Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Presented to: Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Prepared for: City of Columbus Department of Public Service Division of Mobility Options July 22, 2009
Valleyview Elementary School Westmoor Middle School Prepared For: City of Columbus Department of Public Service Division of Mobility Options 109 North Front Street, 3rd Floor Columbus, OH 43215 Prepared By: TranSystems Corporation 1105 Schrock Road, Suite 400 Columbus, Ohio 43229
TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS... 2 SECTION 1: SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL TEAM... 2 SECTION 2: INTRODUCTION... 3 SECTION 3: PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS... 4 SECTION 4: DESCRIPTION OF SCHOOLS... 6 SECTION 5: SCHOOL DEMOGRAPHICS... 7 SECTION 6: CURRENT SCHOOL TRAVEL ENVIRONMENT... 8 School Policies... 8 Student Travel Paths... 8 Existing Plans for Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements... 10 Parent and Teacher Survey Results... 12 SECTION 7: BARRIERS TO ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION... 13 Count Data... 13 Pedestrian Crashes... 13 Traffic Analysis... 13 Physical Barriers... 14 Social Barriers... 14 Stakeholder concerns... 14 SECTION 8: CREATING SOLUTIONS... 16 Engineering... 16 Solution: Pedestrian Enhancements along Hague Avenue (Sidewalk)...16 Solution: Hague At-grade Crossing Pedestrian Improvements...16 Solution: Pedestrian Enhancements along Valleyview Drive (Multi-purpose Pathway)...16 Solution: New Pedestrian At-grade Railroad Crossing...16 Solution: Barrier Fence along Railroad Tracks and Drainage Area(s)...16 Solution: Fencing and Vegetation Enhancement near Hague Avenue...17 Solution: Extend Multi-purpose Pathway behind Schools...17 Solution: Bike Lanes along Hague Avenue...17 Enforcement... 17 Solution: Columbus Police Department School Zone Enforcement and Education...17 Solution: Valleyview Police Department Enforcement...18 Solution: City of Columbus 311 Call Center/Traffic Complaint Hotline...18 Encouragement... 18 Solution: Walking School Bus...18 Solution: Walk to School Day...19 Solution: Walking/Biking Wednesday s...19 Education... 19 Solution: Operation Lifesaver...19 Solution: Walking Program...20 Solution: Bike Rodeo...20 Evaluation... 20 Solution: Pedestrian/Bicycle Counts...20 Solution: Speed Data and Traffic Infractions...20 Solution: Parent/Teacher Follow-up Surveys...21 SECTION 9: IMPROVEMENTS MAPPING... 22 SECTION 10: ACTION PLAN... 23 SECTION 11: PLAN ENDORSEMENTS... 24 SECTION 12: SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS... 25
SECTION 1: SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL TEAM The City of Columbus Division of Mobility Options has partnered with several organizations to promote active transportation at Valleyview Elementary and Westmoor Middle schools. The members of the Safe Routes to School team include the following individuals: Table 1: School Travel Plan Team Name Affiliation Program Area Contact Information Valleyview Elementary (614) 365-6312 Principal Dewayne Davis Education School Ddavis8972@columbus.k12.oh.us Principal William Doermann Terry Stewart Bud Braughton Christopher George Barb Seckler Mike Smeltzer Christine Green Vedette Gavin Brad Westall Ti Myers Van Kalvakis Westmoor Middle School City of Columbus Transportation Division City of Columbus Transportation Division City of Columbus Transportation Division City of Columbus Center for Active Living Columbus Public Health Columbus Public Health Columbus Area Pedestrian Safety Chair Columbus Parks & Recreation Valleyview Police Department Valleyview Police Department Education Engineering, Education, Encouragement, & Evaluation Engineering, Education, Encouragement, & Evaluation Engineering, Education, Encouragement, & Evaluation Education & Encouragement Education, Encouragement, & Evaluation Education, Encouragement, & Evaluation Education & Encouragement Education & Encouragement Enforcement & Education Enforcement & Education (614) 365-5974 wdoerman@columbus.k12.oh.us (614) 645-5671 tlstewart@columbus.gov (614) 645-8241 NLBraughton@columbus.gov (614) 645-5112 CRGeorge@columbus.gov (614) 645-8210 BJSeckler@columbus.gov (614) 645-6751 mikes@columbus.gov (614) 645-5318 CGGreen@columbus.gov (614) 645-6836 VRGavin@columbus.gov (614) 645-2441 BRWestall@columbus.gov (614) 274-7676 Tmyers320@yahoo.com (614) 274-7676 kalvakis@sbcglobal.net Lt. Edward Devennish Columbus Police Traffic Bureau Enforcement & Education EDevennish@columbuspolice.org Officer Ron Custer Columbus Police Traffic Bureau Enforcement & Education (614) 645-4959 RCuster@columbuspolice.org Robert Dietz Glenwood Center for Childhood Encouragement and Education (614) 274-0283 hopedad@aol.com Sharon Beattie Glenwood United Methodist Church Encouragement and Education (614) 274-8469 sharonum@columbus.rr.com Rob Tkach Camp Chase Railroad Education, Encouragement, & Engineering (330) 268-4727 robtkach@carloadexpress.com Gary Baker Friends of the Hilltop Education & Encouragement GaryLBakerii@gmail.com 2 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
SECTION 2: INTRODUCTION This report was prepared in accordance with the SRTS document, School Travel Plan Guidelines, a reference for communities provided by ODOT. The mission of Safe Routes to School is: 1. To enable and encourage children, including those with disabilities, to walk and bicycle to school, 2. 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; and 3. 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 (approximately 2 miles) of primary and middle schools (Grades K-8). Valleyview Elementary School and Westmoor Middle School share a campus at 2989 & 3001 Valleyview Drive in an area of Columbus, Ohio know as the Greater Hilltop. A school travel plan (STP) for these schools is being developed as a component of a broader Hilltop Community Mobility Plan. The mobility plan is intended to guide future efforts to improve mobility and related livability issues in the Hilltop area. These schools were chosen due to the volume of students that walk to school and because their walking route crosses a railroad track. Additionally, these routes cross multiple jurisdictions making a common funding source, such as Safe Routes To School (SRTS), potentially helpful in implementing solutions across jurisdictional lines. There is a history of commitment to addressing active transportation issues at these schools. An SRTS infrastructure application was submitted in 2007 to install sidewalk on Valleyview Drive and Hague Avenue. The application was denied due to not having an ODOT-approved STP. The submitted STP lacked required sections. The fact that the railroad continues to be a barrier convinced the City of Columbus to engage in a renewed effort to create a comprehensive school travel plan that will be a model for other schools in the Hilltop community and the Columbus Public School District. 3 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
SECTION 3: PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS The Safe Routes to School team met for a kick-off meeting on January 16, 2009 at Valleyview Elementary School. The list of invited guests included: William Doermann Dwayne Davis Pete Kurty Steve Simmons Ti Myers Van Kalvakis Cheryl Nielsen Bob Dietz Sharon Beattie Gary Baker Barb Seckler Christine Green Mike Smeltzer Vedette Gavin Brad Westall Lt Edward Devennish Terry Stewart Bud Braughton Chris George Westmoor Middle School Valleyview Elementary School West Broad Elementary School Columbus Schools Transportation Director Valleyview Police Department Valleyview Police Department Executive Director YMCA Hilltop Glenwood Center for Childhood Glenwood United Methodist Church Columbus School Board; Friends of the Hilltop City of Columbus - Center for Active Living Columbus Public Health Columbus Public Health Columbus Area Pedestrian Safety Chair Columbus Parks & Recreation Columbus Police - Traffic Bureau City of Columbus Division of Mobility Options City of Columbus Division of Mobility Options City of Columbus Division of Mobility Options At the kick-off meeting, the group discussed the School Travel Plan process, existing conditions, potential solutions, and public involvement (see Section 12 for meeting minutes). After this meeting, public involvement activities began. The public outreach included: Letter sent home with students to all parents describing School Travel Plan Walking/Biking to school surveys for Parents from the School Travel Plan guidelines Teacher in-class surveys of students Public Open House Parent surveys available at Parent/Teacher conferences Comment period Website Surveys from the national Safe Routes to School program were provided to parents and teachers during a two week period in January and February. All parents of the two schools received a cover letter that described the Safe Routes to School program, listed the project website, invited them to attend an open house, and provided instructions for the survey attached to the letter. Surveys were also made available at parent-teacher conferences at Valleyview Elementary during the first week in February for parents to 4 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
