AUGUST 11, 2010...INDEX Section 1: The Safe Routes to School Team .....1 Section 2: Introduction

SYLVANIA

SCHOOL TRAVEL PLAN

AUGUST 11, 2010

INDEX

Section 1: The Safe Routes to School Team .............................................................................................. 1 Section 2: Introduction.............................................................................................................................. 2-3 Section 3: Public Input Process ................................................................................................................ 4-8 Section 4: Description of Schools ........................................................................................................... 9-14 Section 5: School Demographics.......................................................................................................... 15-16 Section 6: Current School Travel Environment..................................................................................... 17-22 Section 7: Barriers to Active Transportation ......................................................................................... 23-35 Section 8: Creating Solutions and Countermeasures ........................................................................... 36-49 Section 9: Improvements Mapping ....................................................................................................... 50-56 Section 10: The Action Plan ................................................................................................................... 57-59 Section 11: Plan Endorsements ............................................................................................................. 60-61 Section 12: Supporting Documentation ....................................................................................................... 62

o School Boundary/Student Population Map o Media/Press Articles o Survey Results o Task Force Meeting Info o Cost Estimates For Engineering Strategies

FIGURES Figure 1: Sylvania Bike Facilities Map................................................................................................................. 8 Figure 2: Location Map........................................................................................................................................ 9 Figure 3: Sylvania Elementary School Boundary Map ........................................................................................ 9 Figure 4: Highland School Campus................................................................................................................... 10 Figure 5: Highland One-Mile Walking Radius.................................................................................................... 10 Figure 6: Existing Maplewood School Campus ................................................................................................. 11 Figure 7: Maplewood One-Mile Walking Radius................................................................................................ 11 Figure 8: Proposed Maplewood School Campus .............................................................................................. 12 Figure 9: Sylvan School Campus ...................................................................................................................... 13 Figure 10: Sylvan One-Mile Walking Radius ...................................................................................................... 13 Figure 11 McCord School Campus ................................................................................................................... 14 Figure 12: McCord One-Mile Walking Radius .................................................................................................... 14 Figure 13: Highland No-Busing Area.................................................................................................................. 17 Figure 14: Sylvan No-Busing Area ..................................................................................................................... 17 Figure 15: Maplewood No-Busing Area.............................................................................................................. 17 Figure 16: McCord No-Busing Area ................................................................................................................... 17 Figure 17: McCord/Gaines Mill 2009-2010 Crossing Counts.............................................................................. 20 Figure 18: Pedestrian/Bicycle Crash Map .......................................................................................................... 23 Figure 19: Highland Existing Conditions Map..................................................................................................... 33 Figure 20: Maplewood Existing Conditions Map................................................................................................. 34 Figure 21: Sylvan/McCord Existing Conditions Map........................................................................................... 35 Figure 22: Highland Area Recommended Improvements................................................................................... 51 Figure 23: Highland Onsite Recommended Improvements ................................................................................ 52 Figure 24: Maplewood Area Recommended Improvements............................................................................... 53 Figure 25: Sylvan/McCord Area Recommended Improvements......................................................................... 54 Figure 26: Sylvan Onsite Recommended Improvements ................................................................................... 55

Figure 27: McCord Onsite Recommended Improvements.................................................................................. 56 Tables Table 1: Existing Flashing School Signage Operational Periods....................................................................... 20 Table 1: Action Plan Non-Engineering (All Schools) ......................................................................................... 57 Table 2: Action Plan Engineering (Highland and Maplewood)........................................................................... 58 Table 3: Action Plan Engineering (Sylvan, McCord and Overall) ...................................................................... 59

SYLVANIA SCHOOL TRAVEL PLAN AUGUST 11, 2010

1

SECTION 1: THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL TEAM The Sylvania Safe Routes to School Task Force:

Program Area Name Affiliation Title

Enforcement

Scott Hendricks Sylvania Police DARE/School Resource Officer/Community Affairs

Engineering

Jeffrey Ballmer City of Sylvania Director of Public Service

Todd Milner City Council Safety Committee

Laurie Adams Resident Consulting Engineer

Encouragement/Education

Deb Serdar Highland Elem Principal

Ed Eding Maplewood Elem Principal

John Duwve Sylvan Elem Principal

Jeff Robbins McCord Jr High Principal

Evaluation

Scott Nelson Sylvania Schools Assistant Superintendent

Nancy Crandell Sylvania Schools Communications Director

The primary contact for the project is:

Jeffrey P. Ballmer, PE, PS City of Sylvania Director of Public Service 6730 Monroe Street Sylvania, OH 43560 Telephone: 419-885-8965 Fax: 419-885-0486 Email: [email protected]


2

SECTION 2: INTRODUCTION In an effort to enable and encourage Sylvania’s children to walk and bike to school safely, the City of Sylvania in conjunction with Sylvania Schools has launched its Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program. In January, 2009, McCord parents approached the City Council with concerns about a safe crossing near McCord Junior High. The City has conducted signal warrant studies near the school for many years with no successful outcome. Through discussions with parents and residents, Kate Cappellini, a Sylvania Council Member, determined the McCord area has been a concern for more than 10 years. On February 20, 2009, the Sylvania City Council Safety Committee met with Mayor, Chief of Police, Sylvania’s School Superintendent, City Engineer, McCord’s Principal and a group of concerned parents and neighbors. A petition in favor of a pedestrian signal at McCord Junior High was presented to the Safety Committee. Over 200 residents signed the petition. Short and long term solutions were identified at the meeting. It was determined that short term solutions would be implemented immediately and long term solutions would be implemented over the next several years. The short term solutions included the following improvements at the McCord/Gaines Mill/Coppersmith intersection:

• repainting of crosswalks to be more visible • update crosswalk signage • hire adult crosswalk supervision for before and after school

The long term solutions included:

• completing a School Travel Plan for McCord and Sylvan Elementary (within the walking system of McCord)

• conducting a pedestrian needs study • Pursue funding through the ODOT Safe Routes to School Program.

