Doull Elementary School Safe Routes to School Walking Audit and Recommendations WalkDenver Fall 2013 Doull Elementary School (ECE grade 5) 2520 South Utica Street, Denver 80219 This project was supported by Safe Routes to School grant with funds from Colorado Department of Transportation, 2013/14 School Year. Table of Contents Introduction... 2 Overview of the School and Neighborhood... 2 Walk Audit Results... 8 Recommendations... 9 Resources... 11
Introduction Safe Routes to School programming grant 2013/14 was managed by Denver Health. The participating schools were selected based on DPS school matrix developed by Denver Health that categorized the schools based on the following priorities: Enrollment within 1 mile and % student enrollment living within 1 mile (% Walk Share) % Free/Reduced Lunch Number of pedestrian involved collisions in the last year and number of accidents that occurred during school hours (7:00 AM 4:30 PM) The scope of the grant included: Educational programing provided by Bicycle Colorado and BikeDenver Walk Audits provided by WalkDenver Community engagement provided by CREA Results Overview of the School and Neighborhood 2012 13 School Year Data Total students Within 1 mile of the school 522 82% With free/reduced lunch 94% Total traffic accidents While driving to school 1 0 Wellness Team Yes School hours 8:55 am 3:45 pm Doull Elementary School is located in far southwest Denver. The 1950s school is within a stable residential neighborhood. The school property is bounded by Harvard, Utica and Stuart, as well as houses along Tennyson and Uno. To the south of the school is a ball field sponsored by the Colorado Rockies. Playgrounds are to the south of the L shaped school building. The school boundary is Jewell on the north, Bates on the south, Sheridan on the west and King/Lowell form part of an irregular eastern edge. As small portion of the school service area is west of Sheridan. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) distributed a survey about walking and biking to 550 parents of children at Doull; 31 (6%) responded. Fifty eight percent of respondents completed the survey in English, and 42% in Spanish. Their children represented all of the grades between prekindergarten and fifth grade. Sixteen percent of respondents reported that they live less than ¼ mile from the school, an additional 32% live within a mile, 13% live within 1 to 2 miles, and 29% indicated they did not know how close they live to the school. Nineteen percent of respondents reported that their child walks to school, 45% drive their child to school or participate in a carpool, and 26% use the 2 P age
school bus. Sixty eight percent indicated that they would not feel comfortable allowing their child walk or bike to school at any age. The survey asked parents about issues that affected their decision to allow, or not allow, their child to walk or bike to/from school. The chart below shows that the most commonly cited issues were the amount of traffic along the route, weather or climate, safety of intersections and crossing, violence or crime, distance, and speed of traffic along the route. Issues Affecting Decision to Allow (Or Not Allow) Child to Walk or Bike Amount of Traffic Along Route Weather or climate Safety of Intersections and Crossings Violence or Crime Distance Speed of Traffic Along Route Crossing Guards Time Sidewalks or Pathways Child's Participation in After School Adults to Bike/Walk With Convenience of Driving 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 3 P age
The survey also asked if parents would probably let their child walk or bike to/from school if the issues identified above were changed or improved. The chart below shows that respondents were mostly likely to allow their child to walk or bike if distance or crossing guards changed or improved. Would you probably let your child walk or bike to/from school if this problem were changed or improved? Amount of Traffic Along Route Weather or climate Safety of Intersections and Crossings Violence or Crime Distance Speed of Traffic Along Route Crossing Guards Yes No Time Sidewalks or Pathways Child's Participation in After School Programs Adults to Bike/Walk With Convenience of Driving 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 4 P age
Doull is located within Harvey Park, a predominantly residential neighborhood bounded by Hampden, S. Sheridan, Lowell, and West Jewell). Retail and commercial uses are located at arterial intersections along Sheridan. The urban form is predominantly single family residential; the Denver Zoning Code neighborhood context is Suburban Single Unit (S SU). The neighborhood has typical suburban form, including ranch houses with street facing garages along curvilinear streets with narrow attached sidewalks Demographics Population 11,525 (2010) Average household size 2.9 Race/ethnicity African American 1.96% Latino 58% White 35% Owner occupancy 73% Parks Recreation center Libraries Public Amenities Harvey Park Harvey Park Recreation Center, 2120 South Tennyson Bear Valley Branch Library, 5171 West Dartmouth 5 P age
