AMHERST EXEMPTED VILLAGE SCHOOLS AND SAINT JOSEPH SCHOOL

Transcription

1 AMHERST EXEMPTED VILLAGE SCHOOLS AND SAINT JOSEPH SCHOOL SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL TRAVEL PLAN 12/11/18 DRAFT OHIO SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL SCHOOL TRAVEL PLAN

2 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template SECTION 1: OUR SCHOOLS 1A. Identify Target Schools: School District School Name School Address Grades served AMHERST EXEMPTED VILLAGE SCHOOLS POWERS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 401 WASHINGTON STREET AMHERST, OHIO K-2 (TO BE RELOCATED TO NEW AREA, SET TO OPEN AUGUST 2019 NEAR AMHERST JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL) RELOCATION: (SOUTH LAKE STREET, AMHERST, OH 44001) AMHERST EXEMPTED VILLAGE SCHOOLS WALTER G. NORD MIDDLE SCHOOL 501 LINCOLN STREET AMHERST, OHIO AMHERST EXEMPTED VILLAGE SCHOOLS AMHERST JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 548 MILAN AVENUE AMHERST, OHIO AMHERST EXEMPTED VILLAGE SCHOOLS MARION L. STEELE HIGH SCHOOL 450 WASHINGTON STREET AMHERST, OHIO PRIVATE ST. JOSEPH PARISH SCHOOL 175 ST. JOSEPH DRIVE AMHERST, OHIO PS-8 Average Daily Student Enrollment Black, non- Hispanic Powers Elementary School Students American Indian or Alaska Native Asian or Pacific Islander Hispanic Multi- Racial White, non- Hispanic Economically Disadvantaged Limited English Proficient Students with Disabilities Migrant % - 1.8% 8.3% 1.6% 86.0% 25.1% % - 2

3 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template Walter G. Nord Middle School Students Average Daily Student Enrollment Black, non- Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native Asian or Pacific Islander Hispanic Multi- Racial White, non- Hispanic Economically Disadvantaged Limited English Proficient Students with Disabilities Migrant % % 3.1% 81.0% 20.8% % - Average Daily Student Enrollment Black, non- Hispanic Amherst Junior High School Students American Indian or Alaska Native Asian or Pacific Islander Hispanic Multi- Racial White, non- Hispanic Economically Disadvantaged Limited English Proficient Students with Disabilities Migrant % % 4.2% 80.0% 21.5% % - 3

4 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template Average Daily Student Enrollment Black, non- Hispanic Marion L. Steele High School Students American Indian or Alaska Native Asian or Pacific Islander Hispanic Multi- Racial White, non- Hispanic Economically Disadvantaged Limited English Proficient Students with Disabilities Migrant 1, % - 1.1% 14.6% 2.3% 78.8% 16.7% % - Average Daily Student Enrollment Black, non- Hispanic Saint Joseph Parish School Students American Indian or Alaska Native Asian or Pacific Islander Hispanic Multi- Racial White, non- Hispanic Economically Disadvantaged Limited English Proficient Students with Disabilities Migrant % 4.0% 14.8% 76.5% 14.8% 0 8.7% 0 4

5 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template 1B. Community Stakeholders and the Safe Routes to School Team: School Representatives: Name address 5 E Role: Amy Makruski amakruskisjs@yahoo.com Education Steve Sayers steve_sayers@amherstk12.org Education Community Representative: Name address 5 E Role: Matt Hasel mhasel@adaptiveeng.com Engineering Local Government Representatives: Name address 5 E Role: Mark Costilow mayor@amherstohio.org Evaluation David Macartney building2@amherstohio.org Evaluation Education Representatives: Name address 5 E Role: Angie Eads aeadssjs@yahoo.com Education Joe Tellier joseph_tellier@amherstk12.org Education Health Representative: Name address 5 E Role: Mary Birch Encouragement Public Safety Representatives: Name address 5 E Role: James Wilhelm chief@amherstfire.org Enforcement Joseph Kucirek jkucirek@amherstpolice.net Enforcement Brandon Dimacchia bdimacchia@amherstfire.org Enforcement 1C. The lead contact for our Plan is: Name: Matt Hasel Affiliation: Consulting Engineer Phone Number: address: MHasel@AdaptiveEng.com Mailing address: Adaptive Engineering Group, LLC (AEG) 260 S. Main Street, Suite 218 Amherst, Ohio SECTION 2: OUR SRTS VISION Our SRTS Vision: Successful SRTS programs benefit from the school and community working together toward a common vision. Vision statements can be a single statement, a list of goals or a short paragraph. There is no correct or incorrect vision statement. In 100 words or less, explain your team s vision for your SRTS program in the space below. 5 The City of Amherst, Amherst Exempted Village Schools, and Saint Joseph School have partnered to update and enhance the Comets to School Travel Plan that was developed in The goals of the partnership include supporting a Safe Routes to School program that promotes participation in active transportation activities and increases safety for pedestrians and bicyclists as students commute to and from school.

6 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template SECTION 3: CURRENT STUDENT TRAVEL Powers Elementary School 3A. How many students live within walking and bicycling distance of school? (Distances are cumulative; meaning that within 1/2 mile of school would include students within ¼ mile as well.) Distance From School Number of Students % of Student Body Within 1/4 mile of school % Within 1/2 mile of school % Within 1 mile of school % Within 2 miles of school % Mapping student addresses. A map showing the school attendance boundary, school site, and dots where students live is included in Appendix A. 3B. How many students are currently walking and bicycling to school? What are the primary walking and bicycling routes? Number of students (morning trips) Number of students (afternoon trips) Primary walking/bicycling routes Walk Bike School bus Family Vehicle Carpool Public Transit Other 1% 0.1% 58% 39% 2% 0% 0.1% 1% 0.1% 57% 38% 2% 0% 1% Shadylawn Drive/Sunrise Drive to Washington Street; Cleveland Avenue to Washington Street 3C. Are there any school or district policies that impact students walking or bicycling to school? District Bus Policies Policy: The District provides transportation for students, who live more than one mile from school and for those with physical or mental disabilities, which make walking unsafe. If student s do not qualify, parents may fill out a transportation form to see if seats are still available on the bus. 6

7 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template How it affects student travel modes (3-5 sentences): Approximately 85% of students live within two miles of the school (target for promotion of active transportation). Since busing isn t provided to students that live within one mile of the school, about 23% of the students are left to find their own transportation to school which could be by walking or bicycling. Alternatively, parents of children that live within one mile of the school may submit a transportation form to inquire on the availability of busing for their children. School Travel Policies Policy: Students are left to find their own means of transportation if busing isn t available to them. Some students are picked up for daycare in the morning and dropped off by van in the afternoon. 3D. School Arrival and Dismissal Process 7 Do school buses and parent vehicles use the same driveway for arrival and dismissal? Yes, all vehicles use the same driveway. X No, there are separate driveways for family vehicles and school buses. Do all students use the same entrance to the school building in the morning? Yes, all students enter the building at the same location. X No, students can use different entrances. If no, in three sentences or less, describe how students enter the building: Car riders use the northern entrance of the building, while bus riders use the southern entrance. Parents that walk their children to school use the southern entrance as well. Are all students released at the same time during dismissal? Yes, all students are released at the same time. X No, we use a staggered release process (walkers are released first, bus riders second, etc.). If no, in two sentences or less, describe how dismissal is staggered at your school: Car riders and walkers are dismissed five minutes before bus riders. Is school staff involved in either arrival or dismissal? X Yes, we have school staff help students enter and exit the campus safely. No, school staff is not involved in either arrival or dismissal. If yes, in two sentences or less, describe how school staff are involved: Aides help unload students off the buses in the morning and load them in the afternoon. They also supervise car rider drop-offs and pick-ups. Are there any adult crossing guards located along student walking routes? X Yes, we have at least one adult crossing guard that helps students on their walking routes. No, we do not have any adult crossing guards serving our school. If yes, please list the locations for each adult crossing guard: There is a crossing guard located at the crosswalk in front of Powers Elementary (on Washington Street) during arrival and dismissal. Are there police officers that help with arrival or dismissal procedures at this school? Yes, we have at least one police officer helping direct traffic around our school. X No we do not have police officers who help direct traffic around the school. If yes, in two sentences or less, explain how many officers help and what role they play in arrival or dismissal: Police officers will help out occasionally when they are available.