The short term solutions have been in place since the spring of 2009. The Sylvania Safe Routes to School Task Force was created to fulfill the long term solution of completing the School Travel Plan. Because the Safe Routes to School Program is geared toward students from Kindergarten through Grade 8, City Council voted to expand the project to include all public schools that encompass Grade K though 8 and are located within the City of Sylvania. These schools include Highland Elementary, Maplewood Elementary, Sylvan Elementary and McCord Junior High. Note: The Sylvania School District also includes Sylvania Township which is home to four additional elementary schools and two additional junior high schools. Both high schools are located within City limits. The goals of the task force include:

• Determine safety concerns that discourage students from wanting to walk and/or bike to school. • Increase the number of walkers and bikers by providing safer opportunities for walking and biking. • Promote healthier lifestyles at school and home. • Increase awareness about pedestrian and bicycle safety.


3

To further explore the community’s needs, additional stakeholders beyond the task force members were invited to participate. These stakeholders include:

Name Affiliation Title

Renee Carstensen Highland PTO President

Debbie Powazki Highland Parent

Adrienne Stirn Highland Teacher

Janet Hildebrandt Highland Teacher/Safety Patrol

Heather Hawk Maplewood Parent

Scott Conway Maplewood/Future McCord

Parent

Sharon Gray Maplewood Teacher

Darcie Anderson Maplewood Teacher

Amy Essi Sylvan/McCord Parent

Kim George Sylvan Teacher

Paul Haase Sylvan Teacher

Laura Megeath Sylvan/Future McCord

Parent

Jan Polesovsky McCord Teacher

Michele Atkinson McCord Parent

Joe Kahl District Transportation Director

Bill Dryer Sylvania Police Patrolman

Dani Miller Sylvania Police Sergeant

Katie Cappellini City Council Councilperson

Julie Hoffman School Board Board Member


4

SECTION 3: PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS Public input is a crucial component to the Safe Routes to School program. Various methods of collecting input were utilized. These included completion of classroom and parent surveys, publishing articles in local newspapers, providing a SRTS Fact Sheet and Survey online, interviews with stakeholders. The Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program is led by the City Engineer – Jeff Ballmer. Mr. Ballmer has been working closely with the school principals, transportation staff, and various members of the superintendent’s office to create the Sylvania SRTS Task Force. A kickoff meeting was conducted on January 25, 2010 in the Sylvania Schools Administrative offices. This meeting was held for school principals and their selected building representatives – staff and parents. The Assistant Superintendent and the Communications Director were also in attendance. School site visits were conducted in February 2010; these visits consisted of observing the normal departure of students from the campus, talking with building staff and performing field reconnaissance of the campus. Additional visits were conducted in April and May during milder weather to observe walkers and bikers. Surveys were distributed in March and April of 2010. The survey data was then input into the National Safe Routes to School Database. The data input was completed in May of 2010. The results of the surveys can be found in Section 12: Supporting Documentation. Comments from the parent surveys are included in the supporting documentation. Key comments include:

• I am allowing my child to walk home from school primarily because of the crossing guard. I would not have considered this if the were no guard to insure his safe crossing of Gaines Mill and McCord.

• The McCord Road crossing guard is why children can continue to ride without an adult escorting them the entire distance… Thank You!

• We didn’t let our kids walk to school prior to the crossing guard being places at the intersection of McCord

• Stop bus service for Grade 6 and up within I mile. Use savings for science, math and technology.

• Too much traffic in the am & pm.

• As long as children are walking with a friend or two and aware of surroundings, have a cell phone for emergencies, they are in no danger.

• I enjoy taking my child to school.

• I saw a young students almost hit by a car crossing McCord. He did not cross in the proper spot.

• Speeding cars through school are a huge issue. I see it daily!

• My elementary kids walk to school because it is closer, we live too far from the middle school.

• They have always wanted to walk/ride bikes, but crossing McCord safely is a big concern. The crossing guard for McCord has been a GREAT idea, and relives much concern.

• Safety is biggest issue.

• My child will only walk if there continues to be a crossing guard at McCord and Gaines Mill. McCord is very busy in the morning, and without the crossing guard, no one stops for the children.


5

• My primary concern is how kids cross McCord from Lincoln Woods neighborhood for Sylvan Elementary or McCord Junior High

• Brint/McCord is unsafe for pedestrians of any age. Stop signs are routinely ignored, as are people in the crosswalk. Congestion is heavy from 7am-10am, 2:30pm-6:30pm.

• If my children did not have to cross McCord, I would let them.

• The 25 mph speed limit on Erie is not enforced and some people engage in reckless/distracted driving in the mornings.

• Too much traffic from parents picking up in the afternoon. Cars go way too fast down Erie Street!!!

• The two main reasons to keep us from our children walking/biking to school would be a lack of sidewalks and a need for a crossing guard at the busy intersections.

• Safety is the biggest concern.

• It would be great to have this option. I would bike with my kids to school to ensure their safety. Right now, traffic is heavy and no sidewalks exist.

• My child enjoys riding his bike to/from school on nice days. The crossing guards are wonderful. Keep up the good work!

• There aren’t sidewalks on a portion of Little. No crosswalks/guards to cross Erie – too much traffic (bus & car) to not have these.

• I have an older student. 4th and 5th walk with younger students. We practice directions and make sure that everyone is ready, before they earn this privilege.

• I feel that a crosswalk should be in front of the school even though there is no intersection. There should be a crossing guard.

In March 2010, a public campaign including newspaper articles and postings on the school district’s website was conducted. The Sylvania Advantage ran an article on the City–Wide Safe Routes to School program. Readers were directed to the Sylvania School District website for a downloadable fact sheet and survey. The links include:

http://www.sylvania.k12.oh.us/ http://www.sylvania.k12.oh.us/parents.htm

Several responses from Sylvania residents were generated by the web survey. The newspaper article along with the fact sheet and survey can be found in Section 12-Supporting Documents. Several citizens completed the survey and sent their results to the School Administration Building for inclusion in the Safe Routes to School process. The article was also sent to the Sylvania Herald and the Toledo Blade. As of the date of the report, no additional articles were printed.