Public transit (RTD) School buses (DPS) Major streets Traffic control Bike routes Sidewalks Transportation Connections (see map and pictures below) RTD bus routes on West Yale Avenue, West Evans Avenue, and South Sheridan Boulevard. The bus stop nearest the school at Yale Avenue and Raleigh Street has no bench or shelter. Eleven Sheridan is the closest major street. Raleigh is the only street in the neighborhood with a buffered sidewalk, but no crosswalks; this street could be a good connector to the closest bus stop, at Raleigh and Yale, as well as Harvey Park to the north, if it had more crosswalks. The neighborhood has very few crosswalks. Most of the intersections adjacent to the school do have crosswalks, except at Harvard and Tennyson. North south D 1 (Raleigh Street city limit to city limit); East west (Yale, Wadsworth to Lowell); Sanderson Gulch Narrow, attached with rolled curb, slightly wider around school. Many of the sidewalks near the school are in need of repair. 6 P age
Bus stop at Yale Avenue and Raleigh Street narrow, attached sidewalks, no bench or shelter. Utica Street, adjacent to the school. Sidewalks should be widened and detached along school property. Harvard Avenue and Tennyson typical neighborhood conditions of narrow, attached sidewalks. Missing crosswalk directly across from school. 7 P age
Walk Audit Results Doull has no parent teacher organization; therefore WalkDenver representative James Shaffer interviewed Principal Jodie Carrigan in place in of parent interviews. Walk Denver also conducted an audit of the neighborhood immediately surrounding the school on the afternoon of November 25, 2013, and the morning of December 3, 2013. The route included Utica, Harvard, Stuart, and Vassar. Findings of the interview and audit include the following: Travel to and from school o The majority of students attending the school are from apartment on the western edge of the school boundary. o The school has two bike racks, but both are in poor locations and not very secure. The Principal has requested new bike racks. Ten to twelve students ride their bike to school. o The majority of the pedestrian traffic arrives from the western side of the school. There are typically two school crossing guards both teachers during the pick up and dropoff period. o The school buses load on the west side of the school at the primary school entrance. o The Principal believes that most parents drive their kids to school out of convenience. School grounds conditions o Lighting is not adequate around the school. o The street is not properly maintained during snowstorms and the intersection near the school entrance becomes an ice skating rink, causing vehicles to slide into the intersection and creating a pedestrian safety hazard. Drop off/pick up o There is no designated drop off lane. Parents double park on the north and west side of the school grounds, and park in the bus parking, ADA restricted parking zones, and in staff parking lots. Parents often park in the school bus zones on snow days when the buses arrive at various times because of the weather. The staff parking lot is typically chained closed during the afternoon pick up period. o Parents create additional congestion and conflict by driving in the incorrect direction on the school parking lot. There's also a hazard with kids running through the staff parking lot to meet their parents. Traffic safety o School neighbors complain about vehicular congestion around the school during pickup and drop off, illegal U turns, and the blocking of driveways. The congestion is worst in the afternoon. o There have been at least three incidents of parent road rage during the pick up and drop off periods during the last three years. One incident resulted in the police being called and a ticket being issued. Another incident involved a parent illegally parking in the bus parking zone and driving along the school sidewalk after being blocked by the buses from exiting. o The principal has a periodically called in law enforcement to reinforce traffic and school safety rules. Public safety has been on site at least three times this year. 8 P age
