Harrington Elementary School

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1 Harrington Elementary School Safe Routes to School Walking Audit and Recommendations Walk Denver Spring 2014 Harrington Elementary School 2401 East 37 th Avenue, Denver, Colorado This project was supported by Safe Routes to School grant with funds from Colorado Department of Transportation, 2013/14 school year. Table of Contents Introduction... 2 Overview of the School and Neighborhood... 2 Walk Audit Results Recommendations Resources... 16

2 Introduction The Safe Routes to School programming grant 2013/04 was managed by Denver Health with funds from the Colorado Department of Transportation. Participating schools were selected based on an evaluation of Denver Public Schools elementary schools developed by Denver Health. The schools were categorized based on the following criteria: Enrollment and percent of student enrollment living within one mile Percent of students receiving free/reduced lunch Number of pedestrians involved in collisions and number of collisions during school hours (7:00AM 4:30PM) within one mile of the school The components of the grant included: Educational programming provided by Bicycle Colorado and Bike Denver Walk Audits provided by Walk Denver Community engagement provided by CREA Results Overview of the School and Neighborhood School Year Data Total Students Within 1 mile of school With free/reduced lunch Total traffic accidents While driving to school Wellness Team School hours % 97% 0 0 No 8 am 3 pm Harrington Elementary School is located in the Clayton Neighborhood of north central Denver. It is a one story brick building with distinctive red and beige banding. The school occupies about one half block at the west end of Schafer Park. The school is located on the north side of East 37 th Avenue opposite the termination of Josephine Street. The closest intersection is East 37 th and York Street. The playground is located on the east side of the school adjacent to the park, and the school parking lots are to the east and west of the school. The blocks to the south and east of the school and park are predominantly residential with a mix of single and multifamily housing. Across 37 th are two vacant properties. Buildings along the west side of York are a mix of residential and commercial/industrial. The former Air Force Accounting Center, now offices and community services, is immediately to the north along York. A substantial complex of industrial buildings occupy the land to the north of the school and park. The residential blocks to the east, south, and west are traditional with rectangular blocks and detached walks with tree lawns. 2 P age

3 The school boundary is I 70/East 44 th on the north, Colorado Blvd on the east, East 37 th /Bruce Randolph, East 36 th on the south, and Gilpin/40 th /Blake/38 th streets on the west. The area north of East 40 th Avenue is predominantly industrial and is within the Elyria/Swansea Neighborhood. The large area at the northwest corner of East 38 th and York is a Union Pacific Railroad yard. Beyond the rail yard and tracks is the emerging RiNo (River North) Area, which is planned for mixed use in the future, but remains primarily industrial today. See school boundary map below. School Entrance Playground Two vacant lots with and without sidewalks across the street from the school The park to the east has a trail along the street rather than a sidewalk 3 P age

4 The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) distributed a survey about walking and biking to 450 parents of children at Harrington; 74 (16%) responded. Forty three percent of the parents completed the survey in Spanish, and 57% in English. Their children represented all of the grades between pre kindergarten and fifth grade, with the majority (32%) in kindergarten. Twenty eight percent of respondents live less than ¼ mile from the school, and an additional 35% live within a mile. Twenty four percent of respondents reported that their child walks to school, 58% reported that they drive their child to school, and 8% use the school bus. Although 78% of respondents believe that walking or biking to school is very healthy or healthy for their child, 46% percent indicated they would not feel comfortable allowing their child walk or bike to school without an adult at any age. The survey asked parents about issues that affected their decision to allow, or not allow, their child to walk or bike to/from school. The chart below shows that the most commonly cited issues were distance (35%), safety of intersections and crossings (35%), and speed of traffic along the route (35%). Issues Affecting Decision to Allow (Or Not Allow) Child to Walk or Bike Safety of Intersections and Crossings Distance Speed of Traffic Along Route Violence or Crime Weather or climate Amount of Traffic Along Route Time Crossing Guards Sidewalks or Pathways Child's Participation in After School Adults to Bike/Walk With Convenience of Driving 7% 7% 20% 16% 14% 12% 35% 35% 35% 31% 28% 28% The survey also asked if parents would probably let their child walk or bike to/from school if the issues identified above were changed or improved. The chart below shows that respondents were mostly likely to allow their child to walk or bike if distance, weather/climate, or time were changed or improved, followed by safety of intersections and crossing, and speed of traffic along the route. 4 P age

