Safe Routes to School: Munroe Elementary Walk Audit Report Image: Drexel, Barrell & Co. April 12, 2016
OVERVIEW As part of the 2014/2015 Denver Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program, WalkDenver coordinated audits of pedestrian infrastructure within a roughly quarter mile radius around four schools: Munroe Elementary, Smith Renaissance School, Swansea Elementary, and Valverde Elementary. The Colorado Department of Transportation funded the walk audits through an SRTS non-infrastructure grant, managed by the Denver Department of Environmental Health. The grant also funded educational programming at the participating schools, provided by Bicycle Colorado and BikeDenver. Denver Health developed a matrix of Denver Public Schools that the project partners used to select the participating schools based on the following priorities: Percent of students living within 1 mile of the school Percent of students participating in the free and reduced lunch program Number of traffic crashes involving pedestrians that occurred during school hours (7:00 AM - 4:30 PM) To conduct the walk audits, WalkDenver recruited and trained volunteers during the fall and winter of 2015. The volunteers used the online tool WALKscope (www.walkscope.org) to collect data on sidewalks and intersections. The data from these walk audits, along with feedback gathered from residents, helped inform recommendations for improving the pedestrian environment around the schools. This report summarizes results of the walk audit around Munroe Elementary. The Munroe study area is located within the Westwood neighborhood in southwest Denver, bounded by Alameda Ave to the north, Federal Blvd to the east, Exposition Ave to the south, and Perry St to the west. Volunteers collected a total of 394 data points within the study area, including 309 sidewalk segments and 85 intersections. 2
At a meeting of the Westwood Unidos Safety Action Team on September 28 th, 2015, neighborhood residents provided additional input on the walkability of the neighborhood. Major findings from the walk audit and resident feedback include the following: The vast majority of the study area s sidewalks and intersections were rated as poor or mediocre. Overall, 87% of sidewalks and 89% of intersections were rated three or less on a five-point quality scale. The majority of sidewalks in the study area - 213 of 309 total one-block segments are less than three feet wide rollover curbs, which are too narrow for wheelchairs or strollers, and, as the name suggests, can be easily mounted by vehicles, resulting in parked vehicles obstructing the sidewalk. Missing crosswalks, high traffic speeds and volumes, wide crossing distances, and poor driver behaviors at intersections all add up to unsafe conditions for pedestrians crossing or walking along Alameda Ave, Federal Blvd, and Morrison Rd. Problems with drivers speeding and/or drivers failing to yield to pedestrians were reported along Alameda Ave, Federal Blvd, Exposition Ave, Perry St, and Irving St. Accessibility issues are common, as only 51% of intersections were reported to have curb ramps and the median islands along Alameda Ave are not wheelchair accessible. In addition, sidewalk obstructions, cracked or uneven surfaces, and other sidewalk accessibility issues were scattered throughout the study area. Poor lighting was identified as a problem throughout most of the neighborhood. The area is rich in destinations that residents like to walk to, especially along Morrison Rd, Alameda Ave, and Kentucky Ave, but adequate pedestrian infrastructure linking these destinations is sorely lacking. Neighborhood residents identified Alameda Ave, Federal Blvd, Kentucky Ave, Morrison Rd, and many of the local streets in the middle of the neighborhood as routes that they would like to walk along but are in need of improvement. Based on the WALKscope walk audit and community input, WalkDenver offers the following recommendations for improving pedestrian access to Munroe Elementary and other neighborhood destinations: Transform Knox Court and Virginia Avenue into priority pedestrian corridors for the neighborhood. Enhance pedestrian crossing treatments at intersections surrounding the school. Limit traffic flow on Knox Court during school hours. Redesign the intersection of Morrison Road, Alameda Avenue and Knox Court. Study additional pedestrian improvements on Alameda Avenue and Federal Boulevard. Use low-cost, interim design strategies. 3