6

Current Enforcement, Encouragement and Education Programs School District Sylvania Schools works with community partnerships such as the Sylvania Police Department, the Sylvania Fire Department, YMCA/JCC, Sylvania Public Library, Chamber of Commerce, Service Clubs, and parent organizations to provide educational and encouragement programs that promote active lifestyles. Some of these programs include:

• Safety City (All incoming Kindergarten students) • DARE – Drug Abuse Resistance Education (5th Grade) • Bike Safety • Health Fairs • Safety Patrol • Halloween Safety • School Breakfast Programs • Health and Safety Curriculum • Sylvania School Wellness Policy

Sylvania Area Joint Recreation District (SAJARD) Youth Sports Programs – Recreation teams are offered in football, basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball, dodgeball, ice hockey, broomball, flag football, lacrosse, wrestling and ultimate frisbee. Sylvania Recreation also offers the following classes and events:

• Goblin Gallop – a one mile run for K-3 students and a two mile run for 4-6 grade students. This event occurs near Halloween is open to all Sylvania residents in grades K-6.

• Martial Arts Classes • Fitness Classes • Home School Physical Education • Fun Days Camps – holiday breaks and summer • Sports Camps and Clinics • Bike Rodeo

Sylvania Recreation offers the Centennial Quarry, Plummer Pool, Pacesetter Park, Memorial Field, Tam O-Shanter Sports Complex and each Sylvania School site for recreational opportunities. Sylvania Recreation, in a mutual agreement with the Sylvania City School District, utilizes many of the baseball/softball diamonds and indoor gymnasiums located on various school properties throughout the community. Additional information can be found at www.playsylvania.com Sylvania Recreation most recently held a Bike Rodeo on May 22, 2010 at Pacesetter Park. Bike safety and helmet safety were highlighted at the free event. Participants were encouraged to bring their bikes, wear a helmet and ride through one of two training courses. Bike helmets were available for purchase for $8 each. This program was sponsored by the Safe Kids Coalition of Greater Toledo.


7

Individual Schools Highland Elementary participates in Field Day and has a lunchtime Walking Club for students. In the Walking Club, students walk laps on a ¼ mile course during recess. Plastic feet are earned for accumulated mileage and students wear their feet charms on a chain. Other Highland events include STRIDE (walkathon), Bus Safety instruction (K-5), and Bike Helmet Safety for kindergarten. Maplewood Elementary offers a Running Club, Field Day, a Gardening Club and parent student dances in addition to the Panther Prowl. Panther Prowl is a fundraiser each fall for the Maplewood PTA. The students raise money by pledging to walk/run a certain number of laps around a small track set up in the playground area. All students and most teachers walk/run for the designated time, regardless of pledges raised. Sylvan Elementary offers the Stride for Pride fundraiser walk-a-thon, Bus Safety instruction (K-5), Bike Helmet Safety for Kindergarten, Seat belt safety for 3rd grade, Before School Morning running club for students (K-5), Ice Skating Parties (K-5) and field day (K-5). The school also offers a Late Start wellness program for staff. McCord Junior High offers the following sports: Volleyball, Football, Cross country, Boys basketball, Girls basketball, Wrestling, Track and Cheerleading in the Northern Lakes League. McCord also participates in School wide health walks, Red Cross Blood Drive, Weekly Fitness facts, 2 minute warm up exercises, Physical Education and the promotion of all Sylvania Recreation programs. Bike Paths and Lanes - The City of Sylvania is home to many bike paths and lanes. These facilities have been established through cooperation with the City, Lucas County and the local parks systems to provide safe biking opportunities to Sylvania and western Lucas County residents. The description of each is listed below and a map can be found on page 8. 1. Sylvania Bike Network The City of Sylvania and the Sylvania Area Joint Recreation District have developed the following bikeways to link neighborhoods with parks and other community facilities.

• Pacesetter Park Bike Path: 0.75-mile, 12-foot-wide paved bike path from Centennial Quarry to Pacesetter Park.

• Monroe Street/Erie Street Bicycle Lanes: 2.1-mile, paved bike lanes, from Monroe Street at Silica Drive to Erie Street at Centennial Road.

2. Olander Park System The Olander Park System in Sylvania operates Olander Park that features a 1.1-mile paved bicycle and walking path around the park as well as numerous other facilities on the park grounds. 3. University/Parks Trail and Connectors 3-1. University/Parks Trail 6.3 miles. The first rails-to-trails conversion in Lucas County, a 12-foot wide

paved path from the University of Toledo to King Road in Sylvania. 3-2. King Road/Sylvania Avenue Bikeway loop

• King Road bike lanes: 0.5 miles, from University/Parks Trail to Sylvania Avenue. • Sylvania Avenue Bikeway: 4 miles. Bike lanes from King Road to Holland-Sylvania Road; 8-

footwide asphalt path from Holland-Sylvania Road to Talmadge Road.


8

Figure 1 – Sylvania Bike Facilities Map


9

Figure 2 – Location Map

SECTION 4: DESCRIPTION OF SCHOOLS The City of Sylvania is located in northwest Lucas County and is suburb of Toledo. The northern border of Sylvania is the Ohio-Michigan border. The city’s population was estimated at 19,185 in 2008. The surrounding Sylvania Township adds an additional population of over 25,600. The current student population in the Sylvania School district is 7,472. Elementary aged children number 3,106 and Junior High number 1,805. Sylvania City Schools consist of twelve buildings, including six elementary (K-6) schools, three junior high schools (6-8), and two high schools (9-12). In addition there are several faith based schools located in Sylvania. The schools which are part of the Safe Routes to School program include Highland Elementary, Maplewood Elementary, Sylvan Elementary, and McCord Junior High School. The school district boundaries are shown in Figure 1. A more detailed map is shown in Section 12 – Supporting Documents.

Figure 3 - Sylvania Schools Boundary Map

SYLVANIA

HIGHLAND

MAPLEWOOD

McCORD

SYLVAN


10

This School Travel Plan focuses on the three elementary buildings and the junior high building located in the City of Sylvania. The buildings and campuses will be discussed in alphabetical order by elementary building and then by junior high building. Highland Elementary (K-5) Highland Elementary is located at 7720 Erie Street. School hours are 9:05 am to 3:35 pm. The current school campus is shown below.