5 Would you probably let your child walk or bike to/from school if this problem were changed or improved? Safety of Intersections and Crossings Distance Speed of Traffic Along Route Violence or Crime Weather or climate Amount of Traffic Along Route Time Crossing Guards Sidewalks or Pathways Child's Participation in After School Programs Adults to Bike/Walk With Yes No Not Sure Convenience of Driving 0% 5% 10% 15% 5 P age

6 WASHINGTON MARION LAFAYETTE LAFAYETTE HUMBOLDT FRANKLIN GILPIN GILPIN RACE JOSEPHINE COLUMBINE VINE RACE GAYLORD CLAUDE WILSON MADISON GARFIELD CLAUDE ELIZABETH COOK MONROE GARFIELD JACKSON JOSEPHINE COLUMBINE GARFIELD HIGH ELIZABETH GAYLORD CLAYTON FILLMORE ELIZABETH CLAYTON VINE HIGH MADISON MONROE HARRISON ALBION Harrington School Boundary 47TH I 70 NATIONAL WESTERN 46TH LAFAYETTE FRANKLIN BALDWIN 46TH I 70 EXIT 275B 46TH ALICE EXIT 275C 47TH STEAVENSON THOMPSON FILLMORE EXIT 276A MILWAUKEE 47TH VASQUEZ I 70 MONROE JACKSON 46TH EXIT 276B STAPLETON DELGANY 35TH 36TH WAZEE BLAKE 38TH 39TH 36TH ARKINS 40TH WALNUT BRIGHTON WYNKOOP BLAKE 40TH 38TH 44TH FRANKLIN WYNKOOP GILPIN 40TH 39TH 38TH HIGH HIGH RACE 44TH 38TH Harrington ELIZABETH 37TH THOMPSON CLAYTON 45TH 41ST FILLMORE FILLMORE MILWAUKEE 43RD MILWAUKEE SAINT PAUL SAINT PAUL STEELE ADAMS ADAMS COOK 42ND MADISON MADISON 39TH 45TH 44TH 42ND 38TH 41ST JACKSON HARRISON 37TH EXIT 276B 40TH COLORADO SMITH 31ST 32ND LAWRENCE ARAPAHOE 30TH 29TH CHAMPA WELTON 33RD CURTIS STOUT CALIFORNIA 28TH CLARKSON EMERSON 29TH LARIMER 31ST 34TH GLENARM TREMONT 25TH 35TH DOWNING 30TH TREMONT 33RD LAFAYETTE WALKWAY 28TH 27TH HUMBOLDT COLE MS WALK 30TH MANUAL HS 31ST BRUCE RANDOLPH GILPIN WILLIAMS 30TH MANUAL WALK MARTIN LUTHER KING WALKWAY RACE VINE GAYLORD YORK 30TH 33RD ELIZABETH ELIZABETH 35TH 36TH MARTIN LUTHER KING FILLMORE 28TH MILWAUKEE 29TH MILWAUKEE SAINT PAUL BRUCE RANDOLPH 27TH 30TH ADAMS ADAMS 36TH COOK COOK 31ST 33RD MADISON 30TH MONROE MONROE MONROE NEIL GARFIELD RICHARD ALLEN 26TH 36TH JACKSON HARRISON COLORADO HADDON ALBION ALBION ASH 30TH 28TH Denver Public Schools ASH 25TH BELLAIRE Department of Planning and Analysis Boundaries effective on July 1, 2001 Map last updated April 18, 2011 The Clayton Statistical Neighborhood is bounded by East 40 th Avenue on the north, Colorado Boulevard on the east, Martin Luther King Boulevard on the south and York Street on the west. The neighborhood takes its name from Clayton College located in the southeast corner of the neighborhood. The southern part of the neighborhood is predominantly residential, zoned Urban Neighborhood Context Single Unit (U SU) for the school and area to the west, south and east of the school and park. The area to the north is zoned industrial (I 1) and along York zoning is B 2 and U MX 3 consistent with the mix of industrial, commercial and residential uses. The population declined slightly between 2000 and 2010, in part due to smaller household size. Neighborhood Demographics Population 4,337 Average household size 3.0 Race/ethnicity African American 30.2% Latino 49.0% White 16.2% Owner occupancy 57.0% 6 P age