OVERALL QUALITY OF THE PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENT Data collectors rated each sidewalk and intersection on a scale of 1 (lowest quality) to 5 (highest quality). The average rating for sidewalks was 2.4, and the average rating for intersections was 2.2. Out of 309 total oneblock sidewalk segments, 87% received a rating of 3 or less, and out of 85 total intersections, 89% received a rating of 3 or less. About 63% of sidewalks and 68% of intersections received a rating of 2 or less. Only a single sidewalk segment and three intersections received a rating of 5. Lowest quality ratings were spread throughout the neighborhood, especially concentrating near Morrison Rd, Alameda Ave, and Federal Blvd. The highest quality ratings were found in the middle section of the study area, immediately adjacent to the school. Overall Quality Rahngs 5 4% 0% 4 7% 13% 3 21% 25% 2 41% 53% 1 27% 13% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Intersechons Sidewalks 4
SIDEWALK QUALITY Four main factors related to the overall quality of sidewalks: sidewalk type, accessibility, safety, and pedestrian amenities. Sidewalk Type Although sidewalks are present throughout the study area, the vast majority of the neighborhood is served by less-than-three-feet rollover curbs (213 of 309 sidewalks), which cannot accommodate wheelchairs or strollers and are designed so that vehicles can roll up onto them, blocking the sidewalk. A mix of sidewalk types are found along Alameda Ave, Morrison Rd, Irving St, Federal Blvd, and directly adjacent to Munroe Elementary. Rollover curbs received low overall quality ratings, averaging 2.3. Narrow attached sidewalks (with no buffer area separating them from the roadway) between three and five feet wide (22 of 309 sidewalks) received the lowest ratings at 2.2. The neighborhood s wider attached sidewalks (32 of 309 sidewalks surveyed) and narrow detached sidewalks (35 of 309 sidewalks) both received average ratings of 2.4. The neighborhood s small handful of five-feet-or-wider detached sidewalks (with a buffer area separating them from the roadway) received the highest overall quality ratings by far, averaging 4.0. Osceola St at Cuatro Vientos Park; 5-feet or more detached sidewalk; overall quality rating 4 (high) Morrison Rd near Newton St; less than 5-ft attached sidewalk; overall quality rating 3 (moderate) Center Ave near Federal Blvd; less than 3-ft rollover curb; overall quality rating 1 (low) Average Rahng by Sidewalk Type 5-feet-or-more-detached Less-than-5-feet-detached 5-feet-or-more-aiached Less-than-5-feet-aiached Less-than-3-feet-rollover-curb 2.4 2.4 2.2 2.3 4.0 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5
The majority of the neighborhood s sidewalks are less than 3-ft rollover curbs, such as this one along Center Ave near Meade St (overall quality rating of 2). 6
Accessibility Sidewalks with accessibility issues, including obstructions (poles, dumpsters, parked cars, overgrown vegetation, etc.), cracked and uneven surfaces, and various other sidewalk problems (which data collectors could specify) generally were associated with lower overall quality ratings. For sidewalks receiving a quality rating of 1 or 2 (lowest ratings), data collectors reported that 30% had obstructions, 21% were cracked or uneven, and 10% had other problems. For sidewalks receiving a quality rating of 4 or 5, data collectors reported that none had obstructions, 10% were cracked/uneven, and 10% had other problems. Overall, data collectors reported that 23% of sidewalks surveyed had obstructions, 18% had cracked or uneven surfaces, and 9% had other problems. These accessibility problems are spread relatively evenly across the study area. Significantly cracked sidewalk along Federal Blvd near Gill Pl Obstructed sidewalk along Perry St near Nevada Pl 7
Safety Low sidewalk quality ratings were also somewhat correlated with safety concerns related to the volume or speed of traffic, poor lighting or visibility, or other safety problems (which data collectors could specify). For the sidewalks that received a quality rating of 1 or 2, data collectors reported that 51% had unsafe lighting or visibility, 48% had unsafe traffic speeds or volumes, and 11% had other safety problems. For sidewalks that received a quality rating of 4 or 5, data collectors reported that 55% had unsafe lighting or visibility, 10% had unsafe traffic speeds or volumes, and only 3% had other problems. Overall, data collectors reported that 48% of the sidewalks surveyed had unsafe lighting or visibility, 38% had unsafe traffic speeds or volumes, and 7% had other safety problems. Concerns about poor lighting or visibility were spread across the neighborhood, while observations of unsafe traffic speeds or volumes were concentrated most heavily along Alameda Ave, Morrison Rd, Exposition Ave, Perry St, and along Federal Blvd and the blocks directly adjacent to it. 8
