Active & Safe Routes to School Jacky Kennedy, Director, Canada Walks Green Communities Canada Tools of Change / Transport Canada Highlights February 23, 2010 Active & Safe Routes to School Tools of Change Webinar History of ASRTS in Canada School Travel Planning in Canada Metrolinx Study Results Some STP Pilot Results programs ASRTS Rural Context Green Communities Canada A national association of non-profit organizations that deliver innovative, practical environmental solutions to Canadian households and communities 35 member organizations coast to coast Energy, greenspace, waste reduction, sustainable transportation... Leadership Canada Walks: Active & Safe Routes to School Ontario National School Travel Planning Pilot project Walkability roadshows, best practice GCC: 12 employees; $2.5 million revenues www.greencommunitiescanada.org www.saferoutestoschool.ca Active and Safe Routes to School is a comprehensive program that taps into the latent demand for safe, walkable neighbourhoods. Child and Youth Friendly Planning Guideline 1 In transport and land-use planning, the needs of children and youth should receive as much priority as the needs of people of other ages and the requirements e e of business. Progress in Canada towards achieving this goal. ASRTS in Canada 13 years of growth 1997: Ontario Green Communities Canada: 3 Toronto schools 40+ community-based initiatives - English and French British Columbia Way to Go! and HASTE BC: Greater Vancouver Regional District pilot Initiative of ICBC provincial scope www.kidsonthemove.ca 1
ASRTS in Canada 13 years of growth Nova Scotia Ecology Action Centre 2001 - Halifax Regional Municipality 2002 - province wide 115 schools Alberta Safe Happy Active People Everywhere (SHAPE): 2000 pilot in 10 Edmonton schools 2001 provincial non-profit Quebec - Velo Quebec Manitoba Resource Conservation Manitoba: 2002 SAGE; 2005 ASRTS 35 schools participate in first IWALK Today over 500 school participating in program 2010: Nova Scotia Ontario Manitoba Saskatchewan Alberta British Columbia The Yukon And Growing! ASRTS in Canada 13 years of growth http://www.saferoutestoschool.ca/partnership/ School Travel Planning Canadian Pilot Project PHASE 1 (Sept 2006 Mar 2007): Research international best practice & develop recommendations for Canada Transport Canada PHASE 2 (Nov 2007 Mar 2009): Pilot test t School Travel Planning in 4 provinces Public Health Agency of Canada PHASE 3 (Apr 2009 & beyond): Roll out School Travel Planning across Canada Public Health Agency of Canada/George Weston/Loblaws What is School Travel Planning? A School Travel Plan is both a document and a process; addressing the issues of sustainability, safety and health associated with the school run using a community- based approach. The School Travel Planning approach has been used with success in many countries. National Dissemination (Jan 2010 to Mar 2012): Coalitions Linking Action and Science for Prevention (CLASP) Canadian Partnership Against Cancer The Public Health Agency of Canada Overview of School Travel Planning Process SET-UP (Jun) Year 1 DATA COLLECTION *Baseline (Sept/Oct) t) *Final (May) ACTION PLANNING (Oct Dec) IMPLEMENTATION (Oct Jun) THE STP DOCUMENT Year 2 Benefits of School Travel Planning Considers school travel as part of overall municipal transportation policies and plans Sets specific implementation targets Involves all relevant stakeholders Economic benefits accrue Provides measurable targets Supports regional and national priorities 2
Halton Region Pilot 2008 Pilot project at 8 Region schools Key findings: Older students more likely to walk Intense programming School champion Parental decision More students walk home than to school 22 recommendations 3 levels: Board level (8 recommendations) Project level (9 recommendations) School level (5 recommendations) Halton Region Pilot School Board Recommendations Adopted: 1. Develop an active transport strategy 2. Assign a budget 3. Assign key staff person to the strategy 4. Proclaim senior management buy-in 5. Establish an internal working group to support the strategy 6. Establish an external steering committee 7. Develop an multi-component, multi-year, multi-sector project plan Details available at: Pilot: www.halton.ca/asrts Halton DSB: www.hdsb.ca Metrolinx GTHA School Travel Household Attitudinal Study Metrolinx GTHA School Travel Household Attitudinal Study Survey conducted Fall 2009 by Harris/Decima Inc. on behalf of Metrolinx First overview of elementary school travel in Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) 1,001 English telephone interviews completed with parents and guardians of children attending elementary school (i.e. JK to Grade 8) Collected information on: Child s usual mode of travel to and from school Parental perceptions about school travel (e.g. safety, convenience) Awareness of school travel programs and infrastructure Interest in active and sustainable school travel modes Nearly 60% of parents say their child's school is close enough that they could reasonably walk or bike Over 50% of parents whose child is currently driven see the option of their child walking or biking to school as convenient and appealing Over 40% of parents whose child is driven would be interested in considering a different mode of school travel Final study report to be