8 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template Are students involved in any arrival or dismissal process (i.e. student safety patrol)? Yes, we have a student safety patrol. X No, we do not have a student safety patrol. If yes, in two sentences or less, describe the role of the student safety patrol at both arrival and dismissal: 3E. Parent Attitudes towards walking and biking. Using the Parent Survey Summary Data Report generated by the National Center for Safe Routes to School, indicate the top 5 reasons impacting the decisions of parents who currently DO NOT allow their children to walk or bicycle to school: Reasons for not allowing children to walk or bicycle to school: Amount of Traffic Along Route Distance Safety of Intersections and Crossings Speed of Traffic Along Route Sidewalks or Pathways 3F. Safety Issues and Concerns. Summarize traffic safety issues and concerns that are gathered anecdotally from the team, parents and the community at large. Record your summary in the space below in 100 words or less. Due to Powers Elementary being a kindergarten through 2nd grade school, many parents feel their children are not old enough to walk and/or bicycle to school. There are also a few roads that experience a high volume of traffic and the general lack of sidewalks and safe crossings throughout the City are concerning to parents. (Note this school is moving near Amherst Junior High School for the 2019/2020 school year.) Relevant traffic crashes. Summarize the findings from the crash data reports recorded within 2 miles of the school sites for the previous 3 years for which data is available. There were 8 total crashes within the STP study area. The crashes resulted in 8 injuries and 0 fatalities. The number of crashes that involved bicycles was 3. The number of crashes that involved pedestrians was 5. 3G. Walking and bicycling encouragement activities at the school. Identify and describe activities at your school that support or encourage walking and bicycling. Activity Safety Town (Pre-K) How it encourages walking or bicycling (1-3 sentences) Teaches proper safety procedures to children when walking and riding a bicycle near streets. 8 Phys Ed Class (K-2) Run Club (K-2) Promotes healthy activities and stresses importance of healthy lifestyles to students. Students may join a school sanctioned run club that introduces them to proper running techniques and safe interaction with vehicular traffic.

9 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template Walter G. Nord Middle School 3A. How many students live within walking and bicycling distance of school? (Distances are cumulative; meaning that within 1/2 mile of school would include students within ¼ mile as well.) Distance From School Number of Students % of Student Body Within 1/4 mile of school 8 0.9% Within 1/2 mile of school % Within 1 mile of school % Within 2 miles of school % Mapping student addresses. A map showing the school attendance boundary, school site, and dots where students live is included in Appendix A. 3B. How many students are currently walking and bicycling to school? What are the primary walking and bicycling routes? Number of students (morning trips) Number of students (afternoon trips) Primary walking/bicycling routes Walk Bike School bus Family Vehicle Carpool Public Transit Other 2% 0.2% 50% 45% 3% 0% 0.2% 5% 0.9% 59% 34% 2% 0% 0.3% Shadylawn Drive/Sunrise Drive/Rainbow Drive/Brandt Avenue/Sipple Avenue/E. Martin Street/Cleveland Avenue to Lincoln Street 3C. Are there any school or district policies that impact students walking or bicycling to school? District Bus Policies Policy: The District provides transportation for students, who live more than one mile from school and for those with physical or mental disabilities, which make walking unsafe. If student s do not qualify, parents may fill out a transportation form to see if seats are still available on the bus. How it affects student travel modes (3-5 sentences): Approximately 87% of students live within two miles of the school (target for promotion of active transportation). Since busing isn t provided to students that live within one mile of the school, about 18% of the students are left to find their own transportation to school which could be by walking or bicycling. Alternatively, parents of children that live within one mile of the school may submit a transportation form to inquire on the availability of busing for their children. 9

10 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template School Travel Policies Policy: Students are left to find their own means of transportation if busing isn t available to them. 3D. School Arrival and Dismissal Process. Using prompt questions provided below, describe key school arrival and dismissal procedures at your school. Do school buses and parent vehicles use the same driveway for arrival and dismissal? Yes, all vehicles use the same driveway. X No, there are separate driveways for family vehicles and school buses. Do all students use the same entrance to the school building in the morning? Yes, all students enter the building at the same location. X No, students can use different entrances. If no, in three sentences or less, describe how students enter the building: Bus riders come in the front entrance while car riders use the rear entrance. Students that walk to school use both entrances. Are all students released at the same time during dismissal? Yes, all students are released at the same time. X No, we use a staggered release process (walkers are released first, bus riders second, etc.). If no, in two sentences or less, describe how dismissal is staggered at your school: Car riders and walkers are dismissed at 2:35 P.M., while bus riders are dismissed at 2:40 P.M. Is school staff involved in either arrival or dismissal? X Yes, we have school staff help students enter and exit the campus safely. No, school staff is not involved in either arrival or dismissal. If yes, in two sentences or less, describe how school staff are involved in school arrival and dismissal: 10 School staff supervise arrival and dismissal in the morning and afternoon. Are there any adult crossing guards located along student walking routes? Yes, we have at least one adult crossing guard that helps students on their walking routes. X No, we do not have any adult crossing guards serving our school. If yes, please list the locations for each adult crossing guard: Are there police officers that help with arrival or dismissal procedures at this school? Yes, we have at least one police officer helping direct traffic around our school. X No we do not have police officers who help direct traffic around the school. If yes, in two sentences or less, explain how many officers help and what role they play in arrival or dismissal: Police officers assist occasionally but nothing is scheduled for every day. Are students involved in any arrival or dismissal process (i.e. student safety patrol)? Yes, we have a student safety patrol. X No, we do not have a student safety patrol. If yes, in two sentences or less, describe the role of the student safety patrol at both arrival and dismissal:

11 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template 3E. Parent Attitudes towards walking and biking. Using the Parent Survey Summary Data Report generated by the National Center for Safe Routes to School, indicate the top 5 reasons impacting the decisions of parents who currently DO NOT allow their children to walk or bicycle to school: Reasons for not allowing children to walk or bicycle to school: Distance Safety of Intersections and Crossings Amount of Traffic Along Route Sidewalks or Pathways Weather or Climate 3F. Safety Issues and Concerns. Summarize traffic safety issues and concerns that are gathered anecdotally from the team, parents and the community at large. Record your summary in the space below in 100 words or less. Due to the amount of traffic along some of the roads within the two-mile radius, parents are concerned with letting their children walk or ride their bicycle to school due to safety. There is also a lack of complete sidewalks along much of the roadways and safe crossings are not provided. Relevant traffic crashes. Summarize the findings from the crash data reports recorded within 2 miles of the school sites for the previous 3 years for which data is available. There were 9 total crashes within the STP study area. The crashes resulted in 9 injuries and 0 fatalities. The number of crashes that involved bicycles was 4. The number of crashes that involved pedestrians was 5. 3G. Walking and bicycling encouragement activities at the school. Identify and describe activities at your school that support or encourage walking and bicycling. Activity Amherst Running Club How it encourages walking or bicycling (1-3 sentences) Students may join a school sanctioned run club that introduces them to proper running techniques and safe interaction with vehicular traffic. 11

12 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template Amherst Junior High School 3A. How many students live within walking and bicycling distance of school (Distances are cumulative; meaning that within 1/2 mile of school would include students within ¼ mile as well.) Distance From School Number of Students % of Student Body Within 1/4 mile of school 7 0.8% Within 1/2 mile of school % Within 1 mile of school % Within 2 miles of school % Mapping student addresses. A map showing the school attendance boundary, school site, and dots where students live is included in Appendix A. 3B. How many students are currently walking and bicycling to school? What are the primary walking and bicycling routes? Number of students (morning trips) Number of students (afternoon trips) Primary walking/bicycling routes Walk Bike School bus Family Vehicle Carpool Public Transit Other 1% 2% 49% 44% 3% 0% 0.1% 12% 3% 55% 26% 4% 0% 0% South Lake Street and Milan Avenue (and intersecting residential streets) 3C. Are there any school or district policies that impact students walking or bicycling to school? District Bus Policies Policy: The District provides transportation for students, who live more than one mile from school and for those with physical or mental disabilities, which make walking unsafe. If student s do not qualify, parents may fill out a transportation form to see if seats are still available on the bus. How it affects student travel modes (3-5 sentences): Approximately 56% of students live within two miles of the school (target for promotion of active transportation). Since busing isn t provided to students that live within one mile of the school, about 23% of the students are left to find their own transportation to school which could be by walking or bicycling. Alternatively, parents of children that live within one mile of the school may submit a transportation form to inquire on the availability of busing for their children. 12