complete if they did not do so already. The school had parent consultants who assisted at the conferences and helped make sure parents completed the survey. The survey for parents was titled Survey about Walking and Biking to School and asked parents to answer questions regarding where they live, how their child gets to school, and what their feelings are about walking and biking to school. The survey for teachers was titled Student Arrival and Departure Tally Sheet and directed teachers to write down how their students traveled to school on two days of a week in early February (see Section 12 for surveys). Valleyview parents completed 72 surveys out of 370 students for a 19% response rate. Westmoor parents completed 35 surveys out of 513 students for a 7% response rate. Five Valleyview teachers conducted the in-class survey of students while 14 Westmoor teachers conducted the in-class survey of students. The results of the surveys are described in Section 6: Current School Travel Environment. A public open house was held on January 29, 2009 in order to provide an opportunity for parents to speak to the study team and provide additional comments. In addition the study team accepted comments several weeks following the open house. The Hilltop Community Mobility Plan study team s website at www.hilltopmobility.com contains a specific section of the website devoted solely to the Valleyview and Westmoor School Travel Plan. Throughout the study process, the website contained general Safe Routes to School information, contact information, downloadable surveys, and advertisements for public involvement activities. In the contact section of the website, parents could see how to submit comments through email, phone, fax, or by mail. All parents were notified of the website information in the letter sent home with students advertising the public open house. On March 12, 2009, the study team held a field visit on-site at the Valleyview and Westmoor schools to view the previously discussed problem areas, discuss solutions, and observe the children s existing walkways. Both schools dismissed within the time period of the field visit. Everyone invited to the kick-off meeting was invited to the field visit but not required to attend (See Section 12 for field visit notes). 5 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
SECTION 4: DESCRIPTION OF SCHOOLS Valleyview Elementary School and Westmoor Middle School are adjacent to one another on Valleyview Drive on the west side of Columbus, Ohio. These are two schools out of 125 in the Columbus Public Schools District. Valleyview Elementary s address is 2989 Valleyview Drive and Westmoor s is 3001 Valleyview Drive. The school hours for Valleyview are 9am-3:45pm and for Westmoor are 8:12am-2:34pm. Valleyview serves PK-5 and has 370 students and Westmoor serves grades 6-8 and has 513 students for a total of 883 students (2008-2009 school year calculations). Active freight railroad tracks run immediately behind the schools to the south. A park lies to the west of the schools. A childcare center, YMCA, and church lie to the east of the schools. This plan focuses on the area immediately adjacent to the schools, including the railroad tracks and adjacent roads. Map 1: Area Surrounding Valleyview Elementary and Westmoor Middle Schools 6 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
SECTION 5: SCHOOL DEMOGRAPHICS The following table summarizes the demographics of Valleyview and Westmoor Middle schools. Table 2: School Demographics Students Valleyview Westmoor Average of Two Elementary Middle Schools State Average White 67% 57% 61% 78% Black 11% 35% 25% 15% Hispanic 13% 5% 8% 3% Multiracial 7% n/a 7% 3% Unspecified 2% 3% 3% n/a Economically disadvantaged 99% 99% 99% 36% Students with disabilities 8% 22% 16% 14% Source: http://www.greatschools.net The demographics of both schools show that almost all students are economically disadvantaged. This is substantially higher than the statewide average; therefore, it may be likely that more students need to walk or bike to school because of economic reasons. The amount of students with disabilities is about the same as the statewide average and points to the need for accessible routes to school. 7 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
SECTION 6: CURRENT SCHOOL TRAVEL ENVIRONMENT School Policies The school hours for Valleyview are 9am-3:45pm and for Westmoor are 8:12am-2:34pm. Both schools are open earlier in the morning and later in the afternoon for additional school programs. If a child lives less than 2 miles from school, it is the school district s policy that the student has to walk or find another way to school. Student crossing guards are present in the morning and afternoon in front of the schools on Valleyview Dr. In the afternoon when the schools dismiss, both principals along with a few teachers walk out with students and keep a watch on them as they head southeast towards the railroad tracks at Hague Ave. The adults presence discourages lingering on the railroad tracks or on Hague Ave while children head south. School speed limit flashers (20 mph) are located approximately 15 feet west of the school entrance drive and 150 feet east of the school exit drive (shown on Map 1) along Valleyview Drive. They are operational from roughly 8am to 9am, 2:30pm to 3:00pm, and 3:30pm to 4:00pm. Student Travel Paths The locations of students residences are shown on Map 2 with relation to a 1 mile radius (red) and a 2 mile radius (yellow) of the schools. The approximate numbers of students residing within the 1 mile radius is 174 Valleyview students and 226 Westmoor students. The numbers increase to 251 Valleyview students and 381 Westmoor students within the 2 mile radius. The majority of students live south of the schools within 2 miles. The blue/gray shaded areas show the school boundaries where students are automatically drawn from to attend Valleyview and Westmoor schools. Westmoor s coverage area is larger, including Valleyview s and extending further south and east. Many students that attend the schools are shown outside of those shaded boundaries. This is due to Columbus Public Schools open enrollment program, in which students can choose to attend any school. Map 2: Distribution of Valleyview and Westmoor Students 8 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
According to Principal Doerman of Westmoor, a little less than half of the students are bused to school. Many children get to and from school by being dropped off and picked up by parents or others. Probably about 200 students get to school on foot. Principal Davis of Valleyview estimates that less than 100 elementary school students walk to school and the majority of students are picked up or dropped off by parents. Map 3 shows the students that are closest to Valleyview and Westmoor schools. All of these students live within the 1 mile radius and based upon their close proximity would be more likely to walk or bike to school. It is important to note that almost 200 students live to the southest in an area bordered by Wheatland Avenue, Broad Street, Hague Avenue, and the railroad tracks. The other three areas combined numbers of students do not equal the totals in this area. Map 3: Closest Students to Valleyview and Westmoor Schools In November 2008, both the morning and afternoon travel patterns were observed to see how many children walk or bike to school. The observations revealed that very few, if any; students ride their bike to Valleyview or Westmoor Schools. However, several children walk to school and they approach the schools from a variety of directions. Map 4 shows the number of students observed before and after school on that November day. Students from the north and west have a relatively safe approach to school. On the north near the school entrance driveway, crossing guards are present in addition to school speed limit flashing beacons. On the west, students walk through a residential neighborhood and then Westmoor Park in order to reach school. Students from the northeast have more difficult pathways because there is no sidewalk along Valleyview Drive. Sufficient grass exists alongside the road, and a dirt path can be seen where students walk. 9 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
Map 4: Observed Pedestrian Routes to School The major problems with walking to Valleyview and Westmoor schools exist to the east and south. Hague Ave to the east does not have a sidewalk on the west side between Valleyview Dr and the railroad tracks. There is very little room to walk along the side of Hague Ave and it is dangerous to do so. To the south, the railroad tracks and concrete drainage areas pose the largest problems for walking. The tracks are active with freight trains that periodically pass by the schools near the afternoon dismissal time. Unfortunately due to the locations of students residences, the most popular walking paths cross the railroad tracks. Map 4 above shows that 120 students were observed on a school day crossing the tracks at some point to go south on Hague Ave, with two dozen more crossing the tracks directly south of the schools. Existing Plans for Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements The locations of sidewalks that are missing on Hague Avenue and Valleyview Drive are detailed in Map 5 below. These sidewalks are planned through the Columbus Pedestrian Thoroughfare Plan but not funded. Also shown are the bikeways recommendations from the Columbus Bicentennial Bikeways Plan. These bikeways include a bike lane and road widening on Hague Ave north of the railroad tracks, a signed bike route on Hague Avenue south of the railroad tracks, a bike boulevard on Haldy Avenue south of the schools, and bike path alongside the railroad tracks. These bikeways improvements are not funded for implementation. 10 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
