Aitkin School Routing Plan July PDF Free Download

Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010 Prepared by: Arrowhead Regional Development Commission Regional Planning Division

Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010 Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010 Prepared for The City of Aitkin Prepared by Arrowhead Regional Development Commission Regional Planning Division

Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010 Table of Contents Introduction... 1 Background...1 Arrowhead Regional Development Commission...1 School Routing Plans...1 Project Funding...2 Aitkin Schools K-8 Student Distribution...2 Community Assessment... 4 Overview...4 Traffic Management...4 School Speed Zone Signage...4 Sidewalks...4 Crosswalks / Pedestrian Signage...4 RIPPLESIDE ELEMENTARY... 7 Traffic Management...7 School Speed Zone Signage...7 Sidewalks...8 Crosswalks / Pedestrian Signage...9 Crossing Guards... 10 AITKIN HIGH SCHOOL... 11 Traffic Management... 11 School Speed Zone Signage... 12 Crosswalks... 12 Safe Routes to School Survey / Parent Feedback Assessment... 13 Recommendations Overview... 14 Rippleside Elementary Recommendations... 14 Aitkin High School Recommendations... 15 Additional Non-Infrastructure Recommendations... 15 Recommendation Chart... 19 Aitkin School Routing Plan Handout... 22 i

Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010 Appendices Appendix A: Parent Survey Reports Appendix B: Parent Comments Figures Figure 1: MUTCD Diagram: School Advance Warning Signage...6 Maps Aitkin Schools K-8 Student Distribution Map...3 Rippleside Elementary School Routing Plan Recommendations Map... 17 Aitkin High School Routing Plan Recommendations Map... 18 ii

Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010 INTRODUCTION Following is the Aitkin School Routing Plan, which consists of an assessment, recommendations, and document for school distribution to parents/guardians. The assessment was conducted to identify local safety concerns and opportunities for infrastructure and non-infrastructure improvements to enhance student pedestrian / bicycle access to Aitkin s Rippleside Elementary School and High School. Background The planning process was led by the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission (ARDC) between May-August, 2010 in response to a request from the City of Aitkin. The City s request for the routing plan was submitted in order to satisfy an assessment requirement by the Minnesota Department of Transportation for the City of Aitkin prior to advancing infrastructure projects related to the Aitkin Schools. Arrowhead Regional Development Commission The Arrowhead Regional Development Commission (ARDC) is a regional comprehensive planning and development agency serving the counties of Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, and St. Louis in Northeast Minnesota. ARDC s mission is to serve the people of the Arrowhead Region by providing local units of government and citizen groups a means to work cooperatively in identifying needs, solving problems and fostering local leadership. School Routing Plans: Hazard Identification & Recommendations The main objective of a School Routing Plan is to establish walking routes that minimize the number of streets crossed and to maximize the safety of approved crossings used by children on their entire trip to / from school. Hazards along those routes are identified and recommendations are made to eliminate those hazards and improve safety. School Routing Plans should encourage more students to walk or bike to school in a safe environment. It should also help to minimize the number of vehicles at schools during the arrival and dismissal times and the traffic congestion that results. To be successful, positive reinforcement and implementation of a School Routing Plan needs to come from parents, school officials and other key partners such as the City or the County. Some things a School Routing Plan looks at include: Recommended walking routes 1

Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010 Existing hazards, sidewalk gaps or needed sidewalk improvements Existing or needed traffic controls (e.g., speed zones, traffic calming) Existing or needed signage Recommended School Crossings Crossing Assistance (e.g. crossing guards) Loading / Unloading areas for bus students and parent drop off (well marked, time controls, staff monitoring, pedestrian safety) Identification of areas of concern Student and Parent Education (pedestrian / bicycle safety education) Project Funding Funding for the Aitkin Schools Routing Plan was provided through the Minnesota Department of Transportation Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program. Safe Routes to School Programs strive to improve the health of kids and the community by making walking and bicycling to school safer, easier and more enjoyable. Programs involve parents, community members, school staff, traffic engineers, city planners, law enforcement officers, community leaders and many others. Planning efforts assess the safety of school travel routes; make changes such as building crosswalks, adding signage or crossing guards; educating students and drivers about safe travel and encouraging walking and biking to school. Safe Routes to School programs enable community leaders, schools and parents to improve safety in the vicinity of schools and help raise awareness, increase opportunities and reduce barriers for children to safely walk and bicycle to school. The program s many potential benefits, including reduced traffic congestion and improvements for both personal health and the environment, help make communities more livable for everyone. Aitkin Schools K-8 Student Distribution While benefiting students of all grade levels, the focus of the Aitkin School Routing Plan is directed at students in grades K-8. Student distribution data collected for this assessment report / school routing plan focused on students in Rippleside Elementary (grades K-6) and Aitkin Middle School (grades 7-8). Rippleside Elementary has a total enrollment of 619 students in grades K-6 (28 classes), and the Middle School has a total enrollment of 190 students in grades 7-8 (8 classes). The following Aitkin Schools K-8 Student Distribution Map illustrates this K-8 student distribution according to the 2000 Census. 2

422nd Pl 422nd Pl 415th Pl 1st Ave SW 1st Ave NE Air Park Dr 395th Pl Aitkin Schools K-8 Student Distribution 370th La 1 Mississippi River 54 15 54 Aitkin Middle/High School 1st St NW 4th St NW 2nd St NW 5th St NW 3rd St NW Pacific St NW 4th Ave NE 2nd St NE Bunker Hill Dr 83 12 41 Rippleside Elementary School 1st St SE 2nd St SE 3rd St SE 4th St SE 35 5th St Pickerel Lake 352nd La 4 05th Pl 47 Westwood Dr 6th Ave SE 350th St CSAH 12 396th Pl Tarr Lake Three, Lake 340th La 344th St CSAH 12 Distribution of Students by Census Block 0-1 2-4 T-1296 5-8 Riverdal e Dr 340th La 9-16 17-23 Raspberry Lake 0 0.25 0.5 1 Miles

Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010 COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT Overview Assessment methods used by ARDC to inventory and review safety considerations for students who walk or bike to school consisted of two parts: an on-the-ground assessment of identified safety concerns / infrastructure improvements surrounding the schools, as well as a Safe Routes to School response survey for all K-8 students and parents. Following is the safety / infrastructure assessment report for both Rippleside Elementary and Aitkin High School, followed by a summary of the SRTS Survey responses by parents. Safety / Infrastructure Improvements fell into the following main categories: Traffic Management Busy school bus zones and parent drop-off zones can be hazardous areas when mixed with student pedestrian traffic. Risks to pedestrians increase when mixed with general community traffic and teenage student drivers. School Speed Zone Signage School zone signs provide important information to drivers to improve safety within the school zone. School speed zone signage helps to raise public awareness of safety for students and allows local law enforcement to enforce driver compliance to stay within safe driving speeds during school hours. Figure 1 on page 6 illustrates MUTCD School Zone Signage standards. Sidewalks Sidewalks along streets that lead to school provide students with a safe means to walk or bike to school and to stay out of the way of bus and car traffic during the morning and afternoon busy traffic times. Students walking in the street must interface with busy school traffic. This is especially dangerous in winter, as snow banks from plows force students to walk even further into the middle of the street. Crosswalks / Pedestrian Signage Striped crosswalks at road intersections alert drivers to pedestrian zones and identify the safe, correct places for students to cross. Drivers must be aware of crosswalks and yield to the right of way to pedestrians who are within a marked or unmarked crosswalk. Crosswalks are usually marked at intersections where there is a substantial amount of vehicle and pedestrian traffic, such as along school routes and at signalized and four-way 4

Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010 stop intersections. In addition, young students especially benefit from supervised assistance by crossing guards to stop traffic and ensure safe crossing at busy intersections. 5

Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010 Figure 1: Diagram from the MUTCD, which shows typical placement of School advance warning signs, School Speed Limit signs, School Crossing signs and End School Zone signs. Note that the school speed zone should be 200ft. from the crosswalk or 100 ft. from the school property line, whichever is encountered first. 6

Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010 RIPPLESIDE ELEMENTARY Traffic Management Parent-drop off in front of Rippleside Elementary often starts as early as 7:30am and continues until about 8:00am. Parents drop off students on 2 nd Ave SW on both sides of the street and also in the middle of the road. Traffic is busy in this area and dangerous for students crossing the street to get to the school. Following are recommendations to manage parent drop-off in front of the school: Establish a designated painted or signed parent drop-off zone on both sides of 2 nd Ave. SW in front of the school. Establish a school policy regarding parent drop-off of students (no mid-road drop off) Establish a school monitor for the drop-off zone during am/pm traffic times. School Speed Zone Signage Rippleside Elementary does not have any speed zones posted for the school. A 20 mph school speed zone is recommended for the following for Rippleside Elementary. Minnesota Avenue School Speed Zone: 2 nd St. SW School speed zone signage with flashing lights during designated times should be installed to protect students crossing Minnesota Avenue (Hwy. 169) to get to Rippleside Elementary at 2 nd St. SW. 2 nd St. SW is identified as the main marked pedestrian crossing for students to get to cross Minnesota Avenue to get to school for two reasons: 1) Aitkin Police control this intersection in the morning and afternoon to assist with the flow of school bus traffic and also help to ensure safe student crossings, and 2) this street runs straight down to the front of the school. All school zone signage for this zone should follow MUTCD standards, which requires that the school speed zone should be 200ft. on each side of the crosswalk. 2 nd Avenue SW School Speed Zone: 2 nd St. SW Regular school speed zone signage should be installed on 2 nd Ave. SW in front of the school. All signage for the school zone should follow MUTCD standards, which requires that the school speed zone should be 200ft. from the crosswalk or 100 ft. from the school property line, whichever is encountered first. 7

Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010 Sidewalks New sidewalks are recommended to be constructed in the following areas where they do not currently exist. Sidewalks in these areas are identified as being beneficial to safely routing students who walk or bike to school: 2 nd Avenue SW A sidewalk running north from the school parking lot area has been partially completed down to 1 st St. SW. The sidewalk should be completed to the intersection of 2 nd Avenue SW and 1 st Street SW. 1 st Street SW A sidewalk should be built running from Minnesota Avenue down 1 st St SW, running along the north side of the road (along the creek) and tie in with the existing paved bike path. 2 nd Street SW Students coming down 2 nd Street SW from Minnesota Avenue have to walk along the road in the shoulderstriped car parking area on the south side of the street. If there are parked cars there it forces them into the road and interface with busy bus and parent car traffic. A sidewalk should be put in on the south side of the street extending from Minnesota Avenue down to 2 nd Ave SW in front of the school. If a sidewalk cannot be installed, parking should be eliminated on this south side of the street to reserve a designated walking lane for pedestrians. 3 rd Street SW The sidewalk beginning at Minnesota Avenue should be completed to continue down 3 rd St SW to the school. 8

Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010 Crosswalks / Pedestrian Signage 1 st St SW / 2 nd Ave. SW A painted crosswalk with a MUTCD pedestrian crossing sign should be provided to direct students to cross between the new sidewalk on 1 st Street SW to the new sidewalk on 2 nd Avenue SW. 2 nd Street SW / Minnesota Avenue This intersection should be established as the main identified crossing for students with a painted crosswalk and MUTCD pedestrian crossing sign. It is to be considered the most favorable crossing to identify because it runs directly down to the front of the school and Aitkin Police help to control traffic at this intersection during morning and afternoon busy school traffic hours. 1 st St. SW and 3 rd St. SW / Minnesota Ave. Additional crosswalks and MUTCD pedestrian crossing signs should protect the crossings at 1 st St. SW and 3 rd St SW, which flank the main 2 nd Street SW crossing. Existing, outdated handicap crossing signs for these streets should be replaced with current MUTCD pedestrian crossing signs. 2 nd St SW / 2 nd Ave. SW This intersection directly in front of the school needs a well-marked pedestrian crosswalk with a MUTCD pedestrian crossing sign. The exact location of the new crosswalk will be determined with the design of the new sidewalk by the road project engineers. 3rd St. SW / 2nd Ave. SW There should be a well-marked pedestrian crosswalk with signage at the end of the new 3rd St. SW sidewalk to alert motorists to yield and guide students safely across the street to the school. 9

Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010 Crossing Guards Crossing guards are recommended at the following intersections to provide safe crossing assistance to students. 2 nd Street SW and 2 nd Avenue SW A crossing guard is needed early in the morning (7:30am 8:00am) at the intersection of 2 nd Street SW and 2 nd Avenue SW directly in front of the school. Students crossing the street here from 2 nd Street SW do so with very busy parent drop-off traffic. The crossing guard who helps students getting off the school buses does not come outside until about 8:05am, and does not address students crossing at this intersection. 2 nd Street SW and 1 st Ave SW A second crossing guard should be considered for placement at the intersection of 2 nd Street SW and 1 st Ave SW (between crossings on Minnesota Avenue and 2 nd Ave SW). Hwy. 169 & 2 nd Street SW Currently Aitkin Police control this intersection in the morning and afternoon to stop traffic and make sure that the buses can pull out safely. They help make sure students cross safely while they are doing so. If Aitkin Police ever stop this practice, it is highly recommended that the school provide an adult crossing guard to protect this student crossing. 10

Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010 AITKIN HIGH SCHOOL Traffic Management The school bus zone is located in back of the high school on 3 rd St. NW, and uses almost the entire stretch of this street from east to west and also parts of 4 th Ave NW. The afternoon bus loading is especially busy and dangerous because of high traffic congestion, student drivers, and student pedestrians. The following recommendations apply for traffic management and safety for student pedestrians. 1 st Avenue NW Traffic Block Public traffic should be temporarily stopped between 3:15pm 3:30pm from entering off of 1 st Ave NW during the afternoon time of buses and student driver departure. Vehicles entering 3 rd Street NW going west cannot cross or turn at the intersection with 4 th Ave. NW because it is blocked by buses lined up for student loading. Any motorist not aware of this is forced to do a U-turn in the middle of the road surrounded by buses, student drivers, and student pedestrians. Due to the short time period needed to manage this intersection, it is recommended that an adult (or police) manage this intersection to block traffic entering onto the road during this window of time. Student Parking Lot Traffic Flow There are two student parking lots located off of 3 rd St. NW behind the school. During the afternoon time period of bus loading and student driver departure, traffic congestion is heavy and dangerous for student pedestrians. To help facilitate better traffic flow on 3 rd St. NW, the following recommendations apply for redirecting student driver departure from these two lots. The paved student parking lot should be signed with a Left Turn Only sign so that departing traffic turns only onto 3 rd Ave NW instead of turning right onto 3 rd St. NW and interfacing with bus traffic and students crossing the road. The gravel student parking lot should be signed with a Right Turn Only sign so that students turn right out of the parking lot to the intersection at 2 nd Ave. NW, away from on-coming bus traffic. 11

Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010 School Speed Zone Signage There is already a school speed zone on Hwy 210 running in front of the school between 2 nd Avenue NW and 4 th Avenue NW. There should be a parallel school speed zone protecting the same zone on 3 rd Street NW on the back side of the school. Crosswalks New crosswalks and pedestrian signage leading to the school are recommended at the following intersections: In Back of the School North Side 2 nd Ave. NW / 3 rd St NW 4 th Ave. NW / 3 rd St NW In Front of the School South Side 2 nd Ave NW / 2 nd St. NW (Hwy 210) 3 rd Ave NW / 2 nd St. NW (Hwy 210) 4 th Ave NW / 2 nd St. NW (Hwy 210) 12

Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010 SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL SURVEY PARENT FEEDBACK ASSESSMENT ARDC worked with Rippleside Elementary (grades K-6) and Aitkin High School (middle school grades 7-8) to survey parents/guardians of students with questions developed by the National Safe Routes to School Program. The SRTS surveys are distributed to gather data on student transport to school and feedback on issues or concerns for students to walk or bike to school. For Rippleside Elementary, 116 out of 300 of the parent surveys were returned. Aitkin High School, 71 out of 200 parent surveys were returned. For For both schools, survey responses reflected that distance is a leading concern and/or barrier for students to walk or bike to school. 65% of Rippleside Elementary students live over 2 miles from school, while 64% of Aitkin middle school students live over 2 miles from school. The remaining students live within a two-mile distance from each school. Parents of students at both schools identified issues which affected their decision to allow their child to walk or bike to/from school. Following are three main concerns cited in both reports: Speed of Traffic Along Route Sidewalks or Pathways Safety of Intersections or Crossings Appendix A provides the Parent Survey Reports generated for both Rippleside Elementary and Aitkin High School. Additional written comments submitted by parents/guardians in the SRTS survey expressed overwhelming evidence of concern for student pedestrian safety due to a lack of sidewalks, marked pedestrian crosswalks, traffic speed control and enforcement in relation to both Rippleside Elementary and Aitkin High School. Appendix B provides a list of the additional comments made by parents on the surveys as comments of concern. The City of Aitkin and Aitkin County should consider parent concerns in future city sidewalk infrastructure improvement projects. 13

Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010 RECOMMENDATIONS OVERVIEW Resulting recommendations from the Aitkin schools assessment were developed to guide the City of Aitkin, Rippleside Elementary, Aitkin High School, Aitkin County and other community partners in implementing action steps that address infrastructure and noninfrastructure related improvements for safe access to the Aitkin schools. Several opportunities exist for the two schools to improve transportation management and enhance safety for students who bike or walk to school. Parent Drop-Off Zone RIPPLESIDE ELEMENTARY RECOMMENDATIONS 1.1. Establish a designated parent drop-off zone with signage or paint. 1.2 Establish a school policy for the parent drop-off zone. 1.3 Establish a school monitor for the drop-off zone during am/pm traffic times. School Speed Zone Signage Sidewalks 2.1. Establish a 20 mph school speed zone on Hwy. 169 buffering 2 nd St. SW 2.2 Establish a 20 mph school speed zone on 2 nd Ave SW buffering 2 nd St. SW 3.1 Complete sidewalk construction on 2 nd Ave. SW to 1 st St. SW. 3.2 Construct sidewalk on 1 st St SW from Hwy 169 and tie in with the bike trail. 3.3 Construct new sidewalk from Hwy. 169 down 2 nd St SW to 2 nd Ave. SW. 3.4 Construct new sidewalk from Hwy. 169 down 3 rd St. SW to 2 nd Ave. SW. Crosswalks / Pedestrian Signage 4.1 1 st St SW / 2 nd Ave SW intersection 4.2 2 nd St SW / Minnesota Avenue intersection 4.3 1 st St. SW and 3 rd St. SW intersection 4.4 2 nd St. SW / 2 nd Ave. SW intersection 4.5 3rd St. SW / 2nd Ave. SW intersection Crossing Guards 5.1 2 nd Street SW / 2 nd Ave. SW 5.2 2 nd St SW / 1 st Ave. SW 14

Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010 AITKIN HIGH SCHOOL RECOMMENDATIONS Traffic Management 1.1 1 st Avenue NW / 3 rd St. NW Afternoon Traffic Block 1.2 Student Parking Lots Departing Turn Signage School Speed Zone Signage 2.1 Establish a 20 mph school speed zone on 3 rd St. NW to parallel that on Hwy. 210. Crosswalks / Pedestrian Signage 3.1 2 nd Ave. NW / 3 rd St. NW intersection 3.2 4 th Ave. NW / 3 rd St. NW intersection 3.3 2 nd Ave. NW / 2 nd St. NW (Hwy 210) intersection 3.4 3 rd Ave. NW / 2 nd St. NW (Hwy 210) intersection 3.5 4 th Ave. NW / 2 nd St. NW (Hwy 210) intersection ADDITIONAL NON-INFRASTRUCTURE RECOMMENDATIONS Safe Routes to School Programs focus on the 5 Es : Encouragement, Education, Enforcement, Engineering, and Evaluation. Following are some additional recommended actions for implementation in these areas: Encouragement Promote walking and biking by students who live within a distance of the school that are able to do so. (School District newsletter, other) Aitkin should continue to participate in International Walk to School Day or hold alternative special events by the schools to encourage students to walk or bike to school. Bicycle racks should be provided at both Rippleside Elementary School and Aitkin High School to encourage and support bike riding to school. Education Use existing school health education to educate students about the health benefits of walking and biking. Provide bike safety education to 3 rd graders each year that covers points of safe bike 15

Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010 riding and wearing a bike helmet. (ARDC HelmetHero Program) Work with local law enforcement and bike shop specialists to hold a bike rodeo to teach safe bicycle riding skills every other year to elementary school students. Engineering The schools should work closely with the City of Aitkin and Aitkin County to discuss funding and technical assistance for sidewalk and other infrastructure improvements in the surrounding the school area. Enforcement Have the Aitkin School District adopt a policy in support of students safely walking and biking to school (e.g.; students who ride to school must wear a helmet) Enforce the Aitkin City Ordinance to keep sidewalks clear of brush and snow. Work with Aitkin Police to enforce school zone speed limits and the State Law to yield to pedestrians in all marked and unmarked crossings. Evaluation Rippleside Elementary and Aitkin High School should regularly review and update this assessment as progress is made, and continue to seek parent/guardian feedback of concerns. 16

School Issue Area Recommended Action #1 Parent Drop-Off 1.1. Establish a designated parent drop-off zone with Zone signage or paint. Time Frame to Commence Action Short Term Fall 2010 Responsible Party Rippleside Elementary City of Aitkin Cost Range Estimate and Related Project Type (Infrastructure or Non- Infrastructure) Moderate Cost Non-Infrastructure 1.2 Establish a school policy for the parent drop-off zone. Short Term Fall 2010 Rippleside Elementary Low Cost Non-Infrastructure 1.3 Establish a school monitor for the drop-off zone during am/pm traffic times. #2 School Speed Zone 2.1. Establish a 20 mph school speed zone on Hwy. 169 Signage buffering 2nd St. SW Short Term Fall 2010 Mid-Term Spring 2011 Rippleside Elementary City of Aitkin Aitkin County Low Cost Non-Infrastructure Moderate / High Cost Infrastructure 2.2 Establish a 20 mph school speed zone on 2nd Ave SW buffering 2nd St. SW Mid-Term Spring 2011 City of Aitkin Aitkin County Moderate / High Cost Infrastructure RIPPLESIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL #3 Sidewalks 3.1 Complete sidewalk construction on 2nd Ave. SW to 1st St. SW. 3.2 Construct sidewalk on 1st St SW from Hwy 169 and tie in with the bike trail. 3.3 Construct new sidewalk from Hwy. 169 down 2nd St SW to 2nd Ave. SW. 3.4 Construct new sidewalk from Hwy. 169 down 3rd St. SW to 2nd Ave. SW. #4 Crosswalks / Pedestrian Signage 4.1 1st St SW / 2nd Ave SW intersection 4.2 2nd St SW / Minnesota Avenue intersection Long Term 2010 onward Long Term 2010 onward Long Term 2010 onward Long Term 2010 onward Mid-Term Spring 2011 Mid-Term Spring 2011 City of Aitkin Aitkin County City of Aitkin Aitkin County City of Aitkin Aitkin County City of Aitkin Aitkin County City of Aitkin Aitkin County City of Aitkin Aitkin County High Cost Infrastructure High Cost Infrastructure High Cost Infrastructure High Cost Infrastructure Moderate / High Cost Infrastructure Moderate / High Cost Infrastructure 4.3 1st St. SW and 3rd St. SW intersections (across MN Avenue) Mid-Term Spring 2011 City of Aitkin Aitkin County Moderate / High Cost Infrastructure 4.4 2nd St. SW / 2nd Ave. SW intersection Mid-Term Spring 2011 City of Aitkin Aitkin County Moderate / High Cost Infrastructure 4.5 3rd St. SW / 2nd Ave. SW intersection Mid-Term Spring 2011 City of Aitkin Aitkin County Moderate / High Cost Infrastructure