13 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template School Travel Policies Policy: Students are left to find their own means of transportation to school if they cannot ride the bus. 3D. School Arrival and Dismissal Process. Using prompt questions provided below, describe key school arrival and dismissal procedures at your school. Do school buses and parent vehicles use the same driveway for arrival and dismissal? X Yes, all vehicles use the same driveway. No, there are separate driveways for family vehicles and school buses. (Note: Both currently use one driveway due to construction of new Powers Elementary school. Once construction ends, separate driveways will be used.) Do all students use the same entrance to the school building in the morning? X Yes, all students enter the building at the same location. No, students can use different entrances. If no, in three sentences or less, describe how students enter the building: Are all students released at the same time during dismissal? X Yes, all students are released at the same time. No, we use a staggered release process (walkers are released first, bus riders second, etc.). If no, in two sentences or less, describe how dismissal is staggered at your school: Is school staff involved in either arrival or dismissal? X Yes, we have school staff help students enter and exit the campus safely. No, school staff is not involved in either arrival or dismissal. If yes, in two sentences or less, describe how school staff are involved in school arrival and dismissal: 5-6 staff members assist with arrival 5-8 staff members assist with dismissal Are there any adult crossing guards located along student walking routes? Yes, we have at least one adult crossing guard that helps students on their walking routes. X No, we do not have any adult crossing guards serving our school. If yes, please list the locations for each adult crossing guard: Are there police officers that help with arrival or dismissal procedures at this school? Yes, we have at least one police officer helping direct traffic around our school. X No we do not have police officers who help direct traffic around the school. If yes, in two sentences or less, explain how many officers help and what role they play in arrival or dismissal: Are students involved in any arrival or dismissal process (i.e. student safety patrol)? Yes, we have a student safety patrol. X No, we do not have a student safety patrol. If yes, in two sentences or less, describe the role of the student safety patrol at both arrival and dismissal: 13

14 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template 3E. Parent Attitudes towards walking and biking. Using the Parent Survey Summary Data Report generated by the National Center for Safe Routes to School, indicate the top 5 reasons impacting the decisions of parents who currently DO NOT allow their children to walk or bicycle to school: Reasons for not allowing children to walk or bicycle to school: Amount of Traffic Along Route Speed of Traffic Along Route Sidewalks or Pathways Safety of Intersections and Crossings Crossing Guards 3F. Safety Issues and Concerns. Summarize traffic safety issues and concerns that are gathered anecdotally from the team, parents and the community at large. Record your summary in the space below in 100 words or less. Although sidewalks are in place along much of Milan Avenue and South Lake Street near the school, safe crossings are not in place outside of the intersection of said roads. Additionally, concerns exist with the speeds and volumes of nearby roads and the internal traffic movements at the school (although the construction of the new Powers Elementary School has altered traffic patterns during construction). Relevant traffic crashes. Summarize the findings from the crash data reports recorded within 2 miles of the school sites for the previous 3 years for which data is available. There were 5 total crashes within the STP study area. The crashes resulted in 5 injuries and 0 fatalities. The number of crashes that involved bicycles was 2. The number of crashes that involved pedestrians was 3. 3G. Walking and bicycling encouragement activities at the school. Identify and describe activities at your school that support or encourage walking and bicycling. Activity Amherst Run Club (6 th grade running club) Walk-a-thon How it encourages walking or bicycling (1-3 sentences) Students may join a school sanctioned run club that introduces them to proper running techniques and safe interaction with vehicular traffic. Organized community walk that is held annually to assist PTO for school. Helps to promote benefits of walking. 14

15 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template Marion L. Steele High School 3A. How many students live within walking and bicycling distance of school? (Distances are cumulative; meaning that within 1/2 mile of school would include students within ¼ mile as well.) Distance From School Number of Students % of Student Body Within 1/4 mile of school % Within 1/2 mile of school % Within 1 mile of school % Within 2 miles of school 1, % Mapping student addresses. A map showing the school attendance boundary, school site, and dots where students live is included in Appendix A. 3B. How many students are currently walking and bicycling to school? What are the primary walking and bicycling routes? Number of students (morning trips) Number of students (afternoon trips) Primary walking/bicycling routes Walk Bike School bus Family Vehicle Carpool Public Transit Other 4% 0.3% 1% 73% 20% 0.1% 1% 7% 0.3% 1% 69% 21% 0.1% 1% Shadylawn Drive/Sunrise Drive to Washington Street; Cleveland Avenue to Washington Street; N. Main Street/Lincoln Street to E. Martin Street/Sipple Avenue; Cut through St. Joseph Church / Powers Elementary School properties 3C. Are there any school or district policies that impact students walking or bicycling to school? District Bus Policies Policy: Busing is not available to high school students. School Travel Policies Policy: Students are left to find their own means of transportation to school since busing is not available for high school students. 15

16 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template 3D. School Arrival and Dismissal Process. Using prompt questions provided below, describe key school arrival and dismissal procedures at your school. Do school buses and parent vehicles use the same driveway for arrival and dismissal? X Yes, all vehicles use the same driveway since there are no buses. No, there are separate driveways for family vehicles and school buses. Do all students use the same entrance to the school building in the morning? Yes, all students enter the building at the same location. X No, students can use different entrances. If no, in three sentences or less, describe how students enter the building: Students can enter the building at the southern, northern, and main entrances. Once school is in session, students can only enter through the main entrance. Are all students released at the same time during dismissal? X Yes, all students are released at the same time. No, we use a staggered release process (walkers are released first, bus riders second, etc.). If no, in two sentences or less, describe how dismissal is staggered at your school: Is school staff involved in either arrival or dismissal? X Yes, we have school staff help students enter and exit the campus safely. No, school staff is not involved in either arrival or dismissal. If yes, in two sentences or less, describe how school staff are involved in school arrival and dismissal: Teachers are stationed in parking lots before and after school to supervise. Are there any adult crossing guards located along student walking routes? Yes, we have at least one adult crossing guard that helps students on their walking routes. X No, we do not have any adult crossing guards serving our school. If yes, please list the locations for each adult crossing guard: Are there police officers that help with arrival or dismissal procedures at this school? Yes, we have at least one police officer helping direct traffic around our school. X No we do not have police officers who help direct traffic around the school. If yes, in two sentences or less, explain how many officers help and what role they play in arrival or dismissal: Are students involved in any arrival or dismissal process (i.e. student safety patrol)? Yes, we have a student safety patrol. X No, we do not have a student safety patrol. If yes, in two sentences or less, describe the role of the student safety patrol at both arrival and dismissal: 16

17 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template 3E. Parent Attitudes towards walking and biking. Using the Parent Survey Summary Data Report generated by the National Center for Safe Routes to School, indicate the top 5 reasons impacting the decisions of parents who currently DO NOT allow their children to walk or bicycle to school: Reasons for not allowing children to walk or bicycle to school: Distance Weather or climate Amount of Traffic Along Route Safety of Intersections and Crossings Sidewalks or Pathways 3F. Safety Issues and Concerns. Summarize traffic safety issues and concerns that are gathered anecdotally from the team, parents and the community at large. Record your summary in the space below in 100 words or less. Due to the amount the traffic along some of the roads within the two-mile radius, parents are concerned with letting their children walk or ride their bicycle to school due to safety. There is also a lack of complete sidewalks along much of the roadways and safe crossings are not provided. Additionally, parents are concerned with allowing their children to walk to school early in the morning when it is dark outside. Relevant traffic crashes. Summarize the findings from the crash data reports recorded within 2 miles of the school sites for the previous 3 years for which data is available. There were 9 total crashes within the STP study area. The crashes resulted in 9 injuries and 0 fatalities. The number of crashes that involved bicycles was 4. The number of crashes that involved pedestrians was 5. 3G. Walking and bicycling encouragement activities at the school. Identify and describe activities at your school that support or encourage walking and bicycling. Activity Medical Health Tech Amherst Running Club How it encourages walking or bicycling (1-3 sentences) Classes taught at the school for first aid, yoga, walking, bicycling, etc. Students may join a school sanctioned run club that introduces them to proper running techniques and safe interaction with vehicular traffic. 17