Map 5: Bicentennial Bikeways Plan and Pedestrian Thoroughfare Plan Recommendations 11 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
Parent and Teacher Survey Results All parents at Valleyview Elementary and Westmoor Middle schools were given a survey asking questions about how their children get to and from school. Selected results from the parent survey are shown below: What is the grade of the child who brought home this survey? K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 13% 6% 19% 7% 19% 4% 5% 12% 16% How far does your child live from school (in miles)? < 1/4 mile 1/4 to 1/2 1/2 to 1 1 to 2 >2 miles Don't know 14% 13% 9% 19% 31% 15% Walk On most days, how does your child arrive at school/leave for home? Bike School Bus Family Vehicle Carpool Transit Other 14% 0% 34% 46% 5% 1% 0% How long does it normally take your child to get to/from school? < 5 min 5-10 min 11-20 min > 20 min Not sure 26% 25% 26% 18% 6% When asked how much the school encourages or discourages walking and biking to/from school, 75% of parents chose neither. When asked how healthy walking or biking to/from school is, 70% of parents chose Very Healthy or Healthy. Teachers also surveyed their students directly by asking how they traveled to and from school. The results showed that at Westmoor Middle School, the majority of students stated that they take the school bus or a family vehicle to and from school. The next highest response was for walking. Carpool, transit, and bicycling to and from school were the transportation modes for only a handful of students during the week of the teacher surveys. At Valleyview Elementary, the large majority of students indicated that they get to and from school in a family vehicle. A smaller percentage of students take the school bus. Very few students said they walked to school and no students indicated that they rode their bike or used transit to get to or from school. 12 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
SECTION 7: BARRIERS TO ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION Count Data TranSystems collected counts of automobiles, pedestrians, and bicyclists in November 2008 at the Valleyview Drive/school driveway and the intersection of Hague and Valleyview. Counts of pedestrians and bicyclists only were gathered south and east of the schools to capture student pathways. These counts were conducted from 7:00am-9:30am and 2:00pm-4:30pm to witness the arrival and departures of students at both schools. Pedestrian Crashes The City of Columbus provided a summary of pedestrian crash data from 2005 through 2007. During the three-year period between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2007, there were 2 pedestrian-related crashes reported on Valleyview Drive and none on Hague Avenue between Valleyview Drive and Steele Avenue (next signalized intersection south of the railroad tracks). The Valleyview Drive crashes occurred at Brinker Avenue and near Southampton Avenue to the west of the schools. Both crashes occurred in 2007. The Brinker Avenue crash involved an 11 year old pedestrian and occurred at 4:00pm on a Wednesday afternoon. Map 6: Locations of Counts (Vehicles, Pedestrians, and Bicycles) Traffic Analysis Analysis of traffic at the intersections near the schools showed that they operate at a level of service B or higher. This is an acceptable level of traffic. The traffic memo in Section 12 describes the traffic analysis in detail. 13 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
Physical Barriers The maps and discussion on previous pages point to physical barriers that exist near Valleyview and Westmoor schools: No sidewalks on Valleyview Drive No sidewalks on west side of Hague Avenue north of railroad tracks Railroad tracks are a large barrier to safe pedestrian travel and a large number of students cross them as they travel to and from school Drainage areas behind Westmoor Middle School and behind Glenwood United Methodist Church are dangerous and easily accessible by many students during their daily travel to and from school Private property is not specifically an existing barrier, but a barrier to future improvements since the land between the schools and Hague Avenue are owned by the Hilltop YMCA and Glenwood United Methodist Church. Social Barriers In the parent surveys, many indicated that driving is a convenient way to get their children to and from school. Many parents also stated that safety is a concern for their children walking to school. It is unclear from the surveys if safety is a fear of crime or fear of dangerous traffic, but it is believed to be a combination of both. In addition, due to signs that expressly state it is dangerous to cross the drainage areas and railroad tracks located on or near school property many parents likely get the sense that it is dangerous to walk. The current environment discourages parents from letting their children walk to school. Stakeholder concerns At the kick-off meeting for the School Travel Plan, stakeholders discussed their opinions regarding barriers to active transportation. Principal Doerman of Westmoor Middle School stated he is not concerned with walkers from the west because it is very safe to cross the park. From the north, it is not dangerous but walking along Valleyview Drive is a problem and most students avoid it. On the south side of school, students generally cross the railroad tracks quickly and do not linger. The biggest concern exists southeast of the school because students walk along the railroad tracks near Hague Avenue. Sharon Beattie, pastor at nearby Glenwood United Methodist Church, lives at the house located southeast of the schools. She stated that students walk through her property between the schools and Hague Avenue, which she does not mind because she does not want the students walking on the west side of Hague Avenue where there is no sidewalk. The Officer Myers and Kalvakis from the Valleyview Police Department stated that a problem location is the drainage area southeast of the schools near the railroad tracks. They have caught people in the past drinking and using drugs in that area. There were a couple of near-drownings in the drainage area near the schools in the summer of 2008. They also said that a number of homeless people walk along the railroad tracks, especially further east on the other side of Hague Avenue from the schools. They have arrested people in the past for walking along the tracks. They said that students used to walk along the tracks more, but this year the number has decreased. The school staff has done a better job of escorting students off of the school property this year. Maintaining a police presence has made a difference this year as well. Sharon Beattie said that the drainage area is not properly blocked from passing kids. An open railing allows kids to easily slip past the fence and into the drainage area. 14 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
It was noted that trains go by the schools frequently. There is a train at 2:35 pm, near the close of the school day, a couple of times a week. Bud Braughton of the City of Columbus said that there is a concern that trains will not blow their whistle before passing by the schools. The only legal crossing of the railroad tracks near the schools is at Hague. All other crossings of the tracks are considered trespassing on railroad property. The police officers asked if there was any way to stop trains from running during school arrival and departure times. Bud Braughton noted that the trains are privately run, so they can t be forced to change. 15 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