o o The school communicates with the parents about the pedestrian and parking issues during parent teach meetings, assemblies, and other special parent/teacher events. The principal believes that additional signage may the improve situation. Recommendations Action Type Responsibility Timing 1. Encourage students and parents to walk to and from school Enroll Doull in Fire Up Your Feet. Behavioral School administration Short term Encourage parents to participate in Behavioral School administration Short term Way to Go School Pool. Encourage Denver Public Schools to Behavioral School administration/ Short term adopt a district wide SRTS program. Denver Public Schools Improve sidewalk snow removal and maintenance during the winter months. Operational School administration Short term Conduct an audit of the current school Operational zone signage, curb ramps, crosswalks, and street lighting. Request additional signage, crosswalks, ramps and lighting where needed to meet standards 2. Make needed pedestrian improvements Add or complete crosswalks near the school: Harvard and Tennyson Harvard and Raleigh Raleigh and Vassar School administration/ Denver Public Schools Medium term Operational Denver Public Works Short term Repair sidewalks around school. Operational Denver Public Works Short term Widen and buffer sidewalk adjacent to school: Public improvement Denver Public Schools Medium term Harvard (south side) Stuart (west side between Harvard and Tennyson) Utica (east side) Provide count down pedestrian signals at all signalized intersections within ¼ mile of an elementary school. Public improvement Denver Public Works Medium term 9 P age
Action Type Responsibility Timing Widen and buffer sidewalks along streets connecting to school: Public improvement Denver Public Works Medium term Harvard between Xavier and Perry Stuart between Vassar and Warren Utica between Vassar and Harvard 3. Improve the drop off and pick up experience Provide crossing guards at critical Operational School administration/ Short term intersections. Denver Public Schools Enforce speed and parking regulations. Operational Denver Police Short term Establish, implement and enforce a Behavioral School administration/ Short term school pick up and drop off policy. Denver Public Schools Provide clear drop off/pick up protocol Behavioral School administration/ Short term to parents. Denver Public Schools Develop a transportation management plan for pick up and drop off. Behavioral School administration/ Denver Public Schools/ Denver Public Works Medium term Create a parent safety campaign to address speeding, double parking, and rolling stops. Clearly mark designated drop off and pick up zones with signage and striping. Behavioral Operational School administration/ Denver Public Schools/ Denver Police Denver Public Schools/Denver Public Works Short term Medium term 4. Make needed street/public right of way improvements Add signage indicating speed limit in school zone. Operational Denver Pubic Works Short term 5. Make safety improvements to school grounds Add more outdoor lighting. Public Denver Public Schools Medium term improvement 6. Encourage use of RDT transit Add a bench and/or shelter to the bus stop at Yale and Raleigh. Public improvement Denver Public Works Medium term 10 P age
Resources SRTS Community Connector: Fernando Pineda CREA Results 720 495 3180 fernando@crearesults.org Fire Up Your Feet The Fire Up Your Feet Program helps encourage families, students and schools to work together and create active lifestyles which inspire our children to be healthy and physically active. Everything is here to help you walk more, play more, and find the joy of being physically active as a family and in your school. http://fireupyourfeet.org/ WayToGo Schoolpool If you need help getting your kids to and from school, Way to Go can help you get started with Schoolpool for FREE. Our secure system will connect you with families in your neighborhood to share in the responsibilities of getting the kids to school and back via carpooling, walking, biking or riding RTD together. Thousands of other families are already connected what are you waiting for? Just try it! You ll gain support and a sense of community and get some much needed help in return. http://www.waytogo.org/getting around/schoolpool Safe Routes to School District Policy Builder This tool walks the user through a series of policy options to help build a customized Safe Routes to School policy for school districts, which they can then download for the school board to adopt. Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a movement that is changing communities and making children healthier by getting them to use their own power to get to and from school. Ensuring children are active on their way to and from school will improve health outcomes for them, as well. http://changelabsolutions.org/news/changelab solutions safe routes school national partnership release schooldistrict policy Denver Public Schools Cross Guard program contact: Valerie Barrientos Manager of Campus Security Office # 720 424 1896 Cell # 303 591 4160 Fax # 720 424 1921 Dispatch # 720 423 3911 Email valerie_barrientos@dpsk12.org Traffic Safety Enforcement Daniel McNulty Daniel.McNulty@denvergov.org To report any issues related to signage, safety, sidewalk conditions or crime: 311 11 P age