18 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template Saint Joseph Parish School 3A. How many students live within walking and bicycling distance of school? (Distances are cumulative; meaning that within 1/2 mile of school would include students within ¼ mile as well.) Distance From School Number of Students % of Student Body Within 1/4 mile of school 4 2.7% Within 1/2 mile of school 7 4.7% Within 1 mile of school % Within 2 miles of school % Mapping student addresses. A map showing the school attendance boundary, school site, and dots where students live is included in Appendix A. 3B. How many students are currently walking and bicycling to school? What are the primary walking and bicycling routes? Number of students (morning trips) Number of students (afternoon trips) Primary walking/bicycling routes Walk Bike School bus Family Vehicle Carpool Public Transit Other 0.3% 0% 8% 91% 0.7% 0% 0% 0.7% 0% 10% 84% 5% 0% 0% Cleveland Avenue, Birch Lane, Terra Lane, Sunrise Drive, Shadylawn Drive 3C. Are there any school or district policies that impact students walking or bicycling to school? District Bus Policies Policy: Students who live more than 1 mile from SJS qualify for Amherst bussing. Also, some neighboring school districts will bus students to our school from their home district (i.e. Firelands and Vermilion). Lorain City School District does not bus students. If Amherst busses are not full, families may fill out an application to be considered for bussing if they do not meet the original requirements but feel bussing would be a safe alternative for their child. How it affects student travel modes (3-5 sentences): The majority of our population comes from outside the 1-mile radius with many travelling from Lorain. Since bussing is not offered, they are required to find alternative transportation to and from school. 18

19 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template School Travel Policies Policy: Students at SJS are permitted to walk, ride their bike, take a bus, or ride in a car to school. Walkers are expected to follow all sidewalks and crosswalks (as applicable) and to listen to any safety personnel regarding their route to school and to follow crosswalks once they are on the school grounds. The same is true for bike riders, but once on school grounds, they are expected to walk their bikes and park it in a designated rack. Bus riders must go through their local bus garage to obtain bus procedures and are expected to follow all procedures required. Car riders follow a standard drop-off and pick-up procedure using Door D of the school and are asked to enter and exit off of Terra Lane on the east side of the school. How it affects student travel modes (3-5 sentences): The travel policy gives families many options to travel 3D. School Arrival and Dismissal Process. Using prompt questions provided below, describe key school arrival and dismissal procedures at your school. Do school buses and parent vehicles use the same driveway for arrival and dismissal? Yes, all vehicles use the same driveway. X No, there are separate driveways for family vehicles and school buses. Do all students use the same entrance to the school building in the morning? Yes, all students enter the building at the same location. X No, students can use different entrances. If no, in three sentences or less, describe how students enter the building: Car riders are dropped off in the drop off zone in the east parking lot and can enter the east entrance of the school at Door D. Buses will be unloaded at the main entrance at the southwest end of the building and are let in by a staff member at Door A. Are all students released at the same time during dismissal? X Yes, all students are released at the same time. No, we use a staggered release process (walkers are released first, bus riders second, etc.). If no, in two sentences or less, describe how dismissal is staggered at your school: Is school staff involved in either arrival or dismissal? X Yes, we have school staff help students enter and exit the campus safely. No, school staff is not involved in either arrival or dismissal. If yes, in two sentences or less, describe how school staff are involved in school arrival and dismissal: 19 Staff walks students out to the car pick-up area outside of Door D and individually releases them to their parents/guardians. At the bus door (Door B) a staff member checks off each student as they walk to get on the bus that is parked right outside the door. Are there any adult crossing guards located along student walking routes? X Yes, we have at least one adult crossing guard that helps students on their walking routes. No, we do not have any adult crossing guards serving our school. If yes, please list the locations for each adult crossing guard: We have 2 adults crossing guards at the crosswalk that is in the school parking lot.

20 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template Are there police officers that help with arrival or dismissal procedures at this school? Yes, we have at least one police officer helping direct traffic around our school. X No we do not have police officers who help direct traffic around the school. If yes, in two sentences or less, explain how many officers help and what role they play in arrival or dismissal: Are students involved in any arrival or dismissal process (i.e. student safety patrol)? Yes, we have a student safety patrol. X No, we do not have a student safety patrol. If yes, in two sentences or less, describe the role of the student safety patrol at both arrival and dismissal: 3E. Parent Attitudes towards walking and biking. Using the Parent Survey Summary Data Report generated by the National Center for Safe Routes to School, indicate the top 5 reasons impacting the decisions of parents who currently DO NOT allow their children to walk or bicycle to school: Reasons for not allowing children to walk or bicycle to school: Distance Safety of Intersections and Crossings Amount of Traffic Alone Route Sidewalks or Pathways Weather or Climate 3F. Safety Issues and Concerns. Summarize traffic safety issues and concerns that are gathered anecdotally from the team, parents and the community at large. Record your summary in the space below in 100 words or less. Due to St. Joseph Parish School being a kindergarten through 8th grade school, many parents of younger students feel their children are not old enough to walk and/or bicycle to school. Additionally, due to the amount the traffic along some of the roads within the two-mile radius, parents are concerned with letting their children walk or ride their bicycle to school due to safety. There is also a lack of complete sidewalks along much of the roadways and safe crossings are not provided. Relevant traffic crashes. Summarize the findings from the crash data reports recorded within 2 miles of the school sites for the previous 3 years for which data is available. There were 8 total crashes within the STP study area. The crashes resulted in 8 injuries and 0 fatalities. The number of crashes that involved bicycles was 3. The number of crashes that involved pedestrians was 5. 20

21 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template 3G. Walking and bicycling encouragement activities at the school. Identify and describe activities at your school that support or encourage walking and bicycling. Activity Safety Star Program Physical Education and Health Class Environmental Education curriculum (taught in Science, Health, and Religion) How it encourages walking or bicycling (1-3 sentences) Safety Star promotes proper pedestrian behaviors and techniques for crossing the street safely. Promotes living a healthy life style and encourages making choices that include daily exercise. Encourages students to make choices that reduce pollution and waste and to conserve natural resources. The below summary was provided by St. Joseph School s principal, Amy Makruski, and summarizes the students involvement with the School Travel Plan development and how it was integrated into the school s STEM program curriculum. (Additional information, including graphs, exhibits, etc. that were completed by the students, has been provided in Exhibit B of this document.) 21 The students at SJS became interested in safe travel to school in the spring of Through various conversations with community partners, parents, and research of safety incidences in our community, as well as neighboring communities, the students interests grew. As Adaptive Engineering Group s (AEG) involvement in the STP/SRTS project increased, we saw an opportunity to enhance our typical curriculum on data collection and analysis by linking it to a real-world scenario that could cause change in the community around us. We began by meeting with Mr. Matt Hasel from AEG to better understand the process for writing the school travel plan and to determine where the student involvement could take place. With the assistance of AEG, as well as the public school district, the Teacher Tally Sheets and the Parent Surveys were distributed. As those were returned, the data was distributed to classes according to the learning objectives at each grade level and the students processed the data. In grades K and 1, the students focused on creating tally charts for the teacher tally sheets at each school level, totaling them, then turning that into a graph using place value cubes to more easily show the data. In grades 2-5, the process focused on the parent surveys at each school level. The students took several main questions from the survey and created scaled and non-scaled bar graphs and picture graphs to easily show data about travel to/from school. In grade 6, the students used parent survey data to create box and whisker plots to analyze the distribution, center, and variability in the data. Besides the numerical data, there was also room on the parent surveys to provide comments regarding their answers or thoughts about travel to/from school. These comments often helped to clarify data that was represented numerically. The 7th grade class used these comments to learn how to analyze qualitative data and look for trends. They then used the information they collected to have collaborative conversations to decide what the most important information to present to an audience would be. Overall, the grades also had to work on speaking/presentation skills to prepare to present their information to an authentic audience. This process was much more meaningful than simply looking/reading/interpreting graphs from a math book and we are very thankful to have been able to provide such a rich experience for our students.