SECTION 8: CREATING SOLUTIONS A comprehensive solutions strategy was developed consisting of general solutions for each of the 5 E s (Engineering, Encouragement, Education, Enforcement, and Evaluation). Each one of the 5 E s has a stated goal which the solutions would individually or in combination address. Each solution is described in detail below. Engineering Provide operational and physical improvements that establish safer and fully accessible crossings, walkways, trails, and bikeways as well as planning activities. Solution: Pedestrian Enhancements along Hague Avenue (Sidewalk) Install a sidewalk along west side of Hague Avenue from the railroad tracks on the south to the Valleyview Road intersection on the north, for a length of approximately 550 feet. There is a drainage tunnel located under Hague Avenue approximately 200 feet south of the Valleyview intersection that will require improvements in order to accommodate the sidewalk. Hague Avenue has 10 foot lanes within this segment, so any sidewalk improvements should be located far enough from the existing shoulder as to not preclude any future road improvement activities. Property or easement from Glenwood United Methodist Church is necessary to complete this solution. Solution: Hague At-grade Crossing Pedestrian Improvements Currently pedestrians and bicyclists are forced to share the narrow curb at the railroad crossing or walk across the railroad tracks and rock ballast. Providing a paved pathway along both sides of Hague Avenue would likely limit the need to cross the railroad tracks. This improvement would include crossing gates adjacent to the existing vehicular gates. Solution: Pedestrian Enhancements along Valleyview Drive (Multi-purpose Pathway) Install a multi-purpose pathway along the south side of Valleyview Drive from the intersection of Hague Avenue to the Valleyview/Westmoor Schools exit drive, for a length of approximately 1,500 feet. Valleyview Drive has 10 foot lanes within this segment, so any multi-purpose pathway improvements should be located far enough from the existing shoulder as to not preclude any future road improvement activities. Property or easement from Glenwood United Methodist Church, Hilltop YMCA, and Turner Temple Company is necessary to complete this solution. Solution: New Pedestrian At-grade Railroad Crossing Construct a pedestrian at-grade railroad crossing behind (south of) the schools to line up with Haldy Avenue. Improvements would include a paved pathway from school property to Haldy Avenue, barrier fence along the pathway, crossing gates, and drainage enhancements on the north side of the existing tracks. Property or easement from Camp Chase Railroad is necessary to complete this solution. Solution: Barrier Fence along Railroad Tracks and Drainage Area(s) Install a chain link fence along the northern side of the railroad, for a length of approximately 3,000 feet. The proposed fencing would tie into existing fencing located adjacent to two concrete drainage areas, one on the west end (approximately 100 feet in length) and one near the eastern end (approximately 300 feet in length). Fencing would be located along property owned by the schools, Hilltop YMCA, and Glenwood United Methodist Church. 16 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
Solution: Fencing and Vegetation Enhancement near Hague Avenue Install a temporary wooden fence and plant evergreen/opaque vegetation on the northern side of the railroad tracks from Hague Avenue to existing vegetation approximately 200 feet to the west. There are existing pine trees within this area that should be enhanced with new plantings to deter trespassing on the railroad tracks. As the temporary wooden fence rots, the trees will grow, and in 10-15 years an aesthetically pleasing barrier would exist. Property or easement from Glenwood United Methodist Church is necessary to complete this solution. Solution: Extend Multi-purpose Pathway behind Schools Construct a multi-purpose pathway from behind the schools to the Glenwood United Methodist Church parking lot, for a length of approximately 925 feet. This would be an extension of an existing pathway that surrounds the athletic fields behind Westmoor Middle School. There is a paved access drive which connects the minister s home to the parking lot and Hague Avenue that is utilized by students today to walk between their homes and school. The Glenwood United Methodist Church supports the students traveling on their property, since it is safer than the alternative pathways; existing Hague Avenue to Valleyview Drive or the Railroad tracks. A Rails-to-Trails pathway was proposed along the Camp Chase Railroad tracks, extending from southwest Franklin County to the Scioto River, as described in the Columbus Bicentennial Bikeways Plan. Planning for the segment of that trail nearest the schools long-term and not yet funded; however, this could possibly become a portion of that trail. Solution: Bike Lanes along Hague Avenue Construct bike lanes on Hague Avenue between the Camp Chase Railroad tracks (to the south) to the Norfolk Southern Railroad tracks (to the north), including the Valleyview Drive intersection. The Columbus Bicentennial Bikeways Plan calls for road widening to accommodate bike lanes along Hague Avenue north of the Camp Chase Railroad tracks. The Bikeways Plan was officially adopted by Columbus City Council in 2008 as the guiding document for future bicycle facilities throughout the Columbus area. These bike lanes would connect with the Camp Chase Rail Trail along the railroad tracks that is also detailed in the Bikeways Plan. Construction has begun on the initial phase of the Camp Chase multi-use path which will extend 11 miles west of the city and end at Sullivant Avenue, about 2.5 miles west of Hague Avenue. Construction on this current phase is set to be complete in 2012. The Bikeways Plan calls for extending the Camp Chase Rail Trail past Hague Avenue and connecting to other paths in the city. Plans for construction on that final segment that will pass behind Valleyview and Westmoor schools are long-term and not yet funded. In the short-term, construction of the Hague Avenue bike lanes would encourage bicycle travel to the schools, Hilltop YMCA, and the Hilltop Pool which is located at the southwest corner of the Hague and Valleyview intersection. Enforcement Prevent unsafe behaviors of drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists while reinforcing active travel behaviors to/from Valleyview Elementary and Westmoor Middle Schools. Solution: Columbus Police Department School Zone Enforcement and Education The City of Columbus Police Department, Traffic Bureau would like to promote safe school zones by deterring unsafe behaviors of drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists through an increased police presence during school travel periods (arrivals/dismissals). The enforcement solution would potentially include the following measures: 17 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
Provide visible presence for enhanced behavior of drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists to deter dangerous activities. Monitor the speeds of vehicles and enforce the 20 mph limits. Provide guidance/education to pedestrians and motorists on traffic laws and necessary safety measures. Deploy speed trailers to further assist in the education and enforcement of the speed limits in the vicinity of the schools. Provide classroom education on the rules of the road and safely getting to and from school. Develop crossing guard training whose benefits will be twofold: the police will get engaged in pedestrian issues while at the same time educating crossing guards and the general public. The school zone enforcement and education is a solution that is anticipated to be combined with other enforcement, education, engineering, and encouragement strategies that are a part of the overall school travel plan. Solution: Valleyview Police Department Enforcement The Village of Valleyview Police Department would like to continue to enforce and educate pedestrians and bicyclists along Hague Avenue and at the railroad crossing within their jurisdiction. Solution: City of Columbus 311 Call Center/Traffic Complaint Hotline The existing City of Columbus 311 Call Center provides a way for individuals to submit a request for City Services. The Call Center is the single point of contact for requesting all non-emergency City services and is available to residents, businesses, and visitors. The Columbus Call Center s mission is to provide access to City services and City information with the highest possible levels of customer service. The "311" initiative strives to help City agencies provide efficient service delivery by allowing them to focus on their core missions, manage workloads efficiently, provide insight into the needs of residents, and measure how well services are delivered. Individuals can submit requests through a phone call/message or the call center website (www.311.columbus.gov). The traffic complaint hotline allows community members to report traffic problems directly to law enforcement. It is used to identify the worst traffic problem areas and the most frequent traffic complaints. Law enforcement follows up with enforcement in the identified area and schedules additional enforcement if needed. Encouragement Provide safe and effective methods to promote active transportation to/from Valleyview Elementary and Westmoor Middle Schools. Solution: Walking School Bus The walking school bus is an informal way to get more children to walk to school safely. The walking school bus is a group of children walking to school with one or more adults. The walking school bus can also take the form of a bicycle train with adults supervising children riding their bicycles to school. Walking school buses can be started by neighborhood parents and can grow to accommodate more students as interest grows. Adult supervision ensures a safer walk or bicycle ride to school for students while students benefit from exercise and fun with friends. 18 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