Figure 4 - Highland School Campus

Approximately 670 students attend Highland Elementary. The one mile walking boundary is shown below. According to parent surveys, approximately 52 percent of students that attend Highland Elementary live within one mile of the school and approximately 9 percent of students walk or bike.

Figure 5 - Highland One-Mile Walking Radius

HIGHLAND


11

Maplewood Elementary (K-5) Maplewood Elementary is located at 6769 Maplewood Road. School hours are 9:05 am to 3:35 pm. The current school campus is shown in Figure 6.

Figure 6 – Existing Maplewood School Campus

Approximately 364 students attend Maplewood Elementary. The one mile walking boundary is shown below. According to parent surveys, approximately 54 percent of students that attend Maplewood Elementary live within one mile of the school and approximately 10 percent of students walk or bike.

Figure 7- Maplewood One-Mile Walking Radius

MAPLEWOOD

FORMER ADMIN BLDG


12

A new Maplewood School is currently under construction and will open in August of 2011 for the 2011-2012 school year. The new school building will be located immediately south of the existing school building. The future school campus is shown below in Figure 8.

Figure 8 - Maplewood Site Plan


13

Sylvan Elementary (K-5) Sylvan Elementary is located at 4830 Wickford Drive. School hours are 8:30 am to 3:00 pm. The current school campus is shown below.

Figure 9 – Sylvan School Campus

Approximately 345 students attend Sylvan Elementary. The one mile walking boundary is shown below. According to parent surveys, approximately 66 percent of students that attend Sylvan Elementary live within one mile of the school and approximately 15 percent of students walk or bike.

Figure 10 – Sylvan One-Mile Walking Radius


14

McCord Junior High (6-8) McCord Junior High is located at 4304 McCord Road. School hours are 8:05 am to 2:55 pm. The current school campus is shown below.

Figure 11 – McCord School Campus

Approximately 640 students attend McCord Junior High. The one mile walking boundary is shown below. According to parent surveys, approximately 26 percent of students that attend McCord Junior High live within one mile of the school and approximately 10 percent of students walk or bike.

Figure 10 – McCord One-Mile Walking Radius


15

SECTION 5: SCHOOL DEMOGRAPHICS Highland Elementary School

Maplewood Elementary School

Sylvan Elementary School


16

McCord Junior High School


17

SECTION 6: CURRENT SCHOOL TRAVEL ENVIRONMENT Transportation Eligibility The Sylvania School District has a transportation eligibility program that applies to all schools. Each building has a different scenario depending on the urban or rural nature of the school, the availability of sidewalks, busyness of adjacent streets and other factors. The district will bus students living anywhere outside of the designated no-busing areas. The areas designated for walking are current as of the issue of this report. These areas are as shown in Figures 13 through 16.

Figure 13 – Highland No-Busing Area Figure 14 – Sylvan No-Busing Area

Figure 15 –Maplewood No-Busing Area Figure 16 – McCord No-Busing Area

N N

N N


18

BUS

63.9%

FAMILY VEHICLE

26.5%

CAR POOL

2.3%

OTHER

0.2%WALK

5.9%

BIKE

1.2%

BUS

66.8%

FAMILY VEHICLE

20.4%

BIKE

1.3%

WALK

9.3%

CAR POOL

1.7%

OTHER

0.4%

BUS

64.6%

FAMILY VEHICLE

25.4%

CAR POOL

0.5%

BIKE

1.8%

TRANSIT

0.1%WALK

7.7%

BUS

73.1%

WALK

8.7%

TRANSIT

0.2%

CAR POOL

0.4% OTHER

0.3%

BIKE

2.0%FAMILY VEHICLE

15.4%

Travel Statistics According to in-class surveys taken by classroom teachers, it was found that between 7.6 and 13.6 percent of students walk, with an additional 1.0 to 2.0 percent of students riding their bikes. The surveys were taken in March and April. Following is a breakdown of the travel modes reported in the surveys.

Travel Mode TO Highland Elem Travel Mode FROM Highland Elem

Travel Mode TO Maplewood Elem Travel Mode FROM Maplewood Elem


19

WALK

11.6%

BIKE

1.0%

BUS

60.7%

CAR POOL

2.6%

FAMILY VEHICLE

24.1%BIKE

1.1%

BUS

63.3%

CAR POOL

2.2%FAMILY VEHICLE

17.6%

WALK

15.7%

BUS

66.3%

FAMILY VEHICLE

24.0%

CAR POOL

2.9%

WALK

5.1%BIKE

1.7%

BUS

65.3%

FAMILY VEHICLE

16.8%

BIKE

1.7%

WALK

11.0%

CAR POOL

5.1%

Travel Mode TO Sylvan Elem Travel Mode FROM Sylvan Elem

Travel Mode TO McCord J.H. Travel Mode FROM McCord J.H.


20

School Zone Signing & Striping Fluorescent school zone signing is installed at all four schools. School advanced warning assemblies are located at all four locations as well as “School” pavement markings. All four schools also have installed school speed limit assemblies. Flashing school assemblies are provided at Highland Elementary along Erie Street and McCord Junior High along McCord Road. The operational times are as follows:

Flash Period School

Arrival Mid-Day Departure

Highland (Erie St.) 8:25 am to 9:15 am 11:15 am to 11:45 am 12:45 to 1:15 pm

3:15 pm to 3:55 pm

McCord (McCord Rd.) 7:45 am to 8:15 am N/A 2:45 pm to 3:15 pm

Table 1 – Existing Flashing School Zone Operational Periods The school zones for Sylvan and Maplewood do not have flashing installations at this time. Field observations also noted a school zone along Monroe Street along the former Burnham Building. The Burnham building housed before and after school programs. This building was demolished for the new Maplewood Elementary building. Crossing Support Each Elementary building uses fifth grade students for safety patrol at various locations on or adjacent to school grounds. Adult supervision (either staff or volunteer) is also provided at key locations such as bus staging, crossing of vehicular paths and crosswalks near the school campus. The City had paid for an adult crossing guard for McCord and Sylvan students at the McCord/Gaines Mill/Coppersmith intersection since the spring of 2009. This adult crossing guard is on duty from 7:30 am until 8:30 am and from 2:45 pm until 3:15 pm. The crossing guard calls the police department daily to report the number of students using the crosswalk. Figure 17 graphs the counts taken of students crossing with the guard.

