visibility of police presence around Dr. Howard School at drop-off/pick-up times University Avenue & Church Street school zones Engineering High City of Champaign 15 Various locations Engineering Medium City of Champaign 13 Various locations Engineering High City of Champaign 10 Park Avenue at James Street Enforcement Medium Champaign Police Department --- Evaluation Medium City of Champaign Enforcement Medium Champaign Police Department 8 9 C1

102 Table C2: Implementation Tables by Votes Received cont d. Project Description Project Location Discipline Priority Responsible Agenc(ies) Votes Send a letter home to encourage Dr. Howard parents to not block residents driveways when waiting in cars to pick up their children Investigate the feasibility of changing the school arrival/dismissal traffic pattern to have vehicles enter Park Avenue from Russell Street instead of James Street, thus reducing the number of directions that vehicles enter the Park/James intersection from 3 to 2* Install pedestrian countdown signals on all legs of signalized intersections Send a letter home to educate Dr. Howard families if the traffic pattern changes Continue educating 2nd & 4th grade students about bicycle safety issues through the bicycle Risk Watch curriculum in their health unit Install pedestrian pushbuttons on all legs of signalized intersections Send a letter home to educate Dr. Howard families about the Park & Walk option Work with Dr. Howard parents to identify adult and/or older students to lead Walking School Bus routes --- Encouragement Medium James Street, Russell Street, Park Avenue Enforcement Medium Prospect & Springfield Avenues Mattis & Springfield Avenues Mattis & University Avenues Mattis Avenue & Church Street Mattis Avenue & Glenn Park Drive Northeast corner of Prospect & Springfield Avenues Engineering Medium --- Education Medium Dr. Howard School PTA City of Champaign City of Champaign Champaign Police Department Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) C-U SRTS Project --- Education Low 4 Engineering Low --- Education Low --- Encouragement Low Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) C-U SRTS Project Dr. Howard School PTA *Recommendation was changed after March 2012 public voting period C2

103 Table C3: Implementation Tables by Votes Received cont d. C3 Dr. Howard Elementary School Safe Routes to School Plan Project Description Project Location Discipline Priority Responsible Agenc(ies) Votes Install curb extensions on University Avenue at James Street/Elmwood Drive to reduce the pedestrian crossing distance* Continue participation in C-U Walk n Roll to School Day Place C-U SRTS Project yard signs regarding speed reduction on University Avenue and Church Street near Dr. Howard School to encourage motorists to obey the speed limit Coordinate with willing property owners to establish Park & Walk sites in the study area Sponsor a kick-off event for Park & Walk site(s) Adopt policies which encourage biking to school University Avenue at James Street/Elmwood Drive University Avenue & Church Street school zones Potential Locations: Eisner Park/Hays Center, 1311 W. Church St. Davidson Park, 1108 W. Church St. McKinley Avenue (Church-Park) Russell Street (Church-University) Sabin Avenue (Church-University) Elmwood Drive (University-Flora) Park Avenue (McKinley-Willis) Engineering Low City of Champaign Education Low Encouragement Encouragement Encouragement Low Low Low --- Encouragement Low Distribute a map with a suggested traffic circulation route for Park & Walk sites to all Dr. Howard families Continue collecting data on travel mode choices through in-class travel tallies conducted by Dr. Howard --- Evaluation Low teachers *Recommendation was changed after March 2012 public voting period C-U SRTS Project C-U SRTS Project City of Champaign Participating property owners C-U SRTS Project Champaign Police Department Champaign Unit #4 School District Property owners C-U SRTS Project Champaign Police Department Champaign Unit #4 School District Participating property owners Champaign Unit #4 School District --- Enforcement Low 2 C-U SRTS Project CCRPC/CUUATS

104 Table C4: Implementation Tables by Votes Received cont d. Project Description Project Location Discipline Priority Responsible Agenc(ies) Votes Continue participation in annual Wellness Fair Continue educating students about bicycle safety issues at the annual Wellness Fair Create Walking School Bus maps and schedules to distribute to Dr. Howard families Coordinate with C-U SRTS Project to institute incentive-based programs to encourage students to walk to school, such as a Frequent Walkers Club Dismiss students walking or biking home 5-10 minutes early, which also reduces conflicts with vehicles Distribute rules and recommendations for the usage of Park & Walk sites to all Dr. Howard families Sponsor a bike rodeo at Dr. Howard School to help train students on bicycle safety issues Coordinate with C-U SRTS Project, Champaign Police Department & Dr. Howard PTA to organize and incentivize Walking School Buses --- Education Low Education Low Education Low --- Encouragement Low C4 C-U SRTS Project C-U SRTS Project --- Encouragement Low Enforcement Low --- Education Low --- Encouragement Low Enforce Unit #4 s bus idling policy Dr. Howard Elementary School Enforcement Low Distribute district-wide surveys to parents on walking to school as part of C-U Walk n Roll to School Day --- Evaluation Low C-U SRTS Project Champaign Police Department Participating property owners C-U SRTS Project Dr. Howard School PTA C-U SRTS Project Champaign Police Department Champaign Unit #4 School District C-U SRTS Project CCRPC/CUUATS

105 Sidewalk Gap Construction Voting Using Figure 10, stakeholders were asked in March 2012 to vote on the location they would most like to see a sidewalk constructed in the study area. The following table ranks the votes received. Figure C1 shows the locations voted on in a map. Potential Park & Walk Location Voting Table C5: Sidewalk Gap Construction Voting Sidewalk Gap Construction Voting Street Needing Improvement Side North/East Boundary South/West Boundary Votes Elmwood Drive Both University Ave Springfield Ave 12 Park Avenue North Mid-Block Russell St 4 James Street East Church St Park Ave 3 Columbia Avenue Both McKinley Ave Russell St 1 McKinley Avenue East Church St Park Ave 1 McKinley Avenue West Park Ave University Ave 1 McKinley Avenue West University Ave Springfield Ave 1 Russell Street West Church St University Ave 1 Sabin Avenue East Church St University Ave 1 Using Figure 44, stakeholders were asked in March 2012 to vote on the location they would most like to see a Park & Walk site established in the study area. The following table ranks the votes received. Table C6: Potential Park & Walk Location Voting Potential Park & Walk Location Voting Potential Locations Address Approximate Walk Time (minutes) Votes Eisner Park/Hays Center 1311 W. Church St. 6 Minutes 2 Davidson Park 1108 W. Church St. 6 Minutes 1 Huber s 1312 W. Church St. 8 Minutes 1 McKinley Avenue (Church to Park) - 4 Minutes 1 Russell Street (Church to University) - 4 Minutes 0 Sabin Avenue (Church to University) - 6 Minutes 0 Elmwood Drive (University to Flora) - 4 Minutes 0 Park Avenue (McKinley to Willis) - 4 Minutes 0 C5

106 Figure C1: Sidewalk Gap Construction Voting 6