In order to identify possible volunteers, parents can sign their consent on maps placed in their child s school buildings. The volunteers can then be identified and linked together by a Columbus Public School or City of Columbus coordinator. For safety precautions, the Columbus Police Department can provide background checks and fingerprint all volunteers. Volunteers are provided with vests that identify them as drivers and utilize walkie-talkies or cell phones so they can coordinate with other volunteers or police officers. The volunteers can either go door to door to pick up children or stand at designated stations. To keep the drivers motivated and involved, they can receive small incentives throughout the year which could include gift certificates or other items donated by local businesses. The volunteers increase the eyes on the street and can quickly identify problem intersections and criminal activity. Solution: Walk to School Day Walk to School Day, where students are encouraged to walk or ride a bike to school, is observed in October each year throughout the nation and the world. In 2008, more than 3016 schools from all 50 states participated in Walk to School Day. Two schools, Stevenson and Dana Elementary, participated from the Columbus Public Schools and several other Central Ohio schools participated including Granville, Hilliard, Powell, and Marysville. The next walk to school day is October 7, 2009. While the event lasts only one day, communities are using Walk to School Day as a first step to create a walkable community that is safe for all residents. Walk to School Days promote child health awareness and safer routes for walking and bicycling to schools. Although walk to school events cannot guarantee that students will continue to walk, they are a positive first step. With the large number of people walking, parents and children feel safer and have fun. Walk to school day may help skeptical parents or school personnel to see the value of walking, so that they support ongoing activities. Solution: Walking/Biking Wednesday s Every Wednesday kids can walk to school with adult supervision. Orange cones can be set up along the route to increase awareness to motor vehicle drivers that more kids will be walking this day and to highlight the path the students will be walking. Parents can be involved by volunteering to be assigned to a hazard area (street corner, street crossing, or slippery spot) or they can walk with their children to school. This is a great weekly walking event for kids to spend more time with their parents. Education Raise public awareness of safe non-motorized travel to and from school and promote positive prevention measures. Solution: Operation Lifesaver Operation Lifesaver is an international, non-profit education and awareness program dedicated to ending tragic collisions, fatalities and injuries at highway-rail grade crossings and on railroad rights of way. To accomplish its mission, Operation Lifesaver promotes 3 E's: Education increase public awareness (both drivers and pedestrians) about the dangers and making safe decisions at crossings and around railroad tracks. Enforcement promote active enforcement of traffic laws relating to crossing signs and signals and private property laws related to trespassing. 19 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
Engineering encourages continued engineering research and innovation to improve the safety of railroad crossings. Operation Lifesaver s trained and certified volunteer speaker provides free safety presentations for people of all professions and age groups to help them make safe decisions around tracks and trains. Solution: Walking Program A walking program could be established to educate children on safe walking habits. This program should be developed around school curriculum and rewards could be provided for completing the program. School Walk-Smart routes have been produced that establish recommended travel routes in order to encourage walking to school by providing a safe and efficient route to school. School crossing guard locations, crosswalk locations, and existing intersection controls are provided to inform students and parents of area conditions. Walk-Smart route maps will be distributed to each student at each school in order to educate students and parents on the appropriate route to/from their school. Solution: Bike Rodeo A Bike Rodeo is usually a bicycle safety clinic featuring bike safety inspections and a short, safety lecture about the rules of the road. This is followed by a ride on a miniature "chalk street" course set up in a parking lot where young cyclists are shown where and how to apply the rules. Optional activities include helmet fitting, prizes and drawings, and in some cases commercial activities such as booths set up by bike shops. The main focus of a bike rodeo is cycling safety for young cyclists from kindergarten to eighth grade. Rodeos are usually held a week or two after school is out for the summer. They are usually held on a Saturday in a large parking lot where a fairly large chalk course can be laid out with simulated streets, intersections, crosswalks and stop signs. The participants are usually escorted through the course by knowledgeable adult cyclists who point out hazards, safety tips, and explain how to apply the rules of the road that were mentioned in the lecture. This initial lecture is best handled by local Police officers, either assigned or volunteers, who are familiar with bicycle safety issues and who are cyclists themselves. These officers are frequently interested in participating in such events, because they see accidents resulting from uneducated cyclists. Evaluation Provide annual evaluation of program effectiveness and improve partnerships between the school district (including the individual schools) and local agencies. Solution: Pedestrian/Bicycle Counts Original pedestrian/bicycle counts were conducted in November 2008 to provide a baseline and understanding of the overall numbers and pathways. The relative effectiveness of any solutions can be evaluated based upon periodic pedestrian/bicycle counts conducted by the City of Columbus or Columbus Public Schools. Solution: Speed Data and Traffic Infractions The effectiveness of infrastructure solutions will be evaluated, in part, by the collection of speed data and traffic infractions. Speed counts will be conducted at or near locations where solution countermeasures 20 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
have been implemented and possibly where there is previous speed data, if available. Before and after data will be compared to determine possible benefits, such as lower traffic speeds and/or traffic volumes. Solution: Parent/Teacher Follow-up Surveys One of the first steps of the School Travel Plan was to understand students existing school travel patterns for Valleyview and Westmoor schools. Therefore, SRTS Parent and Teacher Surveys were conducted in early 2009 to provide a baseline. To determine the effectiveness of any solution(s), follow-up surveys should be conducted periodically. The results of the evaluation, combined with the 2009 surveys, can identify which existing programs and/or design require modification to address unmet needs. Specific focus should be placed on the type of measures that will increase a parent s perception of safety so they will allow or encourage their child to walk or bike to school. 21 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
SECTION 9: IMPROVEMENTS MAPPING Map 7: Locations of Proposed Solutions (Engineering-related only) 22 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
SECTION 10: ACTION PLAN An action plan for implementation of solutions is summarized below. Table 3: Action Plan Strategy Type Strategy Detail Time Frame Responsible Party Status Estimated Cost Possible Funding Source Engineering Pedestrian Enhancements along Hague Ave 0-12 months City of Columbus Division of Mobility Options Planning Stage High SRTS 70% Engineering Hague Ave at-grade pedestrian crossing 0-12 months City of Columbus Division of Mobility Options Planning Stage High SRTS/ORDC 70% Engineering Multi-purpose Pathway along Valleyview Dr 24+ months City of Columbus Division of Mobility Options Planning Stage High SRTS/City of Columbus 40% Engineering New pedestrian at-grade crossing at Haldy Ave 12-24 months City of Columbus Division of Mobility Options Planning Stage High SRTS/ORDC 70% Engineering Barrier Fence along RR tracks & drainage 12-24 months City of Columbus Division of Mobility Options Planning Stage Medium SRTS 70% Engineering Fencing and Vegetation near RR tracks & Hague Ave 0-12 months City of Columbus Division of Mobility Options Planning Stage Medium SRTS/City of Columbus 70% Engineering Extend multi-purpose pathway behind schools 24+ months City of Columbus Recreation & Parks Planning Stage Medium SRTS/City of Columbus 70% Engineering Bike Lanes along Hague Avenue 24+ months City of Columbus Division of Mobility Options Planning Stage High SRTS/City of Columbus 70% Enforcement Columbus Police School Zone enforcement and education 0-12 months Columbus Police Department Planning Stage Low SRTS 100% Enforcement Valleyview Police Department enforcement Ongoing Valleyview Police Department Active Low Valleyview Police 100% Enforcement Columbus 311 Call Center Ongoing City of Columbus Active Low City of Columbus 100% Encouragement Walking School Bus 0-12 months Columbus Public Health/Columbus Public Schools Planning Stage Low SRTS/Columbus Public Health 100% Encouragement Walk to School Day 0-12 months Columbus Public Health/Columbus Public Schools Planning Stage Low SRTS/Columbus Public Health 100% Encouragement Walking/Biking Wednesday's 12-24 months Columbus Public Health/Columbus Public Schools Planning Stage Low SRTS/Columbus Public Health 100% Education Operation Lifesaver 0-12 months City of Columbus Division of Mobility Options Planning Stage Low Operation Lifesaver 100% Education Walking Program 12-24 months City of Columbus Division of Mobility Options Planning Stage Low SRTS/Columbus Public Health 100% Education Bike Rodeo 0-12 months City of Columbus Division of Mobility Options Planning Stage Low SRTS/Columbus Police Department 100% Evaluation Pedestrian/Bicycle counts 12-24 months City of Columbus Division of Mobility Options Planning Stage Low SRTS/City of Columbus 100% Evaluation Speed data and traffic infractions 12-24 months City of Columbus Division of Mobility Options Planning Stage Low SRTS/City of Columbus 100% Evaluation Parent/Teacher follow-up surveys 24+ months Columbus Division of Mobility Options/Columbus Public Schools Planning Stage Low SRTS 100% Percent of Students Affected 23 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