McCord/Gaines Mill Crossing Counts

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

J A S O N D J F M A M J

Month

Students

Sylvan AM

Sylvan PM

McCord PM

McCord AM

Figure 17 – McCord / Gaines Mill 2009-2010 Crossing Counts


21

An adult guard was recently posted at Erie Street and Sun Valley Boulevard intersection to aid students using the crosswalk. This adult guard is paid for by the School District. Prior to the adult guard, eight to ten students used the Erie/Sun Valley crosswalk. The adult guard was in place the last five weeks of the 2009-2010 school year and the number of students using the crosswalk increase to 33. The adult presence has afforded more parent confidence in students walking to school. Biking Policy Bike lanes are installed along Erie and other various locations; however, parents indicated that they do not feel it is safe for their grade school child to use them. The City of Sylvania permits children of grade school and junior high age to ride bicycles on the sidewalk. Bike racks are provided at all schools and students are encouraged to lock their bikes to the racks. Safety patrol and adult supervisors provided information on the number of students using bicycle helmets. It was noted that most students did not use helmets. Arrival/Dismissal Policies Highland Elementary

• Normal operation - east drive inbound and west drive outbound. Due to construction behind school, construction entrance is also at the west drive.

• Buses use the outer drive and parking area, lining up along the west drive, around the bend and along the front of the school. Students are released all at once. 10-11 buses are used at Highland.

• Parents travel counter-clockwise in the center parking lot. Pavement marking and signage are used to direct drivers accordingly. Parents dropoff/pickup at the north end of the parking lot. Student safety patrol is used for crossing the bus drive.

• All students enter and exit through the front doors of the school. Maplewood Elementary

• Bus dropoff/pickup occurs along Judi Young Drive. The drive is closed to traffic during the afternoon pickup, but open during morning dropoff. Additional buses park along Maplewood on the north side of the school. Seven buses plus two special buses during dismissal.

• Parent dropoff/pickup occurs in the parking lot on the northwest side of the school, circulating counter clockwise with the exit being part of the four way stop at Maplewood and Philips.

• The current scenario is temporary with a new school being built which will use a bus parking lane along Judi Young for bus pickup/drop-off and a loop drive at Phillips for parent pickups and dropoffs.

Sylvan Elementary

• Three zones are used for drop-off and pick-up. Most buses drop-off and pick-up in the loop in front of the school. Parents use the south or the west ends of the school. In the west parking lot, one lane is striped for pickup/dropoff only, and the other for buses only. A few select buses, including kindergarten and handicap buses, utilize this area.

• Students to enter and exit all doors. However due to their location in the building; most K-3 students enter/exit the west doors, while grades 4 and 5 use the south doors.


22

McCord Junior High

• Parent dropoff/pickup occurs in the parking lot in the rear of the school. The vehicles are to cycle counter-clockwise and exit out the same drive. Buses drop-off/pick-up in the west parking lot in front of the school. No cars are allowed in this parking lot except faculty and staff who are parking. A staff member is located at the intersection of the drive and the parking lot entrance to enforce these procedures.

• The above procedures are temporary as the building is under construction. The normal and future procedures are similar, with buses dropping off along the front of the school, and with parents dropping off in a loop to the south of the school. The new parent dropoff will result in students crossing path with exiting vehicles thus may be a future safety concern.


23

SECTION 7: BARRIERS TO ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PEDESTRIAN/BICYLE CRASH DATA Nine bicycle crashes and two pedestrian crashes were reported in the City of Sylvania during the three-year time period of 2007-2010. Of the crashes, six were related to school aged children, up to 17 years of age. All six school aged children were on bicycles. Of the nine crashes, seven occurred within crosswalks; with the driver being at fault four times, the pedestrian/bicyclist once, with two unknowns. The crashes show a need for better driver awareness of pedestrians and bicycles. It also shows the need for bicyclist to be vigilant and not assume vehicles see them coming when they enter a crosswalk. A map depicting the crash locations can be found in Figure 18. In January 2010, a Sylvania Northview High School student was fatally injured on Erie Street just west of Highland Elementary. The student was crossing the road to get on the school bus when struck by a SUV. This crash also illustrates the need for better driver awareness of safety laws associated with school zones, school buses and pedestrians.

Figure 18 – Pedestrian/Bicycle Crash Map


24

WALKING AUDITS Walking audits were conducted in May 2010 and will be discussed for each individual school. In general, the walking audits revealed that many of the students eligible to walk to school have sidewalks and opportunities to cross lower to medium traveled streets. However, safe routes are not provided in all neighborhoods. Crossing guards are provided at two major street intersection crossings. However, several locations require additional attention. Driver speed and behavior is a concern for all schools. Schools are presented in alphabetical order first by elementary and then junior high. Highland Elementary A walking audit was performed for Highland Elementary on May 3, 2010. The walk included several members of the school administration, city staff, police force, parents, and adult and student members of the safety patrol. As seen in Figure 5, Highland students who live within walking distance come from all directions to the school. Nearly all students must walk along or cross Erie Street, the main barrier to safe routes to Highland. Although some local streets lack sidewalks, the busier streets are mostly equipped with sidewalks except for Little Road. School and general pedestrian signing and striping are located throughout the walking area. Figure 18 shows the existing pedestrian accommodations within the Highland walking zone. Walking along and crossing Erie Street is the major barrier to active transportation for Highland Elementary School. This concern is expressed by school administration and parents alike. Many parent surveys list traffic volume, speed, and inattention along Erie Street / Sylvania Metamora (west of Centennial). On occasions police have made a presence in front of the school which reportedly made a dramatic difference in driver behavior. Because of the safety concerns in crossing Erie, a paid guard is stationed at the signalized intersection of Erie and Sun Valley Boulevard (Grove Bel Subdivision). The crossing is also signed with school zone crossing signage and a DuraTherm crosswalk is installed. The crossing guard places “Kid Alert – Visual Warning Signals” (above; left) at the crosswalk