22 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template SECTION 4: KEY ISSUES IMPACTING SAFE WALKING AND BICYCLING TO SCHOOL 22 The top 5 issues impacting student ability to safely walk or bicycle to school. Powers Elementary School (present location), Walter G. Nord Middle School, Marion L. Steele High School, and Saint Joseph Parish School (combined as this grouping resembles a campus environment as said school properties are contiguous to at least one other school in the grouping) Issue/Description 1. Issue: Distance Since approximately 80% of students live beyond one mile of the school that they attend, many parents are not comfortable letting their children walk or bike this distance to get to school. 2. Issue: Amount of Traffic Along Route Parents are concerned about the amount, speed, and types of traffic along walking and biking routes near schools that their children attend. 4. Issue: Safety of Intersections and Crossings. Parents are concerned about how safe it is for their children to walk and bike along some of the school routes. Specifically, parents expressed concerns regarding safe crossings as controlled crossings are presently only provided at vehicular signalized intersections. 3. Issue: Lack of Sidewalks or Pathways. There is a lack of sidewalks along certain routes to school. Some areas have none, while others have gaps between sidewalks. 5. Issue: Weather and Climate. Parents expressed concern about allowing their children to walk and bike to school when weather conditions are not favorable or in the morning when it is dark during the commute period. Powers Elementary School (future location) and Amherst Junior High (these two schools will form a campus environment for the 2019/2020 school year and thus Key Issues specified for Amherst Junior High can be also be expected for Powers Elementary School in the future.) Issue/Description 1. Issue: Amount of Traffic Along Route Parents are concerned about the amount of traffic along walking and biking routes near the school that their children attend. Additionally, parents are concerned about internal traffic movements at the school. 2. Issue: Speed of Traffic Along Route Parents are concerned about the speed of traffic along walking and biking routes near the school that their children attend. 3. Issue: Lack of Sidewalks or Pathways. There is a lack of sidewalks along certain routes to school. Some areas have none, while others have gaps between sidewalks. 4. Issue: Safety of Intersections and Crossings. Parents are concerned about how safe it is for their children to walk and bike along some of the school routes. Specifically, parents expressed concerns regarding safe crossings as controlled crossings are presently only provided at vehicular signalized intersections. 5. Issue: Crossing Guards. Parents expressed concerns regarding safe crossings as controlled crossings are presently only provided at vehicular signalized intersections and feel that the use of crossing guards could be beneficial.

23 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template SECTION 5: RECOMMENDED SRTS COUNTERMEASURES 5A. Non-infrastructure Countermeasure Recommendations For each E, list and describe strategies that your team has identified. In 1-2 sentences, explain the need or Issue, then briefly describe the countermeasure. EDUCATION COUNTERMEASURES: List and describe the education strategies that your team plans to implement in the next 12 months in the table below. Issue Distance Perception and Educate Benefits of Active Transportation Teach proper safety for bicycling and walking to school. EDUCATION Countermeasure Discuss goals of the SRTS program and active transportation with parents and students Use ODOT s Every Move You Make, Make It Safe campaign to teach students about the proper ways to walk and/or bicycle to school. Continue the already implemented Safety Town Program. List the medium and long-term strategies (those that your team will undertake beyond 12 months) below: 1. Continue to enhance opportunities for pedestrian and bicycle education within the school s curriculum. 2. Promote public awareness of traffic laws (vehicular, bicycle, pedestrian). 3. Bike Rodeo: A Bike Rodeo is usually a bicycle safety clinic featuring bicycle safety inspections and a short safety lecture about the rules of the road. This is followed by a ride on a miniature chalk street course set up in a parking lot where young cyclists are shown where and how to apply the rules. 4. Walking Program: A walking program could be established to educate children on the benefits of walking. This program should be developed around school curriculum and rewards could be provided for completing the program. School Walk-Smart routes could be produced that establish recommended travel routes in order to encourage walking to school by providing a safe and efficient route to school. 5. Maintain relationship with SRTS partners to continue to promote healthy lifestyles. 23

24 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template ENCOURAGEMENT COUNTERMEASURES: List and describe the encouragement strategies that your team plans to implement in the next 12 months in the table below. Issue Bicycle, Walking, and Active Transportation Encouragement ENCOURAGEMENT Countermeasure Participate in walk/bike to school days Promote participation in local run clubs and similar events that are already in place List the medium and long-term strategies (those that your team will undertake beyond 12 months) below: 1. Continue to execute and improve countermeasures. 2. Walking School Bus: One way to encourage students to walk to school is by starting a walking school bus. The walking school bus is a group of children walking to school with one or more adults. The walking school bus can also take the form of a bicycle train with adults supervising children riding their bicycles to school. 3. Consider starting walk with principal, walk with policeman/fireman, etc. program. 4. Consider tying in active transportation clubs into the PE curriculum. ENFORCEMENT COUNTERMEASURES: List and describe the enforcement strategies that your team plans to implement in the next 12 months in the table below. Issue Traffic and Speed Along School Routes ENFORCEMENT Countermeasure Provide visible presence for enhanced behavior of drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists to deter dangerous activities. Monitor the speeds of vehicles and enforce the speed limits. 24 List the medium and long term strategies (those that your team will undertake beyond 12 months) below: 1. Continue to observe locations of speeding vehicles and other non-compliant motorists that disobey regulations. 2. Provide guidance/education to pedestrians and motorists on traffic laws and necessary safety measures. 3. Deploy speed trailers to further assist in the education and enforcement of the speed limits in the vicinity of the schools. 4. Support police department in their involvement and presence around schools during arrival and dismissal procedures. 5. Patrolling in winter months to make sure citizens are keeping their sidewalks clear of snow and enforcing fines if they are not complying. 6. Develop crossing guard training whose benefits will be twofold: the police will get engaged in pedestrian issues while at the same time educating crossing guards and the general public. 7. Consider implementing a program in which parents of students that walk/bike to school receive notification from school of safe arrival.

25 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template EVALUATION COUNTERMEASURES: List and describe the evaluation strategies that your team plans to implement in the next 12 months in the table below. Issue Student Travel Plan Sustainability and Effectiveness EVALUATION Countermeasure Pedestrian/Bicycle Counts: Pedestrian and bicycle counts can be collected yearly through a School Travel Tally Sheet filled out by home room teachers. Parent/Teacher follow-up surveys Conduct SRTS team meeting annually to review, discuss, and evaluate trends and current issues. List the medium and long term strategies (those that your team will undertake beyond 12 months) below: 1. Speed Data and Traffic Infractions: The effectiveness of infrastructure countermeasures will be evaluated, in part, by the collection of speed data and traffic infractions. 2. Conduct student surveys annually. 3. Conduct parent surveys annually. 4. Update school travel plan when necessary. 5. Continue to hold SRTS team meetings annually. 25

26 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template 5B. 12-Month SRTS Non-Infrastructure Activity Calendar Non-Infrastructure Countermeasure Jan 2019 Feb 2019 March 2019 April 2019 May 2019 June 2019 July 2019 Aug 2019 Sept 2019 Oct 2019 Nov 2019 Dec Discuss goals of the SRTS program and active transportation with parents and students Lead: Amherst Schools / St. Joseph School (SJS) Use ODOT s Every Move You Make, Make It Safe campaign and Safe Routes Academy Lead: Amherst Schools / SJS Promote involvement in Safety Town program Lead: Amherst Police Department Walk to School Day Lead: Amherst Schools / SJS Promote involvement in local running clubs and events Lead: Amherst Schools (Amherst Run Club) Provide visible presence for enhanced behavior of drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists to deter dangerous activities. Lead: Amherst Police Department Monitor the speeds of vehicles and enforce the speed limits. Lead: Amherst Police Department PLAN IMPLEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENT

27 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template Pedestrian/Bicycle Counts: Pedestrian and bicycle counts can be collected yearly through a School Travel Tally Sheet filled out by home room teachers. Lead: AEG Parent/Teacher follow-up surveys Lead: AEG Conduct SRTS team meeting annually to review, discuss, and evaluate trends and current issues. Lead: AEG PLAN IMPLEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENT 27