7 Parks Recreation Center Library Public Amenities Schafer Park adjacent to school; Russell Square to west St. Charles Recreation Center, 3777 Lafayette Street Ford Warren Branch Library, 2825 High Street Transportation Connections and Conditions (see maps below) Public transit (RTD) RTD Rte th Avenue RTD Rte 24 University/York&Josephine Bus stops at York and 38 th East Rail Line station at 38 th and Blake School buses (DPS) Shuttle service (Success Express) Major Streets East 37 th Avenue and York Street. 37 th Avenue is one way west bound for two blocks from Columbine to York. Traffic control Traffic signal at 37 th and York Bike routes Sidewalks Steele/St. Paul from 1 70 south to Highline Canal (D 13) East 35 th Avenue from Franklin to Stapleton Trail (D 4) The sidewalk infrastructure is incomplete or deteriorated in a number of locations near the school. 7 P age

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10 Walk Audit Results WalkDenver met with parents at on February 25, 2014 to introduce the Safe Routes to School program and interview the parents. James Schaffer and Ryan Sagar from WalkDenver made the presentation. About 18 parents/staff attended the meeting along with a Spanish interpreter. Those that do walk access the school on York, Josephine and East 37 th. On March 3 WalkDenver conducted an observation of the school drop off area during morning arrival. Key findings include the following: Sidewalk Conditions o Sidewalks are not always cleared during snowy months. o Sections of the sidewalk are missing on both the north and south sides of 37 th between Columbine and Josephine, and between York and Gaylord. Sidewalks on the south side of the street are very narrow. o Curb ramps are missing in several locations including 37 th and Clayton, and 37 th and Josephine. o Cars park across the sidewalk in several locations. Intersections o Crosswalks are missing along many intersections along 37th. o When kids exit the school, they take the most direct routes and do not use the crosswalks that are present. o 37 th and York has crosswalks and pedestrian signals, but is a high traffic intersection that parents still consider dangerous. o Parents noted the need for crossing guards. Traffic Safety and School Zone Signage o The change from two way to one way for a short distance on 37 th is confusing ad poorly marked. o Parents drive down the alleyway near the school and go the wrong way on 37 th to access the parking lot. Parents also turn left out of the parking lot ignoring the right turn only and one way signage. o Both pedestrians and cars use alleyways as shortcuts, which parents consider a hazard. o The school bus loading and passenger loading signs list inconsistent and inaccurate times. o No parking signs are parallel to the street, making them hard to see. o Parents noted that more signage, especially blinking school zone signs, are needed around the school. Drop off/pick up o Parents feel that drop off and pick up is very disorganized drivers want convenience and speed, and are poor role models for pedestrian safety. o Parents park on the south side of 37 th and let kids cross mid block to the school. 10 P age

11 School Grounds o The turn around does not provide much space for parked and moving cars. o Better signage is needed for entry and exit of the parking lot current signs are too low and obscured by cars. o Recently rules for the adjacent park were changed to discourage loitering. Top Five Priorities: 1. Crossing guards 2. York and 37 th intersection 3. East parking lot 4. Parent behavior 5. Enforcement WalkDenver also conducted a technical audit of the pedestrian environment on April 12, 2014, when several volunteers used the WALKscope pedestrian data collection tool to record information about sidewalk and intersection quality throughout the Clayton neighborhood. All of the data collected, including images and commentary, can be viewed on the interactive map at The map below shows summary data on sidewalk conditions. Many of the sidewalks in the neighborhood are detached, meaning there is a buffer between the sidewalk and the street, and wider than three feet. In several cases, however, sidewalk conditions change mid block. Numerous obstructions and poor pavement conditions were noted on the sidewalks along York, Josephine, 37 th and 35 th. The second map below shows overall ratings of sidewalk and intersection quality on a scale from 1 (low) to 5 (high). This map illustrates the inconsistent quality of the pedestrian infrastructure, with low and high ratings mixed together throughout the neighborhood. The low ratings are most concentrated in the area bounded by York, Columbine, 38 th and 35th. To improve pedestrian conditions along these routes, WalkDenver recommends installing features aimed at slowing down traffic and shortening pedestrian crossings such as bulb outs, traffic circles, bike lanes etc. The first priority for these improvements is in the immediate vicinity of the schools. Low cost, interim design options can be incorporated using paint, flexible posts, epoxied gravel, interlocking pavers, etc. 11 P age