to further alert drivers of the crossing. Speed and red light running are concerns at the intersection. It is reported that eastbound drivers have visibility problems with the signal and intersection due to the morning sun, and running or nearly running red lights. A review of crash reports in the area showed that a high number of rear ends occurred at the

intersection both in the morning due to sun and at other times during the day. Other complaints include drivers turning out of Grove Bel not looking for children in the crosswalk during their “Walk” phase. Complaints were also noted that the “Walk” indication changes to flashing “Don’t Walk” then back. Student safety patrol is stationed to assist children in crossing Wakefield Drive to/from the school. Sidewalks are provided for students along the main route in/out of Grove Bel. Safety concerns within the neighborhood include the intersection of Bonniebrook and Sun Valley Blvd. The intersection is a three-way stop but drivers are reported and observed to commonly ignore the stop sign or perform a rolling stop.


25

South on Bonniebrook is a narrow bridge with a narrow sidewalk immediately adjacent to the curb; speeding is common through the area. The Highland Terrace neighborhood northeast of the school lacks sidewalks throughout the neighborhood. The first two streets (Rockdale and Wakefield) are designated for walking while Jeffrey and Alexa are bussed. Students from this neighborhood can enter the school property at the west end of Avon Lane and Grenlock Drive. Northwest of the school the Centennial Farms neighborhood contains sidewalk throughout and the students have a fairly safe route to school. Several sidewalk connections are made from both these neighborhoods to the school property. No sidewalk connections are made once on school property. The majority of this neighborhood is not bused. An area of concern for students from Centennial Farms is across the creek where the

sidewalk immediately abuts the bike lanes, with no curb or other physical separation between pedestrians and traffic (left). The same is true along the south side of the road. In several locations along Erie sidewalk drainage is an issue, with standing water long after rain events.

The Eagle Trace neighborhood and Brookfield neighborhood southwest of the school has a less safe route to school. Students from Brookfield and Little Road have no sidewalks along Little Road to use. Several parents from the neighborhood listed sidewalk along Little Road as their secondary barrier to walking, next to crossing Erie. Students have no marked crossing on Erie between Sun Valley (crossing guard) and Centennial (signal). As a result, some students were reported crossing in a culvert between Hedingham Road and Little Road. Others likely dart across at undesignated locations, while many more are simply not allowed to walk or ride to school. Some of the parents surveyed who live west of Centennial state that they would be willing to let their child walk at an older age if they had sidewalk. A bike/multi-use path is installed along the north side of Sylvania Metamora (Erie Street west of Centennial) however gaps were noted along the route. The traffic signal at Centennial includes pedestrian signals and crosswalks. Various problems were observed with the on site vehicular circulation discussed in Section 6. The morning drop-off queue was observed to reach the entrance to the parking lot and onto the east drive, but never reaching Erie Street. In the afternoon, few parents were observed cycling around to pickup, most parked in the lot and went to the school to get their child. Parents also use the church to the west to pickup and drop off; this does not require the students to cross any traffic areas and is a safe alternative. Staff quickly corrected parents who used the bus lane for drop-off or pick-up. Onsite signing and striping did not demand attention. Operation of the one-way drive was ambiguous; conflicts were observed with vehicles exiting the parking lot and buses traveling down the west drive. During the drop-off and pick-up periods, the west drive operates as an exit. However, after school and on


26

weekends when recreational teams use the ball fields in the rear of the school, the drive is often used as a two way drive. While school renovations are completed, the west drive is signed as the “Construction Entrance” further confusing drivers. Three bike racks are available for students at the east end of the school.

Maplewood Elementary A walking audit was performed for Maplewood Elementary on April 29, 2010. The walk included several members of the school administration, city staff, police force, parents, and two students. One student attending was also a safety patrol member. As seen in Figure 7, a majority of Maplewood students who could walk to school would come from the north, northwest, and southwest of the school. The school is located on the south end of a neighborhood, but also serves neighborhoods further away. Major barriers to the students’ ability to walk to school safely include walking along and crossing Monroe Street, Erie Street, Maplewood Avenue, and Silica Drive. Although some local streets lack sidewalks, the busier streets are mostly equipped with sidewalks. School and general pedestrian signing and striping are located throughout the walking area. Figure 20 shows the existing pedestrian accommodations within the Maplewood walking zone. Coming from the northwest portion of the school boundary, crosswalks are provided at all the minor street

approaches along Erie (left). Walking along and crossing Erie Street is a major concern for many parents. Vehicles along Erie were reported to drive with excessive speed, particularly where signed for 15 mph near Philips Avenue. Uncontrolled crosswalks are striped across Erie at Eaglewood Lane, Brainard Drive, Burnham Park near Elden Drive, Philips Avenue, and at Woodrow Drive. Although furthest from the school, the crosswalk at Eaglewood Lane is signed

with a school crossing sign and “Ped Xing” plaque. Student safety patrol with an adult volunteer are present at the Philips crossing, thus making it the safest place to cross Erie. An area of concern with this school attendance boundary is the intersection of Erie and Monroe. Crossings and pedestrian signals are available at the Erie /Monroe intersection, however the geometry of

the intersection make crossing more confusing with multiple crossings necessary. This also includes crossing a channelized right turn, where drivers are less likely to pay attention to pedestrians. The crosswalk across the right turn has pedestrian heads but traffic is stop controlled.