available at www.metrolinx.com/schooltravel/study Jennifer.Lay@metrolinx.com Metrolinx GTHA School Travel Household Attitudinal Study Elementary school students are primarily travelling to and from school by foot, automobile, and school bus Nearly one tenth of students are travelling differently on their trip to school versus home from school, with the most common combination being driven to school and walking home Metrolinx GTHA School Travel Household Attitudinal Study The majority of children being driven live within 2 km of their school, and over half of these overall automobile trips to and from school are made solely for the purpose of dropping off and picking up a child (i.e. not part of a commute to and from work or other destination) Overall Driven Carpool School bus Public transit Walk Bicycle 34% 2% 21% 37% 1% 29% 2% 21% 4% 40% 1% 50% 40% 30% 34% 29% 37% 40% Live within 1 km of child s school 21% 1% 18% 1% 76% 78% 1% 1% 20% 21% 21% Live between 1 and 2 km of child s school 4 36% 19% 1% 20% 2% 28% 32% 10% Base: 0% All respondents (N=1,001) 2% 2% 4% 1% 1% 1% 1% Driven Carpool School Bus Public Transit Walking Cycling Other Live more than 2 km from child s school 40% 36% Base: All respondents (N=1,001) 2% 1% Final study report to be available at www.metrolinx.com/schooltravel/ study 41% 41% 8% 7% 10% 9% 3
Results: A Canadian Study of AST Rates and Barriers National Prevalence Beesley, T., Faulkner, G., Arbour, K., Builing, R. Faculty of Physical Education and Health, Faculty of Geography University of Toronto Main reasons for driving Neighbourhood Safety Q8: Neighbourhood is NOT safe Other 6% Saftey Traffic danger 11% 11% Strongly disagree 14% Strongly agree 8% Agree Distance 16% 26% En route 17% Convenience/time pressures 18% Weather 21% Disagree 52% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% Change in Driving Habits National Hands-Up Survey Results at Pilot Schools 90 80 46 45.5 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Less Driving No Change More Driving 45 44.5 44 43.5 43 42.5 Baseline Final Active % 4
Most Effective Activities Parents who usually drive Q19: Most Effective STP Activities Walking buddies 7% Newsletter 9% Special weekly or monthly 8% Identification of best routes 6% Other Special events 24% Infrastructure improvements 19% Safety education 24% Q21&22: I would allow my child to walk/cycle if... 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Not Alone Safer Route Reduced traffic Other Reasons Walk Cycle School Travel Planning Our Funders The School Travel Planning initiative in Canada is made possible by the generous support of the following funding partners: The Public Health Agency of Canada The Partnership Against Cancer and Stakeholders: School Boards/Districts Health Departments Municipal transportation departments Urban and transportation planning Police Local NGOs/ENGOs Parent groups Others: e.g. Block Parents School champions Principal; Parent Council; Teachers Incentives for students: Golden Shoe Award Et Extra recess Link walking activities to the curriculum Start small and build on success Show off tell the good news stories local hero s Data Collection: Neighbourhood Walkabouts Surveys: Hands-up classroom Parent survey Traffic counts 5
Built environment: Sidewalks on both sides Bicycle lanes, designated routes Pedestrian crossings Adult crossing guards Traffic light timing/frequency Signage drivers and pedestrians/cyclists Transit access School bus loading zones Pedestrian/cyclist access to school A walkable/bikeable school community can be a strong indicator for health and happiness of the students. Innovative program elements engage school communities: International Walk to School Month (October) Walking Challenges/Walk lk Once a Week Walking School Bus IWALK Club No Idling at School An international movement (40+ countries) www.iwalktoschool.org Winning School Recipe Morton Way Public School, Brampton, Ontario 2002-2010 CHAMPION: Physical Education Teacher International Walk to School Award winner 2006 Morton Way Walk and Roll encourages: weekly Walking Wednesdays Parent led walking school bus program walking club cards for the students students to walk and bike to school every day campaign to reduce traffic surrounding the school physical activity awareness weeks: International Walk to School Week Earth Week Environment Week 80%+ students walk and roll to school ASRTS Rural Context Shatford Memorial Elementary School, Hubbards, Nova Scotia Town population: 401 (2006) School population: 78 students (2009) 6
Shatford Memorial Elementary School, Hubbards, Nova Scotia Main barriers: Speed No sidewalks and/or poor road shoulders Outdated crosswalk; cars fail to stop Poor access to nearby Rail Trail Successes: Passing lane within school zone removed Connector trail between school and Rail Trail in planning phase; construction to begin Summer 2010 Crosswalk slated for review by HRM and the province and likely to be updated Shatford Memorial Elementary School, Hubbards, Nova Scotia Connector Trail Process Determined land ownership Solicited quotes for trail construction Summit meeting with stakeholders Funding committed Planning phase almost complete Construction scheduled for Summer 2010 Official trail opening Fall 2010 Thank You www.saferoutestoschool.ca info@saferoutestoschool.ca 7