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14 Recommendations Action Type Responsibility Timing 1. Encourage students and parents to walk to and from school Enroll Harrington in Fire Up Your Feet Behavior School administration Short term Encourage parents to participate in Behavior School administration Short term Way to Go School Pool Encourage DPS to adopt a district wide Behavior School administration/ Short term SRTS program DPS Improve sidewalk snow removal and Operational School administration Short term maintenance during the winter months. Conduct an audit of the current school zone signage, curb ramps and street lighting; request additional signage ramps and lighting where needed to meet standards Operational School administration/ DPS Medium term 2. Make needed pedestrian improvements Add or enhance crosswalks adjacent to school: Operational Denver Public Works Short term 37 th Avenue between Steele and York Provide crossing guards at 37th and Operational School administration/ Short term York DPS Add flashing school zone and Operational Denver Public Works Short term pedestrian crossing signs at 37 th and York Give signal priority to pedestrians Operational Denver Public Works Short term crossing York at 37 th during school hours Add or complete sidewalks adjacent to school: Public Improvement Denver Public Works Medium term 37 th Avenue between Steele and Gaylord Install curb ramps where missing along Public Denver Public Works Medium term East 37 th Avenue improvement Redesign pedestrian activation signals to be more visible Public improvement Denver Public Works Medium term 3. Improve the drop off and pick up experience Enforce speed and parking regulations Operational Denver Police Short term Establish, implement and enforce a school pick up and drop off policy Behavioral School administration/ DPS Short term Provide clear drop off/pick up protocol to parents Behavioral School administration/ DPS Short term 14 P age

15 Create a parent safety campaign to address speeding, double parking, and rolling stops. Develop a transportation management plan for pick up and drop off Behavioral Behavioral Clearly mark designated drop off and Operational pick up zones with signage and striping 4. Make needed street/public right of way improvements School administration/ DPS/Denver Police School administration/ DPS/Denver Public Works DPS/Denver Public Works Short term Medium term Medium term Post one way signs at intersections Operational Denver Pubic Works Short term with 37th Turn no parking sign faces Operational Denver Pubic Works Short term perpendicular to street Begin one way at Elizabeth rather than Operational Denver Pubic Works Medium term Columbine Convert alleys between 36 th and 37 th to one way northbound Operational Denver Pubic Works Medium term 5. Make safety improvements to school grounds Replace parking lot signs with standard Operational DPS Short term height signs Place no left turn signs/right turn only Operational DPS Short term signs at exits to parking lots Contact City of Denver Graffiti Hot Line to remove graffiti near school Operational School administration Short term 15 P age

16 Resources SRTS Community Connector: Fernando Pineda CREA Results Fire Up Your Feet The Fire Up Your Feet Program helps encourage families, students and schools to work together and create active lifestyles which inspire our children to be healthy and physically active. Everything is here to help you walk more, play more, and find the joy of being physically active as a family and in your school. WayToGo Schoolpool If you need help getting your kids to and from school, Way to Go can help you get started with Schoolpool for FREE. Our secure system will connect you with families in your neighborhood to share in the responsibilities of getting the kids to school and back via carpooling, walking, biking or riding RTD together. Thousands of other families are already connected what are you waiting for? Just try it! You ll gain support and a sense of community and get some much needed help in return. around/schoolpool Safe Routes to School District Policy Builder This tool walks the user through a series of policy options to help build a customized Safe Routes to School policy for school districts, which they can then download for the school board to adopt. Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a movement that is changing communities and making children healthier by getting them to use their own power to get to and from school. Ensuring children are active on their way to and from school will improve health outcomes for them, as well. solutions safe routes school national partnership release schooldistrict policy Denver Public Schools Cross Guard program contact: Valerie Barrientos Manager of Campus Security Office # Cell # Fax # Dispatch # valerie_barrientos@dpsk12.org Traffic Safety Enforcement Daniel McNulty Daniel.McNulty@denvergov.org To report any issues related to signage, safety, sidewalk conditions or crime: P age