28 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template 5C. Infrastructure Countermeasure Recommendations Lin Location Issue Countermeasure Timeframe Priority A S. Lake Street at Cooper s Run Not safe for students to cross S. Lake Street Stripe a crosswalk across S. Lake Street at Cooper s Run. Install flashers and Yield to Pedestrians in Crosswalk signs at crosswalk. Jurisdiction Responsible Short Term City of Amherst Estimated Cost Possible Funding Source Status Low ODOT SRTS From 2010 STP B S. Lake Street at Willow Creek Drive Not safe for students to cross S. Lake Street at Willow Creek Drive. Stripe a crosswalk across S. Lake Street at Willow Creek Drive. Install Yield to Pedestrians in Crosswalk signs at the crosswalk. Short Term City of Amherst Low ODOT SRTS From 2010 STP C D W. Martin Avenue W. Martin Avenue Gaps located in sidewalk along W. Martin Avenue Gaps located in sidewalk on W. Martin Avenue Construct a 5-foot wide sidewalk beginning where the existing sidewalk terminates near Crestline Drive for approximately 0.5 miles on the north side of W. Martin Avenue and connect to existing sidewalk on the north side of the bridge near Woodbridge Court. Construct approximately 400 feet of sidewalk on the north side of W. Martin Avenue between Long Street and the existing sidewalk at Woodbridge Court. Term City of Amherst Short Term City of Amherst Low ODOT SRTS ODOT SRTS From 2010 STP From 2010 STP E W. Martin Avenue Students cannot cross W. Martin Avenue safely at Long Street Stripe a crosswalk across W. Martin Avenue near Long Street. Install Yield to Pedestrians in Crosswalk signs at crosswalk. Short Term City of Amherst Low ODOT SRTS From 2010 STP 28

29 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template F G Lincoln Street between Sipple Avenue and Washington Street Washington Street Sidewalks not located on Lincoln Street between Sipple Avenue and Washington Street Sidewalk not located on Washington Street between Sunrise Drive and Lincoln Street Construct approximately 2,500 feet of sidewalk on the east side of Lincoln Street between Sipple Avenue and Washington Street and connect to the existing sidewalk in front of the school. Construct approximately 1,500 feet of sidewalk on the west side of Washington Street from the existing sidewalk near Sunrise Drive to Lincoln Street. Term Term High High City of Amherst City of Amherst ODOT SRTS ODOT SRTS From 2010 STP From 2010 STP H N. Main Street near Sipple Avenue and Sunrise Drive Gaps in sidewalk on N. Main Street Construct approximately 0.25 miles of sidewalk on the east side of N. Main Street connecting to the existing sidewalks near Sipple Avenue and Sunrise Drive. Term High City of Amherst ODOT SRTS From 2010 STP I Forde Avenue Gap in sidewalk on Forde Avenue Construct approximately 1,000 feet of sidewalk on one side of Forde Avenue west of N. Lake Street and connect to the existing sidewalk. Term City of Amherst ODOT SRTS From 2010 STP J Crestline Avenue No sidewalk on Crestline Avenue west of N. Lake Street Construct approximately 1,000 feet of sidewalk on one side of Crestline Avenue west of N. Lake Street and connect to the existing sidewalk. Term City of Amherst ODOT SRTS From 2010 STP K N. Lake Street at W. Martin Avenue Not safe for students to cross intersection Stripe crosswalk across N. Lake Street at W. Martin Avenue. Short Term City of Amherst Low ODOT SRTS From 2010 STP 29

30 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template L (L1 & L2) N. Lake Street at Crestline Avenue and Forde Avenue Not safe for students to cross intersections Stripe crosswalks across N. Lake Street at Crestline Avenue and Forde Avenue. Install Yield to Pedestrians in Crosswalk signs at these locations on N. Lake Street. Short Term City of Amherst Low ODOT SRTS From 2010 STP M N O (O1 & O2) Amherst Jr. High S. Main Street and Shadow Creek Trail S. Lake Street and Milan Avenue Provide access to school from Crocker Street and Shadow Creek Trail Make it safer, easier, and quicker for students walking to school from S. Main Street Reduce speeds on S. Lake Street and Milan Avenue near schools Install 10-foot wide asphalt, multi-purpose paths that connect the existing pathways on the school campus to the adjacent neighborhoods via Crocker Street (850 feet) and Shadow Creek Trail (585 feet). Construct a 10-foot wide asphalt, multi-purpose path connecting S. Main Street and Shadow Creek Trail. Path would connect to the existing sidewalk on S. Main Street south of Elyria Avenue. Install set of school signs with flashing lights near school entrance on S. Lake St and Milan Avenue. Long Term City of Amherst Long Term City of Amherst Term City of Amherst High High ODOT SRTS / ODNR Clean Ohio Trail Fund ODOT SRTS / ODNR Clean Ohio Trail Fund ODOT SRTS / School & City Funding (potential infrastructure improvement being planned in area) From 2010 STP From 2010 STP From 2010 STP P Milan Avenue Make it safer to students to cross Milan Ave. Install crosswalk with signing and Rapid Rectangular Flashing Beacon (RRFB) at school entrance on Milan Avenue. Term City of Amherst ODOT SRTS / School & City Funding (potential infrastructure improvement being planned in area) Q N. Woodhill Dr./ Cleveland Avenue Improve crossing at intersection Place PED head with curb ramp at intersection of N. Woodhill Dr. and Cleveland Avenue. Term High City of Amherst ODOT SRTS 30

31 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template R N. Woodhill Dr., Birch Ln., Terra Ln. No sidewalk Install sidewalk on west side of N. Woodhill Dr. to Birch Ln., south side of Birch Ln., and west side of Terra Ln. to Sunrise Dr. Term High City of Amherst ODOT SRTS S Sunrise Dr. No sidewalk Install sidewalk on south side of Sunrise Dr. from N. Main St. to Washington Ave. Term High City of Amherst ODOT SRTS T Cleveland Ave./ Washington Ave. intersection Improve crossing at intersection Install PED head with crossing on western leg of intersection at Cleveland Ave., Washington Ave. Term High City of Amherst ODOT SRTS U Sipple Ave. No sidewalk Install sidewalk on north side of Sipple Ave. from N. Main St. to Shady Dr. Term High City of Amherst ODOT SRTS V Lincoln St. Reduce speeds near school property Install flashing school signs near school entrances on Lincoln St. Term High City of Amherst ODOT SRTS W E. Martin St. Gap in sidewalk Install approximately 125 feet of sidewalk on the north side of E. Martin from 191 E. Martin St. to Lincoln St. Short Term High City of Amherst Low ODOT SRTS 31

32 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template X Lincoln St. No crosswalk Install crosswalk and signing at the northern side of E. Martin St. and Lincoln St. Short Term High City of Amherst Low ODOT SRTS Y N. Main St. and E. Martin St. intersection No crosswalk Install crosswalk with signing and Rapid Rectangular Flashing Beacon (RRFB) across N. Main St. at the intersection of N. Main St. and E. Martin St. Term City of Amherst ODOT SRTS Z Cleveland Ave. and Lincoln Ave. intersection Improve crosswalk Install PED head at current crosswalk located on the east side of the Cleveland Ave./ Lincoln Ave. intersection. Term High City of Amherst ODOT SRTS AA N. Main St. Five Point Intersection Improve safety at 5- legged intersection crosswalks Reduce crossing lengths by adding curb bump-outs (See Exhibit 2) Term City of Amherst ODOT SRTS BB Not on Map Washington Street Various Parking conflicts with sidewalks near schools Lack of places for students to safely park bikes Consider removing first row of parking in front of the high school on the west side of Washington Ave. and remove street parking on the east side of Washington Ave. Consider new parking lot at the current location of Powers Elementary once its demolished. Add new bicycle racks near schools Long Term Amherst Schools / City of Amherst Short Term Amherst Schools / City of Amherst High Low Unknown ODOT SRTS From 2010 STP 32