SECTION 11: PLAN ENDORSEMENTS 24 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
SECTION 12: SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS 25 Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan (STP) July 2009
Photo Log Photo 1: View looking south along Hague Avenue at the RR crossing. This photo was taken within 15 minutes of school being released at Westmoor Middle School. Photo 2: View looking east toward Hague Avenue at the RR crossing. This photo was taken within 15 minutes of school being released at Westmoor Middle School. 1
Photo 3: View looking east toward Hague Avenue at the RR crossing. These children walked along the RR tracks for at least 100 yards and several continued along the tracks to the east of Hague. Photo 4: View looking east beyond Hague Avenue along the RR tracks. These children are playing in the vicinity of a stopped train. 2
Photo 5: Principal Doermann (Westmoor) escorting students toward Hague Avenue. The pastor s home is just to the left and the vehicle in the distance is traveling northbound on Hague. Photo 6: View looking towards the church and YMCA during PM dismissal from the middle school. This is a hole in the vegetative barrier that runs along the RR tracks which one of the solutions will address. 3
Photo 7: View looking to the west at the drainage area behind the YMCA to the southeast of the schools. The photo was taken from the vehicular/pedestrian bridge over the drainage channel. Photo 8: View looking to northeast at the drainage area and bridge behind the YMCA. Photo 7 was taken from the top of the bridge. 4
Photo 9: There are at least 3 signs that warn of the potentially dangerous crossing at the drainage areas behind the schools. Photo 10: View looking east at the drainage area behind the YMCA. The western end of the concrete structure has no fence to deter pedestrians from entering into the drainage area. 5
Photo 11: View looking north along Hague Avenue just north of the RR crossing. The driveway in the foreground of this photo is the access to the pastor s home and connects to the parking lot behind the church. Photo 12: View looking east along the RR tracks toward Hague Avenue. The drainage swale is in the foreground of the picture and the concrete drainage area is in the distance. 6
Photo 13: View looking east behind the schools. The drainage swale is immediately to the right and the RR tracks are further to the right. Note the close proximity of the residences on the right. Photo 14: One of several beaten in pathways located within the drainage swale behind the schools. The evergreen trees in this photo are the same ones visible on the left side of Photo 13. 7
Photo 15: View looking north from the end of Haldy Avenue toward the schools. Photo 16: Valleyview students crossing the RR tracks directly behind the school. 8
Photo 17: The view is looking to the southwest at another drainage area. You can notice the danger sign in the foreground. Photo 18: View is looking southwest at the same drainage area as in Photo 17. This student continued across the RR tracks and into the neighborhood to the south. 9
Photo 19: View looking to the east behind the schools at the RR tracks in the vicinity of Haldy Avenue. You can see the Hague crossing in the distance. Photo 20: View looking south along Haldy Avenue at the same pedestrians from Photo 19. 10
Photo 21: View looking north along Hague Avenue towards the Valleyview intersection. Please note the narrow walkway between the guardrail and drainage structure under Hague Avenue. Photo 22: This is another photo looking at the drainage structure along Hague Avenue just south of Valleyview Drive. 11
Photo 23: View looking west along Valleyview Drive. The church is just to the left and the schools are approximately 1/4 mile down on the left. 12
Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan Team Kick-Off Meeting Time and Location: Friday, January 16, 2009 10:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. Valleyview Elementary School 2989 Valleyview Dr. Minutes: Attendees: Name Organization/Neighborhood Email Phone Terry Stewart City of Columbus Transportation TLStewart@columbus.gov 645-5671 Jodi Stefanik City of Columbus Transportation jmstefanik@columbus.gov 724-0576 David Shipps TranSystems dfshipps@transystems.com 336-8480 Ti Myers Valleyview Police tmyers320@yahoo.com 274-7676 Van Kalvakis Valleyview Police kalvakis@sbcglobal.net 274-7676 Dewayne Davis Valleyview Principal ddavis8972@columbus.k12.oh.us 365-6312 Bill Doerman Westmoor Principal wdoerman@columbus.k12.oh.us 365-5974 Bud Braughton City of Columbus nlbraughton@columbus.gov 645-8241 Christine Green Columbus Public Health cggreen@columbus.gov 645-5318 Mike Smeltzer Columbus Public Health mikes@columbus.gov 645-6751 Robert Dretz Glenwood Daycare hopedad@aol.com 274-0283 Sharon Beattie Glenwood UMC sharonum@columbus.rr.com 274-8469 Josh Sikich TranSystems jmsikich@transystems.com 932-6476 Introduction David Shipps introduced himself and asked everyone else to do the same. He handed out packets of materials including maps, surveys, and Safe Routes to School information. Background Terry Stewart began by describing the Hilltop Community Mobility Plan. He stated that the study area is the same as the boundary of the Greater Hilltop Area Commission. The plan looks at all modes of transportation and relies heavily on community input. He went on to describe that a subset of the Hilltop Community Mobility Plan is the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) School Travel Plan (STP) for Valleyview Elementary School and Westmoor Middle School. The money to implement the larger plan will be Columbus bond money, while potential money related to the schools will be federal money. David Shipps provided an overview of the Safe Routes to School Program. It is a federal program administered by the Ohio Department of Transportation. In order to receive funding through SRTS, a School Travel Plan must be
completed. He reviewed the components of SRTS and a STP, and stated that this meeting would cover many of the required items. David continued by reviewing the previous Valleyview SRTS Application that was denied funding in 2007. The application aimed to solve the problem of railroad tracks behind the school. The application proposed education efforts along with a new sidewalk on Hague Ave and Valleyview Dr. The application was not approved because it lacked some of the required components of a School Travel Plan. Process Overview David described the team that has been assembled for this meeting, including school officials, local government, health officials, and community members. The timeframe for the plan includes: this kick-off meeting; public input until mid-february; email updates with the project team; and a meeting planned for March to review the draft plan. Existing Conditions/Barriers David reviewed the maps of the schools showing traffic counts and pedestrian pathways. He noted that he has asked for additional data on school travel from the principals, which they can get to him in the coming weeks. Principal Doerman of Westmoor Middle School described the travel environment. A little less than half of the students are bused. If a child lives less than 2 miles from school, it is the school district s policy that the student has to walk or find another way to school. Probably about 200 students get to school on foot. Principal Doerman is not concerned with walkers from the west because it is very safe to cross the park. From the north, it is pretty safe but walking along Valleyview is a problem and most students avoid it. The south side of school is not a large concern because students generally cross the railroad tracks quickly and do not linger. The biggest concern exists southeast of the school because students walk along the railroad tracks near Hague Ave. Principal Davis of Valleyview elementary has been at the school for four years. He said that less than 100 elementary school students walk to school. Many take the bus or carpool. He agreed with much of Principal Doerman s description. Sharon Beattie, pastor at nearby Glenwood United Methodist Church, noted that she lives at the house located southeast of the schools. Students walk through her property between the schools and Hague, which she does not mind because she does not want the students walking on the west side of Hague where there is no sidewalk. She has broken up a few fights outside her house between schoolchildren. She said not too many kids play on the railroad tracks. It was noted that trains go by the schools frequently. There is a train at 2:35 pm, near the close of the school day, a couple of times a week. Robert Dretz said that parents drop off students to the schools in the parking lot behind his daycare center. This is likely to avoid the hassle of dropping students off in the school parking lots. The police officers said that a problem location is the drainage area southeast of the schools near the railroad tracks. They have caught people in the past drinking and using drugs in that area. They also said that a number of homeless people walk along the railroad tracks, especially further east on the other side of Hague from the schools. They have arrested people in the past for walking along the tracks. They said that students from Westmoor used to walk along the tracks more, but this year the number has decreased. The school staff has done a better job of escorting students off of the school property and in the direction of their homes this year. Maintaining a police presence has made a difference this year as well. 2