#5 Crossing Guards 5.1 2nd Street SW / 2nd Ave. SW Short Term Fall 2010 Rippleside Elementary Low Cost Non-Infrastructure 5.2 2nd St SW / 1st Ave. SW Short Term Fall 2010 Rippleside Elementary Low Cost Non-Infrastructure #1 Traffic Management 1.1 1st Avenue NW / 3rd St. NW Afternoon Traffic Block Short Term Fall 2010 Aitkin High School Low Cost Non-Infrastructure 1.2 Student Parking Lots Departing Turn Signage Mid-Term Spring 2011 Aitkin High School Moderate Cost Non-Infrastructure AITKIN HIGH SCHOOL #2 School Speed Zone 2.1 Establish a 20 mph school speed zone on 3rd St. NW to Signage parallel that on Hwy. 210. #3 Crosswalks / Pedestrian Signage 3.1 2nd Ave. NW / 3rd St. NW intersection 3.2 4th Ave. NW / 3rd St. NW intersection Mid-Term Spring 2011 Mid-Term Spring 2011 Mid-Term Spring 2011 City of Aitkin Aitkin County City of Aitkin Aitkin County City of Aitkin Aitkin County Moderate / High Cost Infrastructure Moderate / High Cost Infrastructure Moderate / High Cost Infrastructure 3.3 2nd Ave. NW / 2nd St. NW (Hwy 210) intersection Mid-Term Spring 2011 City of Aitkin Aitkin County Moderate / High Cost Infrastructure 3.4 3rd Ave. NW / 2nd St. NW (Hwy 210) intersection Mid-Term Spring 2011 City of Aitkin Aitkin County Moderate / High Cost Infrastructure 3.5 4th Ave. NW / 2nd St. NW (Hwy 210) intersection Mid-Term Spring 2011 City of Aitkin Aitkin County Moderate / High Cost Infrastructure ADDITIONAL "5E" RECOMMENDATIONS Encouragement Education Promote walking and biking by students who live within a distance of the school that are able to do so. (School District newsletter, other) Aitkin should continue to participate in International Walk to School Day each year and/or hold alternative special events by the schools to encourage students to walk or bike to school. Bicycle racks should be provided at both Rippleside Elementary School and Aitkin High School to encourage and support bike riding to school. Use existing school health education to educate students about the health benefits of walking and biking. Provide bike safety education to 3rd graders each year that covers points of safe bike riding and wearing a bike helmet. (ARDC "HelmetHero" Program) Work with local law enforcement and bike shop specialists to hold a bike rodeo to teach safe bicycle riding skills every other year to elementary school students. On-going Basis On-going Basis Short Term Fall 2010 On-going Basis Yearly Basis On-going Basis Rippleside Elementary Aitkin High School Rippleside Elementary Aitkin High School Rippleside Elementary Aitkin High School Rippleside Elementary Aitkin High School Rippleside Elementary Rippleside Elementary Low Cost Non-Infrastructure Low Cost Non-Infrastructure Low Cost Non-Infrastructure Low Cost Non-Infrastructure Low Cost Non-Infrastructure Low Cost Non-Infrastructure

ADDITIONAL "5E" RECOMMENDATIONS Enforcement Engineering Evaluation Have the Aitkin School District adopt a policy in support of students safely walking and biking to school (e.g.; students who ride to school must wear a helmet) Enforce the Aitkin City Ordinance to keep sidewalks clear of brush and snow. Work with Aitkin Police to enforce school zone speed limits and the State Law to yield to pedestrians in all marked and unmarked crossings. The schools should work closely with the City of Aitkin and Aitkin County to discuss funding and technical assistance for sidewalk and other infrastructure improvements in the surrounding the school area. Rippleside Elementary and Aitkin High School should regularly review and update this assessment as progress is made, and continue to seek parent/guardian feedback of concerns. Short Term Fall 2010 On-going Basis On-going Basis On-going Basis On-going Basis Rippleside Elementary Aitkin High School City of Aitkin Aitkin Police Department Rippleside Elementary Aitkin High School City of Aitkin / Aitkin County Rippleside Elementary Aitkin High School Low Cost Non-Infrastructure Low Cost Non-Infrastructure Low Cost Non-Infrastructure Low Cost Non-Infrastructure Low Cost Non-Infrastructure

Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010 AITKIN SCHOOL ROUTING PLAN HANDOUT Why bike or walk to school? It s fun and it s a great way to get daily exercise! Students who walk or bike to Rippleside Elementary School or Aitkin High School are advised to use the following identified routes & recommendations below to safely cross roads and access each school. Students who walk should use all available sidewalks and pedestrian crosswalks along their route to school. Students who ride a bicycle should wear a helmet and abide by the rules of the road following these same routes. If riding on a sidewalk, the cyclist shall use caution in passing pedestrians. Rippleside Elementary Students traveling on foot to Rippleside Elementary should use sidewalks (as they are constructed) on 1 st St. SW, 2 nd St. SW, 3 rd St. SW and 2 nd Ave. SW running directly in front of the school. Students crossing Minnesota Avenue (Hwy. 169) should cross only at marked, designated pedestrian crosswalks. A main crosswalk is located at 2 nd St. SW and is the preferred crossing for all students. Aitkin Police control this intersection for bus traffic during morning and afternoon hours and help to ensure student safety while crossing. Additional crossing guards may be provided by the school at additional intersections to assist students while crossing. Aitkin High School Students traveling on foot to Aitkin High School should use all existing sidewalks leading to the school along Hwy. 210 in front of the school, 1 st Ave. NW, 2 nd Ave. NW, 3 rd Ave. NW, 4 th Ave. NW, and 3 rd St. NW in back of the school. Students crossing 2 nd Avenue NW (Hwy. 210) in front of the school and 3 rd Street NW in back of the school should cross only at marked, designated pedestrian crosswalks between 2 nd Ave. NW and 4 th 4 th Ave. NW. Aitkin School Routing Maps - On Back - 22

Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010 23

APPENDICES Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010

Appendix A Parent Survey Reports Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010

Parent Survey Summary Program Name: Arrowhead Regional Development Commission Month and Year collected: May 2010 School Name: Aitkin - Rippleside Elementary School Set ID: 3806 Date Report Generated: 07/15/2010 Reported Enrollment: 619 Number of Questionnaires Distributed: 300 Number of Questionnaires Analyzed for Report: 116 This report contains information from parents about their children's trip to and from school. The report also reflects parents' perceptions regarding whether walking and bicycling to school is appropriate for their child. The data used in this report were collected using the Survey about Walking and Biking to School for Parents form from the National Center for Safe Routes to School. Sex of children for parents that provided information Page 1 of 12

Grade levels of children represented in survey Grade levels of children represented in survey Grade in School Responses per grade Number Percent Kindergarten 16 14% 1 36 32% 2 11 10% 3 8 7% 4 7 6% 5 9 8% 6 24 22% No response: 5 Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Page 2 of 12

Parent estimate of distance from child's home to school Parent estimate of distance from child's home to school Distance between home and school Number of children Percent Less than 1/4 mile 9 8% 1/4 mile up to 1/2 mile 7 6% 1/2 mile up to 1 mile 16 14% 1 mile up to 2 miles 7 6% More than 2 miles 72 65% Don't know or No response: 5 Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Page 3 of 12

Typical mode of arrival at and departure from school Typical mode of arrival at and departure from school Time of Trip Number of Trips Walk Bike School Bus Family Vehicle Carpool Transit Other Morning 116 4% 0% 60% 34% 0.9% 0% 0% Afternoon 115 6% 0% 71% 22% 0.9% 0% 0% No Response Morning: 0 No Response Afternoon: 1 Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Page 4 of 12

Typical mode of school arrival and departure by distance child lives from school Page 5 of 12

Typical mode of school arrival and departure by distance child lives from school School Arrival Distance Number within Distance Walk Bike School Bus Family Vehicle Carpool Transit Other Less than 1/4 mile 9 44% 0% 11% 44% 0% 0% 0% 1/4 mile up to 1/2 mile 7 0% 0% 57% 43% 0% 0% 0% 1/2 mile up to 1 mile 16 0% 0% 56% 44% 0% 0% 0% 1 mile up to 2 miles 7 0% 0% 57% 43% 0% 0% 0% More than 2 miles 72 0% 0% 67% 32% 1% 0% 0% Don't know or No response: 5 Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. School Departure Distance Number within Distance Walk Bike School Bus Family Vehicle Carpool Transit Other Less than 1/4 mile 9 56% 0% 11% 33% 0% 0% 0% 1/4 mile up to 1/2 mile 7 0% 0% 86% 14% 0% 0% 0% 1/2 mile up to 1 mile 16 0% 0% 63% 38% 0% 0% 0% 1 mile up to 2 miles 7 0% 0% 71% 29% 0% 0% 0% More than 2 miles 71 1% 0% 79% 18% 1% 0% 0% Don't know or No response: 6 Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Page 6 of 12

Percent of children who have asked for permission to walk or bike to/from school by distance they live from school Percent of children who have asked for permission to walk or bike to/from school by distance they live from school Asked Permission? Number of Children Less than 1/4 mile 1/4 mile up to 1/2 mile 1/2 mile up to 1 mile 1 mile up to 2 miles More than 2 miles Yes 27 26% 11% 41% 0% 22% No 83 2% 5% 5% 8% 80% Don't know or No response: 6 Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Page 7 of 12

Issues reported to affect the decision to not allow a child to walk or bike to/from school by parents of children who do not walk or bike to/from school Issues reported to affect the decision to allow a child to walk or bike to/from school by parents of children who already walk or bike to/from school Page 8 of 12

Issues reported to affect the decision to allow a child to walk or bike to/from school by parents of children who already walk or bike to/from school Issue Child does not walk/bike to school Child walks/bikes to school Distance 80% 86% Speed of Traffic Along Route 57% 14% Amount of Traffic Along Route 56% 43% Weather or climate 45% 57% Sidewalks or Pathways 40% 57% Safety of Intersections and Crossings 38% 57% Violence or Crime 32% 29% Time 26% 43% Adults to Bike/Walk With 21% 0% Crossing Guards 15% 14% Child's Participation in After School Programs 12% 29% Convenience of Driving 11% 14% Number of Respondents per Category 100 7 No response: 9 Note: Factors are listed from most to least influential for the 'Child does not walk/bike to school' group. Each column may sum to > 100% because respondent could select more than issue. Page 9 of 12

Parents' opinions about how much their child's school encourages or discourages walking and biking to/from school Parents' opinions about how much fun walking and biking to/from school is for their child Page 10 of 12

Parents' opinions about how healthy walking and biking to/from school is for their child Page 11 of 12