33 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template SECTION 6: PUBLIC INPUT Public Input Process: Public Meeting Date: December 10, 2018 Target Audience: Parents, residents, elected officials, SRTS committee Key Input Received: No key input was received at the public meeting, but key input was received as part of the parent survey process. Many comments were received that cited the lack of sidewalks and safe crossings as deterrents from allowing students to walk and bike to school. Students at St. Joseph s School reviewed the comments and summarized concerns as a part of their presentation at the public meeting (see Appendix B). 33

34 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template SECTION 7: FINAL PLAN PLEDGE OF SUPPORT Endorsement: City officials and administrators and parents of students at the Amherst Exempted Village School District and Saint Joseph School are joining together to improve safety and encourage more students to walk and bicycle to school. By implementing our Safe Routes to School Travel Plan, our goals are: To enable and encourage children, including those with disabilities, to walk and bicycle to school. To make bicycling and walking to school a safer and more appealing transportation alternative, thereby encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle from an early age. To facilitate the planning, development and implementation of projects and activities that will improve safety and reduce traffic, fuel consumption, and air pollution in the vicinity of our school. The undersigned are fully supportive of the Amherst Exempted Village School District and Saint Joseph School Safe Routes to School Travel Plan and program, and pledge to support their efforts and provide resources as appropriate. Signature: Signature: Mark Costilow Mayor, City of Amherst (Evaluation) Signature: Steve Sayers Amherst School District Superintendent (Education) Signature: David Macartney Building Inspector, City of Amherst (Evaluation) Signature: Joseph Tellier Marion L. Steele High School Principal (Education) Signature: Joseph Kucirek Amherst Police Chief (Enforcement) Signature: Amy Makruski St. Joseph School Principal (Education) Signature: James Wilhelm Amherst Fire Chief (Enforcement) Signature: Brandon Dimacchia Assistant Fire Chief (Enforcement) Signature: Angie Eads St. Joseph School STEM Coach (Education) Signature: Mary Birch University Hospitals (Encouragement) 34 Matt Hasel AEG (STP Consulting Engineer)

35 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template APPENDIX A: MAPPING 35

36 Powers Elementary - Amherst Exempted village - Lorain Co n 401 Washington St, Amherst, OH n Sources: Esri, HERE, DeLorme, USGS, Intermap, INCREMENT P, NRCan, Esri Japan, METI, Esri China (Hong Kong), Esri Korea, Esri (Thailand), MapmyIndia, 6/7/2018 Total Enrollment = 837 Feet ,400 2,800 4,200 County Boundary City Boundary n School Students Radius (Miles) q Minutes to Walk Division of Planning Office of Program Management

37 Walter G. Nord Middle School - Amherst Exempted Village - Lorain Co n 501 Lincoln St, Amherst, OH n Sources: Esri, HERE, DeLorme, USGS, Intermap, INCREMENT P, NRCan, Esri Japan, METI, Esri China (Hong Kong), Esri Korea, Esri (Thailand), MapmyIndia, 6/7/2018 Total Enrollment = 856 Feet ,400 2,800 4,200 County Boundary City Boundary n School Students Radius (Miles) q Minutes to Walk Division of Planning Office of Program Management

38 Amherst Jr High School - Amherst Exempted Village - Lorain Co n 548 Milan Ave, Amherst, OH n Sources: Esri, HERE, DeLorme, USGS, Intermap, INCREMENT P, NRCan, Esri Japan, METI, Esri China (Hong Kong), Esri Korea, Esri (Thailand), MapmyIndia, 6/7/2018 Total Enrollment = 907 Feet ,400 2,800 4,200 County Boundary City Boundary n School Students Radius (Miles) q Minutes to Walk Division of Planning Office of Program Management

39 Marion L Steele High School - Amherst Exempted village - Lorain Co n 450 Washington St, Amherst, OH n Sources: Esri, HERE, DeLorme, USGS, Intermap, INCREMENT P, NRCan, Esri Japan, METI, Esri China (Hong Kong), Esri Korea, Esri (Thailand), MapmyIndia, 6/7/2018 Total Enrollment = 1438 Feet ,400 2,800 4,200 County Boundary City Boundary n School Students Radius (Miles) q Minutes to Walk Division of Planning Office of Program Management

40 St. joseph Parish - St. Joseph Catholic School - Lorain Co n 175 St. Joseph Dr, Amherst, OH n Sources: Esri, HERE, Garmin, USGS, Intermap, INCREMENT P, NRCan, Esri Japan, METI, Esri China (Hong Kong), Esri Korea, Esri (Thailand), NGCC, 10/17/2018 Total Enrollment = 149 Feet ,400 2,800 4,200 County Boundary City Boundary n School Students Radius (Miles) q Minutes to Walk Division of Planning Office of Program Management

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43 Ohio s Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Template APPENDIX B: ST. JOSEPH S SCHOOL STEM PROJECT PRESENTATION FOR PUBLIC MEETING & AEG S PUBLIC MEETING PRESENTATION 36

44 School Travel Plan Presentation Script Narrator: Thank you for attending this meeting this evening. We are here representing St. Joseph Parish School and what we have come to call The Sidewalk Project. Last school year we took a special interest in safety and travel around the city of Amherst and through a community partnership have had the opportunity to work more closely and authentically with this initiative. The students are here to help you learn more about this project. Introduction: Nick W.- We would like to share some information about the data that was collected to help with the creation of a School Travel Plan for the city of Amherst. We have been working with Adaptive Engineering Group to create this School Travel Plan to be able to apply for funding through the Ohio Department of Transportation to develop overall safe routes to school in our city. The purpose of our presentation is to help you better understand some of the key data that was collected regarding school travel in Amherst. Peyton - Data was collected from several different sources: First- Teacher Tallies in homerooms around the district. These tallies counted how students got to school and went home from school for two days in a row. Second- Parent Surveys were sent to each parent in the district. These surveys asked multiple questions about the time and the distance travelled to school each day and also gauged the comfort level of students walking/biking to school. All of this information was uploaded into the ODOT database and was analyzed by the students at all grade levels at SJS in order to gain a clear picture of the information gathered. Tonight we will be sharing a snapshot of some of the data that we felt was most informational from each set of surveys. Narrator: Our first graders are going to share a little bit of information about the Teacher Tally data that was collected. They are the only group that analyzed the Teacher Tally collected data. The surveys we are displaying here are a sample set from Amherst Junior High School that the first graders felt best represented their process. Layla- (share information about the overall process the first grade used) -started with a lot of surveys -took tallies from each school and created charts for Day 1 AM, Day 1 PM, Day 2 AM, and Day 2 PM -K took the tally charts and totaled them up -then 1st grade with the help of 8th grade used place value blocks to show each number more easily so that the charts could be read by everyone Narrator: Each first grader will now share a little bit of information about the most common ways that students currently travel to/from school at each school in the district.

45 Cole: At Powers Elementary School most students traveled to and from school using school buses and family vehicles. Jude: At Nord Middle School most students traveled to and from school using school buses and family vehicles. Eliza: At Amherst Junior High School most students traveled to and from school using school buses and family vehicles. We also noticed a large increase in students walking home in the afternoon. Avery: At Amherst Steele High School most of the students traveled to and from school using family vehicle or carpooling. Layla: At St. Joseph Parish School most students traveled to and from school using family vehicle and school buses. Narrator: It is important to note that SJS is made up of a population of students from Amherst and many neighboring communities and does not represent the same demographic as a general public/neighborhood school. Narrator: Next we would like to share information with you from the Parent Surveys from each school. Since the survey had many questions, each group will present info. from a different question that they felt was most important when analyzing the data. We ll be starting with our 6th graders who are presenting data for Powers Elementary School and the age that parents would let their students walk/bike to school in the form of a box and whisker plot. Joszef: A box and whisker plot is a tool in math that help sort a set of data by the minimum, 1st Quartile, Median, 3rd Quartile, and the maximum. It helps find the range of the set of data you are working with. Mallory: Out of all the surveys that we sent out, we got 325 parent surveys back, and 125 came back with a grade that they would feel comfortable with their child walking to school. The remaining 200 do not feel comfortable at any grade level and were given a moment section to explain why. Most people felt comfortable when their child was between 5th and 8th grade. Amira:The information in the Box and Whisker Plot shows that most people felt comfortable to let their child walk to school in 6th grade. So we should install sidewalks by Nord since they have 5th grade which also took up a majority of the data. Narrator: next is the 5th grade presenting information from Nord about how students generally travel to and from school.