The police officers noted that there were a couple of near-drownings in the drainage area near the schools last summer. Sharon Beattie said that the drainage area is not properly blocked from passing kids. An open railing allows kids to easily slip past the fence and into the drainage area. The police officers added that there are more homeless camps along the tracks closer to Eureka, near the scrap metal business at the end of Valleyview Dr. There is a concern of students walking along the tracks to there. When asked about crime hot spots, the police officers said there are few because Valleyview is a small community of 1/3 square mile. Their jurisdiction ends south of the railroads tracks, where it becomes City of Columbus. Bud Braughton said that there is a concern that trains will not blow their whistle before passing by the schools. The only legal crossing of the railroad tracks near the schools is at Hague. All other crossings of the tracks are considered trespassing on railroad property. The police officer asked if there was any way to stop trains from running during school arrival and departure times. Bud Braughton noted that the trains are privately run, so they can t be forced to change. Solutions David asked for proposed solutions to the identified problems. Principal Doerman suggested that constant vigilance by the schools is necessary. Railroad safety training would be helpful with a representative from the railroad. He has staff that walks students down to Hague to make sure that they do not linger around the tracks. He proposed a footbridge over the railroad tracks, but noted that that would increase the chance of kids cutting through private property. He noted that many elementary students from West Broad Elementary go to Westmoor for middle school when they are older, so there is a lot of student foot traffic along Hague. Principal Davis noted that Valleyview school has open enrollment. He agreed with Principal Doerman and said that a footbridge over the railroad tracks is the only solution he sees to keep students from walking over the tracks. He said that many parents walk with their young children to and from school. Sharon Beattie said that she does not see many elementary students walking. Most students are the ones in middle school. Mike Smeltzer from Columbus Public Health said that a walking school bus was tried at Highland Elementary a few years ago. The children loved it and it s a proven technique to allow children to walk safely to school. However, the problem was with getting the parents to be willing to participate and keep the program going, so it no longer exists. Bud Braughton said that a footbridge over the railroad tracks was once looked at and it would need to be 18 ft high to allow passing room for trains. In order to accommodate ADA requirements, it would have a large footprint. It was estimated that the bridge would cost $2 million. He said it might be better to create an at-grade crossing with ORDC behind the schools. He mentioned Operation Lifesaver and said Lou Jannazo is a good contact at ORDC. Principal Doerman said around 2:30 pm there are a lot of children walking across Hague at the railroad tracks. But there is no light or crosswalk at that location. This is a problem because there is a lot of automobile traffic that impedes kids ability to safely cross Hague. 3
Sharon Beattie said that south of the tracks down to Sutton, and even to Broad, there are a lot of schoolchildren crossing Hague after school. Terry Stewart noted that there used to be a sub-grade culvert under the railroad tracks behind the school. Bud Braughton said that it is buried now, and if it were opened up, it would not be ADA compliant. Public Involvement Josh Sikich reviewed public involvement strategies to get input from parents and students. He reviewed two surveys that were created as a part of the National Safe Routes to School Program. The first ( Student Survey ) is administered by teachers and asks students how they get to and from school. The second ( Parent Survey ) is given to students to take home to their parents. The parents complete the survey about their children s travel environment and the surveys are returned with the kids to the teachers. Josh described upcoming public open houses for the greater Hilltop Community Mobility Plan on 1/28 and 1/29. The open houses will include a table and materials specifically for the Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan. Parents of the schools will be invited to the open houses. Principal Doerman had to depart, but Josh got agreement from Principal Davis to administer the surveys at Valleyview school between January 26 and February 6. Valleyview has parent-teacher conferences the first week in February, where there will be additional surveys on hand for parents to complete if they did not do so already. The school has parent consultants who assist at the conferences and can help make sure parents complete the survey. Principal Davis has a newsletter that goes to every parent, and information about the open houses can be included. Josh also described the project website at www.hilltopmobility.com and stated there would be a School Travel Plan section there. Josh concluded by saying that he would follow up regarding specifics of administering the surveys and advertising the open houses with Principal Davis and Principal Doerman after the meeting. Next Steps Terry Stewart stated that he would like a site visit before March to view all of the problem locations. David said that around mid-march the study team will have a draft School Travel Plan. There will be a review meeting to talk about the draft plan at that time. The study team will rely on email and phone correspondence until that review meeting. 4
Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan Field Visit Time and Location: Thursday, March 12, 2009 2:30 4:00 p.m. Valleyview/Westmoor Schools Attendees: Name Organization/Neighborhood Contact Terry Stewart City of Columbus Transportation TLStewart@columbus.gov Jodi Stefanik City of Columbus Transportation jmstefanik@columbus.gov Christopher George City of Columbus Transportation CRGeorge@columbus.gov David Shipps TranSystems dfshipps@transystems.com Josh Sikich TranSystems jmsikich@transystems.com Bud Braughton City of Columbus nlbraughton@columbus.gov Christine Green Columbus Public Health cggreen@columbus.gov Description of Visit The purpose of the visit was to view the previously discussed problem areas, discuss solutions, and observe the children s existing walkways. Both schools dismissed within the time period of the field visit. Notes from On-Site Discussion A chain link fence could be erected on the north side of the railroad tracks and drainage area. An at-grade crossing could be constructed directly south of the schools. A possible Rail-to-Trails bicycle trail has been discussed and is shown in the Columbus Bicentennial Bikeways Plan to run along the Camp Chase RR tracks south of the schools. Planning for that trail is not in the near future though. The planned trail has been discussed as traveling along the south side of the tracks, not on the school side of the tracks. Attendees agreed that the major travel path for school children is towards the railroad tracks at Hague Ave. Many more students walked across the railroad tracks at Hague than those who crossed the tracks directly south of the schools. The team discussed that unless students were forced, they would not walk to the Valleyview/Hague intersection if their homes are south of the schools. The students will take the shortest path home, which for many means walking directly southeast from the schools towards the RR tracks at Hague Ave. A large amount of fencing might be the only way to direct students to travel a different path. But if that forced students to take a roundabout route that increased their walking distance and time, then the School Travel Plan would inadvertently discourage students from walking rather than encouraging more students to walk.