In the southwest corner of the school attendance boundary, is the neighborhood known as Woodstream Farms. This neighborhood is located south of the Grove Bel neighborhood and while within the 1 mile walking radius of the school, the actual walking distance following roadways is approximately 2 miles. A resident of this neighborhood indicated that his children would be allowed to bike and they were evaluating

STOP SIGN


27

whether the safest route was through Grove Bel and down Erie or via subdivision roads to Silica traveling past the high school. These students can currently cross at the Erie/Sun Valley signal and travel along Erie or at the Monroe/Silica signal. The students living in the Sleepy Hollow (Olde Post Road) neighborhood lack a safe route to school. No sidewalks are installed in the subdivision, except on the newly reconstructed covered bridge located within the neighborhood. The nearest sidewalk on the south side of Monroe is found at the Monroe/Erie intersection. Sidewalk is found on the north side of Monroe Street to the school site. A crosswalk is located at Olde Post Road across Monroe Street, however is unsigned and faded (right).

Many students who attend Maplewood live in the neighborhoods south of Monroe Street, southwest of Northview High School and south of Lourdes College. Students located in these areas must all walk up Silica Drive, traveling along Northview High School, Sylvania Franciscan Academy and Lourdes College. Students living in the Woodstream Farms subdivision (Kings Run Rd) can take the route up Silica or travel through the Grove Bel Subdivision (Sun Valley Blvd) then down Erie Street as previously discussed. Sidewalks are provided on the main streets out of Woodstream Farms, however the sidewalks end upon exiting the subdivision at King Road. No sidewalk is available for students traveling down King Road, Whispering Oak Drive, and Convent Boulevard. Sidewalk along Silica Drive is inconsistent and students must cross the street multiple times to stay on the sidewalk or bike path. A school crossing is installed in front of Sylvania Franciscan Academy (right) and the multi-use path ends at the high school with a signed and marked crosswalk provided. Students can then travel along the west side of Silica along the high school property and must also cross the four drives. The high school begins at 7:35 am and ends at 2:25 pm, therefore student drivers are not typically present during the times when Maplewood students would travel. Once students arrive at the Monroe Street / Silica Drive / Judi Young Drive intersection from any direction, pedestrian pushbuttons, signal heads, and school zone crosswalks are provided for all approaches. Right turns are prohibited during school hours at the intersection, improving the safety of the crossings. Two of the approaches have only a single ramp, forcing students uncomfortably close to passing parallel traffic (below right)


28

Students from east of the school must cross railroad tracks between downtown and the school. Crossings at the tracks do not have crossing gates (right), however very few trains use the track, especially during school commute hours. Sidewalks are provided along Erie, Maplewood, and Monroe on both sides of the street east of the school. Signals with crosswalks are provided at the intersections with Main Street in downtown Sylvania, with pedestrian signals at Maplewood and Monroe Streets.

At the school, students are released to/from the buses along Judi Young Drive. Parent dropoff/pickup occurs in the parking lot on the northwest side of the school, circulating counter clockwise with the exit being part of the four way stop at Maplewood and Philips. The parent pickup/dropoff parking lot was observed to function fairly smoothly. Problems included parents pulling into parking spaces, then trying to back out, sometimes exiting through the entrance. Traffic was not observed to backup onto Maplewood.

Parents were also observed dropping off along Maplewood in front of the school, blocking traffic and forcing people to pass in the opposing lane. One student was observed being dropped off out the passenger side of the vehicle in the middle of the road. In the afternoon the special buses (YMCA, etc) stop along Maplewood in front of the school. Drivers were observed to be confused and have difficulty seeing around the buses to safely pass by in opposing traffic (right). This caused some safety problems in which the student crossing guards could not see traffic around the buses. Several situations with “surprised” drivers and crossing guards were observed. The current scenario is temporary with a new school being built which will use a bus parking lane along Judi Young for bus pickup/drop-off and a loop drive at Phillips for parent pickups and dropoffs. DuraTherm crosswalks are provided on Maplewood at Philips (below), and on Judi Young Drive at Maplewood, which are becoming faded and less effective. Student safety patrol is stationed with an adult volunteer to help with the Philips crossing. School zone signing and striping is located throughout the area as shown on Figure 19. Many of the signs in the area are not up to code, including crosswalk signs lacking diagonal arrows. Excessive use of crosswalks and signs also leads to disrespect for the traffic control devices.

Bike racks are located near the west entrance (parent drop-off entrance). Eleven bikes were observed in the racks on the day of the audit. School administration stated that this is typical and that approximately four of the students wear helmets on a regular basis.


29

Sylvan Elementary A walking audit was performed for Sylvan Elementary on May 5, 2010. The walk included several members of the school administration, city staff, police force, parents, and two student safety patrol members. As seen in Figure 10, Sylvan Elementary sits in the northeast corner of the Sylvan Square neighborhood. Students within this neighborhood have ample sidewalks and do not have to cross any major streets to walk or bike to school. The remainder of the district is located west of McCord Road, which is the primary barrier to the students’ ability to walk to school safely. School and general pedestrian signing and striping are located throughout the walking area. Figure 20 shows the existing pedestrian accommodations within the Sylvan walking zone. Onsite, three zones are used for drop-off and pick-up. Students use all doors to enter and exit. However due to their location in the building; most K-3 students enter/exit the west doors, while grades 4 and 5 use

the south doors. Most buses drop-off and pick-up in the loop in front of the school. Parents use the south or the west ends of the school. In the west parking lot, one lane is striped for pickup/dropoff only, and the other for buses only. A few select buses, including kindergarten and handicap buses, utilize this area. Cones are placed to separate the lanes and as an attempt to stop people from

passing others who are still waiting for their child. Cones are also placed to block the bus lane until the buses arrive. No signing is used and the striping has become faded and hard to read (right). Problems in the west parking lot included both buses and cars using the wrong lanes, and parents pulling into parking spaces and then attempting to back of their space while buses and parents enter. Others passed waiting vehicles or tried backing out of the drive after picking up their child. Some parents drop-off and pick-up their student by parking at the apartments across the street, then walking with their child across Wickford, typically not using the crosswalk. The traffic was observed to briefly backup into Wickford Drive. The east parking lot is not set up well for parent pick-up and drop-off. The lot does not have sufficient room to make a loop, and most parents were observed pulling into parking spaces, especially the handicap spaces nearest the door, to release/pick-up their children. Due to the low volume of vehicles and large number of parking

spaces, this did not appear to be a major problem; however, it does have a higher risk for safety problems. Conflicts were observed with students walking across the entrance to the parking lot with entering vehicles not paying attention. Safety patrol was once stationed at this drive, however was removed due to ineffectiveness with the drivers. A single bike rack is located at the rear west end of the school.