Amenities The presence of sidewalk amenities, such as shade trees, nice landscaping, benches, or public art correlated with high overall quality ratings. For sidewalks rated 1 or 2, only 12% had shade trees, 7% had quality landscaping, and 2% had other amenities (including benches, public art, or other amenities that data collectors could specify). By contrast, for sidewalks rated 4 or 5, 40% had shade trees, 20% had landscaping, and 8% had other amenities. Overall, data collectors reported that 20% of sidewalks surveyed had shade trees, 12% had landscaping, and 5% had benches, public art, or other amenities. Data collectors reported that sidewalk amenities were spread relatively evenly, with perhaps more in the north-central and eastern parts of the study area. Benches, trees, and quality landscaping along Alameda Ave next to Cuatro Vientos Park Public art along Alameda Ave near Hooker St * Other indicates either benches, public art, or other amenities 9
INTERSECTION QUALITY Four main factors related to the overall quality of intersections: driver behavior, traffic controls (crosswalks, traffic/pedestrian signals, or stop signs), the width of the crossing (number of lanes), and pedestrian amenities. Driver Behavior Instances of poor driver behavior (based on brief field observations by data collectors) strongly correlated with overall quality ratings. High intersection quality ratings were generally associated with better driver behavior. For intersections receiving a 4 or 5, data collectors reported zero driver behavior problems. By contrast, for intersections rated 1 or 2 (the lowest ratings), data collectors reported that drivers obeyed speed limits at just 43% of intersections, yielded to pedestrians at 71%, and obeyed traffic signals and stop signs at 93% of intersections. Overall, data collectors reported that drivers obeyed speed limits at 58% of intersections, yielded to pedestrians at 79%, and obeyed stop signs/traffic signals at 94% of intersections. Problems with driver behavior were reported most in the western portion of the study area as well as along Alameda Ave and Federal Blvd. 10
Traffic Controls High intersection ratings were also associated with the presence of traffic controls, including marked crosswalks. Of the intersections receiving a rating of 4 or 5, 33% had marked crosswalks for all crossing directions, and 56% had crosswalks for some crossing directions. For intersections that were rated 1 or 2, only 7% had crosswalks for all crossing directions, and none had crosswalks for some crossing directions. Overall, only 11% of intersections had marked crosswalks for all crossing directions, and 7% had crosswalks for some crossing directions. Traffic lights with pedestrian signals were not associated with higher overall ratings, and none of the intersections rated 4 or 5 possessed traffic lights and pedestrian signals. This may be because these signalized intersections are mostly located on wide, high-speed arterial roads. Finally, stop signs, or at least all-way stops, strongly correlated with higher overall ratings. All-way stops were present at 67% of intersections rated 4 or 5 and only 2% of intersections rated 1 or 2. All-way stops were found at just 12% of intersections overall. Crosswalks are mostly located in the vicinity of the school, and at scattered locations along Alameda and Federal. However, many of the intersections along these two major arterials as well as along Morrison Rd are missing crosswalks, making them difficult and dangerous to cross. 11
Crossing Distance The number of lanes to cross at each intersection (defined as the count of traffic lanes and turn lanes for the widest street at each intersection) also correlated with overall intersection ratings. For intersections rated 1 or 2, the average number of lanes to cross was 3.1. For intersections rated 4 or 5, the average number of lanes to cross was just 2.0. The vast majority of intersections in the study area have only two lanes to cross. Wider crossings are located along Alameda Ave, which is four to six lanes wide at most intersections, and along Federal Blvd, which is six to seven lanes wide at each intersection. Pedestrians also have to cross three or four lanes at some Morrison Rd intersections. Most of the intersections along these wider streets are un-signalized and do not have crosswalks. Wide crossing distances (as many as 7 lanes) make crossing Alameda Ave and Federal Blvd dangerous, even in locations where crosswalks are present. The awkward geometry at the intersection of Alameda Ave, Morrison Rd, and Knox Ct greatly extends crossing distances and creates poor lines of sight for pedestrians and drivers. 12