Right-of-way may be needed from the church and the Hilltop Pool in order to enhance walking conditions on Hague Ave between Valleyview Dr and the RR tracks to the south. A drainage area along Hague Ave creates even less ROW available and makes constructing sidewalks more costly. An attendee noted that it is somewhat good that students cluster their paths along Hague Ave at the RR tracks, even though that path is unsafe. If student paths were more dispersed in unsafe locations, it would be more difficult to address. If a RR crossing were constructed directly south of the schools, west of Hague Ave, then a path parallel to the tracks towards Hague could also be constructed. It was noted that these railroad tracks are not high volume. Compared to other RR tracks, these tracks do not carry many trains. Bud Braughton stated that the railroad company would only construct a new at-grade RR crossing if they could also remove an existing at-grade crossing. Regarding a fence to direct student walking paths, it was suggested that a wood fence could be constructed for temporary use along with pine trees. As the fence rots, the trees will grow, and in 10-15 years an aesthetically pleasing barrier would exist. Students may find a way to cut through the trees, but then the fence would be there to act as an additional barrier. It was noted that the current environment discourages rather than encourages walking. The signs at the drainage area and railroad tracks south of the schools say danger. Action Item: David will speak to ODOT to see if the SRTS program funds property acquisition to improve conditions. Photos of Existing Conditions The following pages include a few of the photos that were taken during the field visit and show some of the problem areas around the schools. 2
Children crossing railroad tracks at Hague Ave as they walk home from school Children running through the drainage area behind the schools Sign at drainage area behind schools Children crossing drainage area and railroad tracks on south side of schools to walk to neighborhood on opposite side 3
Children walking with no sidewalk on Hague Ave south of Valleyview Dr. as they walk home from school. Drainage area behind schools Children crossing railroad tracks at Hague Ave (foreground) and walking down Hague Ave towards Broad St (background) as they walk home from school. Children walking along RR tracks on the east side of Hague Ave 4
January 26, 2009 Dear parent of a Valleyview Elementary School or Westmoor Middle School student, The City of Columbus and TranSystems Corporation are beginning the Hilltop Community Mobility Plan, which is a comprehensive study to create a more balanced transportation infrastructure. A sub-component of the mobility plan is the Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan. A school travel plan outlines the community s intentions for enabling students to engage in safe, active transportation (walking or biking to/from school). As a part of the School Travel Plan, we need your help in filling out the attached survey regarding how your child gets to and from school. Just fill out the survey, send it back to school with your child, and their teachers will collect the surveys. We have the encouragement and support of Principals Davis and Doermann and now we need your help. If you have questions please visit www.hilltopmobility.com or email us at HilltopMobility@transystems.com. More detailed information about School Travel Plans and the National Safe Routes to School program can be found on the website under the School Travel Plan link. For those who d like more information, the City of Columbus Division of Transportation is hosting a series of public open houses on Wednesday, January 28, 2009 and Thursday, January 29, 2009 on the Hilltop Community Mobility Plan and the Valleyview/Westmoor School Travel Plan. The locations are as follows: Open House Wednesday, January 28, 2009 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Hoge Memorial Presbyterian Church 2930 West Broad Street Columbus, OH 43204 Free parking available Accessible via COTA bus #10 West Broad route Open House Thursday, January 29, 2009 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Crossroads United Methodist Church 1100 South Hague Avenue Columbus, OH 43204 Free parking available Free snacks provided at both open houses! The project team will be on hand to discuss the study, listen to the public s comments, and answer questions. Comments may be submitted to the study team at the open houses, e-mailed, faxed or mailed to the study team. The public is encouraged to provide comments by February 13, 2009: Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Study Team TranSystems 5747 Perimeter Drive, Suite 240 Dublin, OH 43017 E-mail: HilltopMobility@transystems.com Website: www.hilltopmobility.com Phone: 614-932-6476 Fax: 614-336-8540 Please tell other parents and students at Valleyview and Westmoor schools to help support the School Travel Plan and to come to the Open Houses and provide their input! Sincerely, The Hilltop Mobility Plan Study Team
SURVEY ABOUT WALKING AND BIKING TO SCHOOL - FOR PARENTS - Dear Parent or Caregiver, Your child s school wants to learn your thoughts about children walking and biking to school. This survey will take about 5-10 minutes to complete. We ask that each family complete only one survey per school your children attend. If more than one child from a school brings a survey home, please fill out the survey for the child with the next birthday from today s date. After you have completed this survey, send it back to the school with your child or give it to the teacher. Your responses will be kept confidential and neither your name nor your child s name will be associated with any results. Thank you for participating in this survey! School Name: Completing this form: Please write with CAPITAL letters. Mark boxes with X instead of. 1. What is the grade of the child who brought home this survey? (K 8) grade 2. Is the child who brought home this survey male or female? MALE FEMALE 3. How many children do you have in Kindergarten through 8 th grade? children 4. What is the street intersection nearest your home? (provide the names of two intersecting streets) AND 5. How far does your child live from school? (choose one and mark box with X) a. less than 1/4 mile c. 1/2 mile up to 1 mile e. More than 2 miles b. 1/4 mile up to 1/2 mile d. 1 mile up to 2 miles f. Don t know 6. On most days, how does your child arrive at school and leave for home after school? (select one choice per column, mark box with X) Arrive at school a. Walk b. Bike c. School Bus d. Family vehicle (only with children from your family) e. Carpool (riding with children from other families) f. Transit (city bus, subway, etc.) h. Other (skateboard, scooter, inline skates, etc.) Leave for home a. Walk b. Bike c. School Bus d. Family vehicle (only with children from your family) e. Carpool (riding with children from other families) f. Transit (city bus, subway, etc.) h. Other (skateboard, scooter, inline skates, etc.) 7. How long does it normally take your child to get to/from school? (fill-in circle for one choice per column) Travel time to school a. Less than 5 minutes b. 5-10 minutes c. 11-20 minutes d. More than 20 minutes e. Don t know / Not sure Page 1 of 2 Travel time from school a. Less than 5 minutes b. 5-10 minutes c. 11-20 minutes d. More than 20 minutes e. Don t know / Not sure
8. Has your child asked you for permission to walk or bike to/from school in the last year? (select one) YES NO 9. At what grade would you allow your child to walk or bike without an adult to/from school? (select a grade between K 8) grade (or I would not feel comfortable at any grade) 10. Which of the following issues affected your decision to allow, or not allow, your child to walk or bike to/from school? (select all that apply, mark with X in box) 11. Would you probably let your child walk or bike to/from school if this problem were changed or improved? (select one choice per line) ( My child already walks or bikes to/from school) Distance YES NO Not Sure Convenience of driving YES NO Not Sure Time YES NO Not Sure Child s before or after-school activities YES NO Not Sure Speed of traffic along route YES NO Not Sure Amount of traffic along route YES NO Not Sure Adults to walk or bike with YES NO Not Sure Sidewalks or pathways YES NO Not Sure Safety of intersections and crossings YES NO Not Sure Crossing guards YES NO Not Sure Violence or crime YES NO Not Sure Weather or climate YES NO Not Sure 12. In your opinion, how much does your child s school encourage or discourage walking and biking to/from school? (select one, mark with X in box) Strongly Encourage Encourage Neither Discourage Strongly Discourage 13. How much FUN is walking or biking to/from school for your child? (select one) Very Fun Fun Neutral Boring Very Boring 14. How HEALTHY is walking or biking to/from school for your child? (select one) Very Healthy Healthy Neutral Unhealthy Very Unhealthy 15. What is the highest grade or year of school you completed? (select one, mark with X in box) Grades 1 through 8 (Elementary) Grades 9 through 11 (Some high school) Grade 12 or GED (High school graduate) College 1 to 3 years (Some college or technical school) College 4 years or more (College graduate) Prefer not to answer 16. Please provide any additional comments below: Thank you for participating in this survey! Page 2 of 2
SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL STUDENT ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE TALLY SHEET School Name: Zip Code: - Teacher: Grade (K-8) Monday s Date / / 2 0 M M / D D / Y E A R # of students enrolled in class Teachers, here are simple instructions for using this form: Please conduct these counts on any two days from Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday of the assigned week. Only two days worth of counts are needed, but counting all 3 provides better data. Please do not conduct these counts on Mondays or Fridays. Before asking your students to raise their hands to indicate the one answer that is correct for them, read through all potential answers so they will know what the choices are. Ask your students as a group the question How did you arrive at school today? Read each answer and record the number of students that raised their hands for each. Place just one character or number in each box. Follow the same procedure for the question How do you plan to leave for home after school? Please conduct this count regardless of weather conditions (i.e., ask these questions on rainy days, too). Step 1. Fill in the weather conditions and number of students in class each day. Weather S= sunny R= rainy O= overcast Sn= snow Number of Students (in class when count made) Step 2. Ask students How did you arrive at school today? and How do you plan to leave for home after school? (record number of hands for each answer) Walk Bike School Bus Family Vehicle (only with children from your family) Carpool (riding with children from other families) Transit (city bus, subway, etc.) Other (skateboard, scooter, inline skates, etc.) SAMPLE S 2 7 4 2 1 1 7 3 0 0 Tues AM Tues PM Wed AM Wed PM Thur AM Thur PM Comments (List disruptions to counts or any unusual travel conditions to/from the school on the days of the tally): Thank you for helping gather this information!