46 Audrey C., Audrey I, and Paulie- We had question #6. It was On most days, how does your child arrive and leave from school? We decided to use a bar diagram to show who walks, bikes, rides the school bus, who s family takes them, who carpools, who takes transit, or etc. A bar diagram gives people a visual of how many kids took the vehicle to school and from school. We did a picture graph and a line plot to figure out the same thing, but just harder to understand. For the picture graph we drew pictures of steering wheels to represent vehicles and going to school. The result of the project was not a lot of students walk, ride their bike, goes to carpool, transit, or etc. More people take the school bus. If we had sidewalks more, kids could probably walk to school and feel safe. Narrator: Our second graders would like to tell you a little bit about the surveys received from Amherst Junior High and the question- has your child ever asked to walk or bike to school. Ella- Before we present our data, it is important to tell you that this data is based on only 8 surveys being returned from the Amherst Junior High. We used this to complete our process but we are not sure that these results actually represent how all of the parents would have answered. Michael T., Annabelle, and Cooper- Hi. I am Annabelle and this is Cooper. We are from Saint Joseph School and we are in second grade. We are trying to keep students safe by building sidewalks to the schools. This graph shows how many students at Amherst Junior High ask to walk or bike to/from school. 5 students asked if they can walk or bike and 3 students did not ask if they can walk or bike. This means students want to walk or bike, but don t have sidewalks to help them. Thank you for listening to our presentation. Narrator: The 4th graders have data to present from Steele High School in regards to how far students live from the school. Zavier, George, and Sam- Our presentation is about that we need to get sidewalks in Amherst and how far kids live from school. The high school provided us with the information to complete this project so they played an important role in the project. There were 141 responses for our question. The data we collected shows 67 people live more than two miles away from school. It also shows that 74 students live less than 2 miles from the high school. That means that half the families that turned in responses could use sidewalks to get to school near the high school. Narrator: And the 3rd graders are presenting data from St. Joseph Parish School on travel time to and from school. Aubrey and Leah K.- Our graph shows how many minutes it takes to get home from school. A lot of responses were 5-10 minutes travel time. So, we think if they walked to school it would only take them a little longer. This means that people would need sidewalks to get home safely from school. This way they wouldn t have to walk in the roads and get hit by cars if the weather is bad.

47 Narrator: Upon looking at all of this data quantitatively (by numbers) it lead to a lot of questions about why some of the data appeared as it did. Lucky for us, there was a comments section on the survey that was analyzed by our 7th graders. They are going to explain a little bit about the qualitative data that was collected through comments on the parent surveys. Emma- give an overall summary of what was found- overall, most parents do not feel comfortable with their students walking to school at this time. When analyzing the comments, we found that there are many reasons and we are summarizing the main ones for you here tonight. We have broken it down into two categories: things we can change or control and things that are out of our control. Annabelle: Some of the reasons given that we can change are: the lack of crosswalks in which we can add more and hire crossing guards that will safely cross the kids, the lack of sidewalks in which we can change because we can add more sidewalks in high traffic areas, the amount of traffic in which we can address to the people driving so they are more aware, and the safety of children in which we can again add more sidewalks and crosswalks to keep kids safe. Reagan: Some of the reasons given are out of our control. One is crime. We cannot change that because you can t control other people s actions. Also, kids are abducted and we cannot change the fact that people kidnap others. Lastly, some people live too far for their children to walk and we cannot change this. Summary: Riley- Overall, there is interest by students and parents in regards to walking and biking to school and overall safe travel. There seems to be a peak of interest around 7th grade and again at 9th grade. This 9th grade interest may be due to bussing not being an option for high school students, but 9th graders still not being able to drive. Having sidewalks in neighborhoods is just one of the ways we can increase safety. Studies have also been done on traffic patterns around the city in regards to school drop-off and pick-up as well as traffic flow in general. Jacob- Our hope is that through this data collection process we are able to provide ODOT with valuable information to consider our city for funding to increase the overall safety of traveling to school. We are happy that we have been able to share a small piece of the information we have gathered. Thank you!

48 SCHOOL TRAVEL PLAN Data Collection and Analysis St. Joseph Parish School

49 1ST GRADE TEACHER TALLIES

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54 PARENT SURVEYS

55 6TH GRADE BOX AND WHISKER ANALYSIS POWERS ELEMENTARY

56 In this set of data, we had 325 parent surveys returned. Mean= 6th grade Of those 325 surveys, only 125 responded with a grade where they would feel comfortable allowing their child to walk to school. The remaining 200 surveys were marked that the parent/guardian would never allow their student to walk to school, and were given a comment section to explain why.

57 5TH GRADE NORD SCHOOL HOW DO STUDENTS GENERALLY TRAVEL TO AND FROM SCHOOL?

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59 2ND GRADE AMHERST JUNIOR HIGH HAS YOUR CHILD EVER ASKED TO WALK OR BIKE TO SCHOOL?

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61 4TH GRADE MARION L. STEELE HIGH SCHOOL HOW FAR DO STUDENTS LIVE FROM SCHOOL?

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63 3RD GRADE ST. JOSEPH PARISH SCHOOL WHAT IS YOUR TRAVEL TIME TO AND FROM SCHOOL?

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65 7TH GRADE QUALITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS

66 THINGS WE CAN CHANGE Crosswalks Sidewalks Traffic awareness Overall Safety

67 THINGS OUT OF OUR CONTROL Crime Abductions Distance

68 OVERALL SUMMARY

69 THANK YOU!

70 Amherst School Travel Plan & Safe Routes to School Process and Countermeasures Presentation Prepared By:

71 What is a School Travel Plan (STP)? A School Travel Plan (STP) is a written document that outlines a community s intentions for enabling students to engage in active transportation (i.e. walking or bicycling) as they travel to and from school. A comprehensive STP is created through a team-based approach that involves key community stakeholders and members of the public in both identifying barriers to active transportation and using the 5 Es (a set of solutions) to address them. The Five Es of Safe Routes to School Engineering, Education, Enforcement, Encouragement, & Evaluation

72 What is the Safe Routes to School(SRTS) Program? Safe Routes to School is a national program that aims to make it safer for students to walk and bike to school and encourage more walking and biking where safety is not a barrier. By starting with children and the trip to school, communities become safe places for everyone to walk and bike. By creating safe places for everyone, communities take a major step towards meeting the national goal of ending traffic deaths on roads.

73 School Travel Plan (STP) Development Process Discuss goals and develop STP team Review Amherst s 2010 School Travel Plan (current STP is considered an update that reviewed all schools and used the new ODOT template) Collect data from schools (School Travel Tallies and Parent Surveys) Analyze data to determine and prioritize community concerns Group met to discuss data results and to prioritize areas Initial priority is area serving Nord Middle School, Steele High School, Powers Elementary (existing location), and St. Joseph s School. Area bound by: Cleveland Avenue, N. Main Street, State Route 2, and Terra Lane

74 School Travel Plan (STP) Development Process Infrastructure and Non-Infrastructure countermeasures developed Developed for all schools (all countermeasures need to be in the STP in order to pursue funding as priorities and funding opportunities change) AEG spent two days reviewing school arrivals and dismissals at all schools Use observations to prepare the presented proposed countermeasures Many carryovers from the 2010 STP

75 Non-Infrastructure Countermeasures Education Discuss goals of the SRTS program and active transportation with parents and students Use ODOT s Every Move You Make, Make It Safe campaign to teach students about the proper ways to walk and/or bicycle to school Continue Safety Town Encouragement Participate in walk/bike to school days Promote participation in local run clubs and similar events that are already in place

76 Non-Infrastructure Countermeasures Enforcement Provide visible presence for enhanced behavior of drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists to deter dangerous activities Monitor the speeds of vehicles and enforce the speed limits Evaluation Pedestrian/Bicycle Counts: Pedestrian and bicycle counts can be collected yearly through a School Travel Tally Sheet filled out by home room teachers Parent/Teacher follow-up surveys Conduct SRTS team meeting annually to review, discuss, and evaluate trends and current issues.

77 Infrastructure Countermeasures

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