Intersection Amenities Pedestrian amenities at intersections can include bulbouts/curb extensions, curb ramps, and median refuges. None of the intersections in the Munroe study area have bulb-outs/curb extensions. Accessible curb ramps, where present, were associated with higher overall quality ratings, but median island refuges were not. For intersections rated 1 or 2, only 38% had curb ramps, and 9% had median island refuges. For intersections rated 4 or 5, 78% had curb ramps, and none had median island refuges. Overall, data collectors reported that 51% of intersections surveyed had curb ramps and 6% had median island refuges. The association of median island refuges with lower quality intersections likely has to do with the fact that almost none of the median island refuges had curb ramps to allow wheelchair or stroller access, and all of them were located at wide, high-traffic intersections along Alameda Ave. Pedestrian refuge in the median of Alameda Ave at Meade St 13
COMMUNITY INPUT At a Westwood Unidos Safety Action Team meeting on September 28 th, 2015, neighborhood residents provided input on the walkability of the neighborhood. Residents placed colored dots on a map indicating neighborhood destinations they like to or would like to walk to; drew lines on a second map to mark routes they like to walk along or would like to walk along, if improved; and placed sticky notes on a third map to explain barriers that discourage them from walking in the neighborhood. Overall, the community s feedback indicated a high number and diversity of walking destinations throughout the neighborhood but a lack of quality pedestrian infrastructure linking those destinations. Given the relatively small number of residents who participated (approx. 15-20), the responses may not be representative of the community as a whole. Destinations The most popular destination for neighborhood residents to walk to include the various parks in the area, Munroe Elementary, Richard T. Castro Elementary, Knapp Elementary, many of the area s churches, the Bridge Project, and businesses along Morrison Rd, Federal Blvd, and Alameda Ave. 14
Routes Residents used colored highlighters to draw routes that they currently like to walk along as well as routes they would like to walk along, if improved. Virtually all of the residential streets on the eastern half of the neighborhood were marked both as streets that people like to walk along and as streets that are in need of improvement. Morrison Rd, Alameda Ave, Federal Blvd, Kentucky Ave, Raleigh St, and Stuart St were also highlighted as needing improvement. 15
RECOMMENDATIONS Based on the WALKscope walk audit and community input, WalkDenver offers the following recommendations for improving pedestrian access to Munroe Elementary and other neighborhood destinations: 1. Transform Knox Court and Virginia Avenue into priority pedestrian corridors for the neighborhood. 2. Enhance pedestrian crossing treatments at intersections surrounding the school. 3. Limit traffic flow on Knox Court during school hours. 4. Redesign the intersection of Morrison Road, Alameda Avenue and Knox Court. 5. Study additional pedestrian improvements on Alameda Avenue and Federal Boulevard. 6. Use low-cost, interim design strategies. These recommendations are highlighted in the following map and discussed in further detail below. 1. Transform Knox Court and Virginia Avenue into Priority Pedestrian Corridors for the Neighborhood While it is clear that pedestrian conditions are poor throughout the neighborhood surrounding Munroe Elementary, and residents desire improvements on many of the internal streets, Knox Court and Virginia Avenue are key corridors that connect the school and other high priority destinations. In 2016, the City plans to implement some modifications to Knox Court to support its intended function as a Bicycle Boulevard, including adding bulb-outs at the intersections with Virginia Avenue, Custer Place, Exposition Avenue and Kentucky 16
Avenue. These modifications will benefit pedestrians as well, by calming traffic, shortening the crossing distance and increasing pedestrian visibility at these intersections. In the longer term, additional changes that would further enhance the pedestrian environment on both Knox Court and Virginia Avenue include: Widen the sidewalks to be at least 5 five feet wide on both sides of the street Add street trees and quality landscaping to provide shade, enhance the pedestrian microclimate and calm traffic Add pedestrian-scale lighting to improve pedestrian safety at night Strategically arrange landscaping, parking, and other elements of the street to further enhance traffic calming, for example by creating chicanes or curves in the roadway. Below is an illustration of the current cross section on Knox Court, and a proposed alternative that incorporates more pedestrian-friendly design elements. In the alternative cross section, parking is limited to one side of the street, to create room for wider sidewalks, street trees, and pedestrian lighting. The location of the parking and trees could alternate from one side of the street to the other, creating chicanes that further slow traffic. Existing Cross Section from the Knox Court Bike Boulevard Study, October 23 17