Comments Section SurveyID Comment 399149 Open enrolled from Ironton 399151 Sidewalks and safe crossing are needed all around school. 399154 My children get a ride to school because they would need to walk over 1 mile on a dangerous road (low visability) to the bus stop. 399158 My child doesn't walk or bike and I don't know how I feel if they could 399199 It would be fund & healthy but we live too far out. We are happy with the bus system. 399204 My kids have to walk to HS and traffic not stopping worries me. 399207 Would like pathways or more room to bike/walk along Hwy 47 399209 Many questions were n/a because we live 4 miles from school 399227 This survey should be send only to townspeople o country. Waste paper. 399228 This survey does not help for 10 miles distance to school Why work to fill out survey. You should send survey who lives in town. Waste paper. 399231 20+ miles from school, not all apply 399243 Walking or biking is not my biggest concern to get kids to be healthy. I understand that it could cut costs & maybe then would be worth looking into. If you ar tyring to get kids healthier this is not what I would consider. Activities are there, but hard to balance with school work & costs. Family activities might be a bigger change instead of just kids. 399285 We live 11 miles out of town so I would only let her bike from my work which is in town to school. 399292 We live 10 miles out of town. 399294 We live 5+ miles from school so walking will never be an option 399295 Hwy 169 poses a lot problems. Reroute trucks around Aitkin w/a loop. It has been talked about and the MN DOT has plans. 399296 I would not let my children walk, we live in the country. 399297 Halie never walks to school. It's not an option for her too young. Just afraid what would happen to her and we live little to far away from school. 399301 Live to far from town to walk 399304 We live over 20 miles from the school. It is a long walk. 399305 Do to our distance from town this is not an option. 399307 Would like safer crossing areas besides the stoplight. 399320 We live 8 miles from the school...how would you like me to answer questions 13 & 14? It would not be fun at all after a few miles nore safe once they got to the highway. I would not be healthy if it was too hot or cold outside either. Please don't send home any more of these ridiculous surveys homes iwth my child. Thank you. 399339 Since we live so far from school this survey probably didn't help much. Sorry. We do haul our bikes to Crosby or Aitkin, take the trails by the school. 399353 My child is six years old-first grade, much too young to be walking to school. We also live 3 miles out in the country. 399357 Child goes to daycare after school and walks. 399362 WE will be moving into town, so it would be great to hve these problems taken care of. Page 12 of 12

Tally Report Program Name: Arrowhead Regional Development Commission Month and Year collected: May 2010 School Name: Aitkin - Rippleside Elementary School Set ID: 4443 Reported Enrollment: 619 Reported Number of Classrooms: 24 Date Report Generated: 07/15/2010 Number of Classrooms Included in Report: 24 Morning and Afternoon Travel Mode Comparison Morning and Afternoon Travel Mode Comparison Number of Trips Walk Bike School Bus Family Vehicle Carpool Transit Other Morning 1114 3% 2% 54% 40% 0.8% 0% 0% Afternoon 968 5% 2% 65% 27% 1% 0% 0% Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Page 1 of 3

Morning and Afternoon Travel Mode Comparison by Day Morning and Afternoon Travel Mode Comparison by Day Number of Trips Walk Bike School Bus Family Vehicle Carpool Transit Other Tuesday AM 445 4% 2% 55% 39% 0.7% 0% 0% Tuesday PM 378 6% 2% 65% 25% 2% 0% 0% Wednesday AM 434 3% 3% 55% 38% 0.9% 0% 0% Wednesday PM 363 4% 2% 66% 26% 0.8% 0% 0% Thursday AM 235 3% 1% 51% 45% 0.9% 0% 0% Thursday PM 227 4% 1% 63% 30% 1% 0% 0% Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Page 2 of 3

Travel Mode by Weather Conditions Travel Mode by Weather Condition Weather Condition Number of Trips Walk Bike School Bus Family Vehicle Carpool Transit Other Sunny 2082 4% 2% 59% 34% 1% 0% 0% Rainy 0 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% Overcast 0 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% Snow 0 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Page 3 of 3

Parent Survey Summary Program Name: Arrowhead Regional Development Commission Month and Year collected: May 2010 School Name: Aitkin High School Set ID: 3769 Date Report Generated: 07/15/2010 Reported Enrollment: 190 Number of Questionnaires Distributed: 200 Number of Questionnaires Analyzed for Report: 71 This report contains information from parents about their children's trip to and from school. The report also reflects parents' perceptions regarding whether walking and bicycling to school is appropriate for their child. The data used in this report were collected using the Survey about Walking and Biking to School for Parents form from the National Center for Safe Routes to School. Sex of children for parents that provided information Page 1 of 12

Grade levels of children represented in survey Grade levels of children represented in survey Grade in School Responses per grade Number Percent 7 36 51% 8 35 49% No response: 0 Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Page 2 of 12

Parent estimate of distance from child's home to school Parent estimate of distance from child's home to school Distance between home and school Number of children Percent Less than 1/4 mile 7 10% 1/4 mile up to 1/2 mile 1 1% 1/2 mile up to 1 mile 6 9% 1 mile up to 2 miles 11 16% More than 2 miles 45 64% Don't know or No response: 1 Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Page 3 of 12

Typical mode of arrival at and departure from school Typical mode of arrival at and departure from school Time of Trip Number of Trips Walk Bike School Bus Family Vehicle Carpool Transit Other Morning 71 10% 0% 44% 46% 0% 0% 0% Afternoon 71 15% 0% 51% 34% 0% 0% 0% No Response Morning: 0 No Response Afternoon: 0 Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Page 4 of 12

Typical mode of school arrival and departure by distance child lives from school Page 5 of 12

Typical mode of school arrival and departure by distance child lives from school School Arrival Distance Number within Distance Walk Bike School Bus Family Vehicle Carpool Transit Other Less than 1/4 mile 7 86% 0% 0% 14% 0% 0% 0% 1/4 mile up to 1/2 mile 1 0% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0% 0% 1/2 mile up to 1 mile 6 0% 0% 50% 50% 0% 0% 0% 1 mile up to 2 miles 11 0% 0% 27% 73% 0% 0% 0% More than 2 miles 45 0% 0% 56% 44% 0% 0% 0% Don't know or No response: 1 Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. School Departure Distance Number within Distance Walk Bike School Bus Family Vehicle Carpool Transit Other Less than 1/4 mile 7 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1/4 mile up to 1/2 mile 1 0% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0% 0% 1/2 mile up to 1 mile 6 33% 0% 67% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1 mile up to 2 miles 11 9% 0% 18% 73% 0% 0% 0% More than 2 miles 45 0% 0% 67% 33% 0% 0% 0% Don't know or No response: 1 Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Page 6 of 12

Percent of children who have asked for permission to walk or bike to/from school by distance they live from school Percent of children who have asked for permission to walk or bike to/from school by distance they live from school Asked Permission? Number of Children Less than 1/4 mile 1/4 mile up to 1/2 mile 1/2 mile up to 1 mile 1 mile up to 2 miles More than 2 miles Yes 17 24% 6% 24% 29% 18% No 51 4% 0% 4% 10% 82% Don't know or No response: 3 Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Page 7 of 12

Issues reported to affect the decision to allow a child to walk or bike to/from school by parents of children who already walk or bike to/from school Issue Child does not walk/bike to school Child walks/bikes to school Distance 83% 63% Speed of Traffic Along Route 61% 50% Weather or climate 56% 75% Amount of Traffic Along Route 54% 38% Time 35% 25% Safety of Intersections and Crossings 33% 50% Child's Participation in After School Programs 28% 38% Sidewalks or Pathways 24% 38% Violence or Crime 20% 25% Convenience of Driving 13% 38% Adults to Bike/Walk With 7% 25% Crossing Guards 6% 0% Number of Respondents per Category 54 8 No response: 9 Note: Factors are listed from most to least influential for the 'Child does not walk/bike to school' group. Each column may sum to > 100% because respondent could select more than issue. Page 9 of 12

Parents' opinions about how healthy walking and biking to/from school is for their child Page 11 of 12

Comments Section SurveyID Comment 398378 Rural community for obvious reasons can not walk or ride a bike to school. 398385 We need better shoulder on Hwy 47 no space for riding we need a bike path 398387 No bike rack at high school 398394 we live 10 miles out of town 398396 We live across the street from the school This does not apply to us. 398440 10 miles out of town, no walking or biking to school 398442 She would have to walk or bike along Hwy 47 where there are no sidewalks and a lot of traffic (from her Dad's house) 399061 If the weather is to play out then theyshould not be forced to walk. 399091 We live off a highway so it isn't an option to walk. Page 12 of 12

Tally Report Program Name: Arrowhead Regional Development Commission Month and Year collected: May 2010 School Name: Aitkin High School Set ID: 4380 Reported Enrollment: 190 Reported Number of Classrooms: 2 Date Report Generated: 07/15/2010 Number of Classrooms Included in Report: 5 Morning and Afternoon Travel Mode Comparison Morning and Afternoon Travel Mode Comparison Number of Trips Walk Bike School Bus Family Vehicle Carpool Transit Other Morning 390 9% 3% 38% 48% 1% 0% 0% Afternoon 365 10% 2% 33% 52% 3% 0% 0% Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Page 1 of 3

Morning and Afternoon Travel Mode Comparison by Day Morning and Afternoon Travel Mode Comparison by Day Number of Trips Walk Bike School Bus Family Vehicle Carpool Transit Other Tuesday AM 162 10% 2% 38% 47% 2% 0% 0% Tuesday PM 161 12% 2% 27% 57% 2% 0% 0% Wednesday AM 86 9% 3% 31% 56% 0% 0% 0% Wednesday PM 66 2% 3% 41% 47% 8% 0% 0% Thursday AM 142 8% 4% 41% 46% 0.7% 0% 0% Thursday PM 138 11% 3% 36% 48% 3% 0% 0% Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Page 2 of 3

Travel Mode by Weather Conditions Travel Mode by Weather Condition Weather Condition Number of Trips Walk Bike School Bus Family Vehicle Carpool Transit Other Sunny 755 10% 3% 35% 50% 2% 0% 0% Rainy 0 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% Overcast 0 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% Snow 0 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Page 3 of 3

Appendix B Parent Comments Aitkin School Routing Plan July 2010

Appendix B Aitkin SRTS K-8 Parent/Guardian Survey Written Comments of Concern Bicycle and Pedestrian Concerns: 6 th St and State Hwy 47 intersection Potter and Minnesota intersection Sidewalks or walking paths along Hwy 169 and Hwy 47 Sidewalk on approach to school Better signage at Minnesota and 2 nd and 3 rd intersections Stop light at Minnesota and 4 th Vehicle speed and streets on 6 th and Hwy 47 A path between the high school and the elementary is needed 6 th Ave in-between 4 th and 5 th Intersection of Hwy 47 and Hwy169 No sidewalks on Hwy 47 No sidewalk on Minnesota Ave South Sidewalk needed along Hwy 47, 3rd and 4 th between Potter and Hwy 47 West side of Minnesota Ave need sidewalks Hwy 47 needs shoulders Sidewalks should be available on all streets around the school Need a safe spot to cross street in front of the school or designated crossing area Lots of traffic at the end of the school day Problems near the children s center parking lot (also no sidewalks here) Safe crossing zone on Hwy 47 near 4 th Ave SE and Bunker Hill Sidewalk/path that will connect at 4 th Ave and 2 nd St SE all the way to Ripple side 3 rd Street SW 2 nd St SW More sidewalks Sidewalks or special cross striping on 3 rd St coming to school Potter and Minnesota needs crosswalk or police assistance MN Ave (hwy 169) from Southgate Center past Hwy 47 Speed limit should be 30 mph from southgate center into town All neighborhoods need to have lower speed limits Sidewalks along westside of Minnesota between Potter and 1 st Drop off zone in front of Rippleside Elementary is very congested and dangerous Traffic needs to slow on Pacific, or a paved trail for peds should be put in A slow light should be put in between 4 th and Potter (20mph) from 8:00-8:30am and 3:00-3:30pm Bike path along Hwy 47 in town Better crossing over RR tracks Sidewalks in NW area of town 1