Chicanes or curves can considerably slow traffic speeds. Source: NACTO Urban Street Design Guide 2. Enhance Pedestrian Crossing Treatments at Intersections Surrounding the School As mentioned above, the City is planning on adding bulb-outs to the intersections of Knox Court with Virginia Avenue and Custer Place. Bulb-outs at the other two intersections surrounding the school, on Irving Street, would further improve pedestrian access. Additional enhancements the City could implement at all four intersections include: 18
Raise the crosswalks to reinforce safe travel speeds and the residential nature of the streets Use artistic crosswalk designs to further increase visibility and contribute to the neighborhood s sense of place Extended curbs and raised crosswalk. Source: NACTO Urban Street Design Guide Creatively designed crosswalks can help create a sense of place 3. Limit Traffic Flow on Knox Court During School Hours Many children walk to school along the alley between Virginia Avenue and Custer Place, which dead ends into Knox Court and the school from the west. Temporarily closing this block of Knox Court to automobile traffic or making it one way during drop-off and pick-up would reduce conflict between automobiles and pedestrians. 4. Redesign the Intersection of Morrison Road, Alameda Avenue and Knox Court The City s 2015-16 Morrison Road Project will make several improvements to the pedestrian environment including bump-outs, medians and crosswalks, which will support the function of this road as a major main street destination for the neighborhood. The aforementioned Knox Court Bicycle Boulevard project also includes improvements to the five-way intersection of Morrison Road, Alameda Avenue, and Knox Court, primarily aimed at facilitating north-south bicycle travel along Knox Court. In the longer 5-way intersection (left) and proposed redesign (right). Source: NACTO Urban Street Design Guide 19
term, additional changes that would make the intersection safer for pedestrians include the following: Reduce the number of left turn lanes from Alameda Avenue onto Morrison Road from two to one and add a median refuge for pedestrians crossing Alameda Avenue. Eliminate the right turn lane from Morrison Road onto Alameda Avenue and extend the curb to shorten the distance pedestrians must travel to cross Morrison Road. Squaring off the intersection by separating Morrison Road from Knox Court and instead connecting it to King Street would further improve pedestrian safety by slowing down turning vehicles, and enhancing overall clarity and visibility for both vehicles and pedestrians (see diagram above). 5. Study Additional Pedestrian Improvements on Alameda Avenue and Federal Boulevard While located at the periphery of the Safe Routes to School study area for Munroe Elementary, Alameda Avenue and Federal Boulevard clearly serve as both major destinations for pedestrians, including transit riders, and major barriers to pedestrian access. The City s forthcoming Federal Boulevard Corridor Wide Study is an opportunity to explore potential redesigns that would enhance pedestrian safety and access, and a similar study of Alameda Avenue is needed. Specific strategies these studies should explore include: Reducing the number or width of travel lanes and extending the curb where possible, to reduce travel speeds and shorten pedestrian crossing distances Adding street trees and quality landscaping as a buffer between the sidewalk and the street Adding pedestrian-scale lighting Adding a leading pedestrian phase and/or restricting right turns on red at signalized intersections Providing additional pedestrian crossings between signalized intersections, such as pedestrian hybrid beacons, with ADA accessible pedestrian median refuges Enhancing bus stop amenities Adding bicycle facilities 6. Use Low-Cost, Interim Design Strategies Recognizing that it may take several years to identify funding for and implement the changes outlined above, the City can deploy low-cost, interim strategies to test out some of the design concepts in the near term. For example, Sidewalks can be temporarily expanded using materials such as epoxied gravel, planter beds, and bollards. Similarly, temporary devices can be used to install landscaping or other traffic calming features. 20
Interim sidewalk widening. Source: NACTO Urban Street Design Guide 21