30

In the immediate vicinity of the school, DuraTherm crosswalks and student safety patrol are positioned at the Wickford Drive / Charlesgate Road intersection (right). This intersection, although two local residential streets, becomes very busy during school arrival and dismissal times. Traffic was observed to be confused by the safety patrol, at points becoming backed up unnecessarily. Safety patrol members cite being ignored by parents, older students, and drivers as their biggest safety concern. School zone 20 mph signs and advanced warning signs are posted around the school as shown in Figure 21. Drivers appear to respect the speed limit, likely due to its neighborhood setting. Some of the signs in the area are not up to code, including crosswalk signage on stop controlled approaches. Other concerns near the school include older students “hanging around” the playground area. This concern was brought up by students, parents, and staff members. Sidewalk is provided from the school to all areas of the surrounding neighborhood except the apartments immediately north of the school. This neighborhood is not bused. As students walk toward McCord they are reported to commonly zig-zag across Charlesgate. Depending on the route taken, students travel to McCord on Charlesgate or Coppersmith Road. Crosswalks are provided on McCord at ten locations between Sylvania Avenue and Brint Road although only the crosswalks at Coppersmith/Gaines Mill are signed. Due to traffic volumes and speed, crossing McCord Road is the number one safety concern for parents, school administration, and community leaders (right). As a result, an adult crossing guard has been employed for McCord and Sylvan students at the McCord/Gaines Mill/ Coppersmith intersection (below). The guard was observed to be very effective in creating a safe crossing for students. The crossing was noted by many Sylvan parents as being a major factor in allowing their children to walk to school. However, the crossing is located 1150 feet south of the Charlesgate intersection with McCord.

Because of this, students who live west of McCord and north of Coppersmith/Gaines Mill have to walk substantially out of the way to cross with the guard. As a result, many students are reported to cross on their own further north. North of Gaines Mill, unsigned crosswalks are striped across McCord at Gettysburg, Brintwood, Denbridge, and at Brint. Despite these crosswalks, students reportedly tend to cross at Charlesgate.

The intersection of Brint and McCord is also a concern for many parents. Although this intersection is a four way stop with marked crosswalks, the approaches are multi-lane with nearly identical traffic volumes on three of the approaches. Drivers have a tendency to roll through the stop signs instead of stopping and the multi-lane approaches cause confusion for drivers and pedestrians. This


31

intersection has been studied for meeting signal warrant requirements several times of the last ten years with no success. Once across McCord, students are provided sidewalk along the major routes except on Gettysburg, a portion of Brintwood, and the north/south portion of Gaines Mill Drive (see Figure 21). The lack of sidewalks poses a safety concern being the main vehicular and pedestrian outlets for the neighborhood. No crosswalks are present within the neighborhood except on Vicksburg. Ramps are missing at several of the intersections as well. McCord Junior High A walking audit was performed for McCord Junior High on May 6, 2010. The walk included several members of the school administration, city staff, and parents. As seen in Figure 12, McCord Junior High sits along McCord Road in the southeast corner of the school’s attendance boundary. The school is located approximately half a mile south of Sylvan Elementary and shares many of the same barriers to active transportation. McCord’s attendance boundary includes all of Sylvan Elementary and Highland Elementary, as well as the portion of Maplewood south of Highland Meadows golf course and Northview High School. A majority of those students who can walk to McCord live within the Sylvan Elementary boundary or the extreme southern portions of the Maplewood boundary. The students who live in the neighborhood containing Sylvan Elementary have a nearly unobstructed safe route to McCord Junior High. Similar to Sylvan, McCord Road is the primary barrier to the students’ ability to walk to school safely from the neighborhood west of McCord Road. The conditions within these neighborhoods are as stated in the Sylvan portion of the barriers to active transport discussion (above). Figure 20 shows the existing pedestrian accommodations within the McCord walking zone. The crossing at of McCord Road is the primary concern for McCord Junior High parents, administration, and community leaders. Signal warrant studies have been conducted for a crossing in front of the school.

All studies completed have shown that a pedestrian signal is not warranted. As a result, the paid adult crossing guard was placed at the Coppersmith/Gaines Mill intersection. As stated, the guard was observed to be very effective in creating a safe crossing for students. Nearly all students heading north from the school and wishing to cross McCord were observed using the guard in a respectful and proper manner. The crossing was observed on April 19, 2010 where 33 students and one adult crossed with the guard, including seven students on bikes. Three students were observed to have already crossed between the school and the guard crossing (crosswalks

are striped at the school and at Lincoln Parkway). An additional 36 children passed by the crosswalk without crossing, continuing on McCord or Coppersmith. Barriers to students living in the neighborhoods west of McCord are the same as those discussed with the Sylvan Elementary. Students living north of Brint Road must walk along the north side of Brint and cross at the McCord/Brint four-way stop intersection. Despite the crosswalks and four-way stop, parents, staff, and


32

police expressed safety concerns with students crossing at the intersection. The main concerns are related to rolling stops and people ignoring the pedestrians trying to cross. No other crossings on Brint are provided. While the crossing guard provides a much safer route for those to and from the neighborhoods to the north, many students travel south on McCord to the small subdivisions on the west side of McCord, and more commonly the gas station on the northwest corner of McCord and Sylvania Avenue. Students frequently travel in groups to the station after school and before after-school activities such as sporting events. Crosswalks across McCord are installed at both school drives, Victoria Court, and at the signalized intersection with Sylvania Avenue (which contains pedestrian signals). However, students are observed crossing McCord Road wherever they see a gap. When traveling in large groups, with food and sodas in hand, students tend to be more distracted and less careful when crossing the busy street. Flashing school zone speed limit assemblies are installed along McCord near the school. Police presence was also observed on multiple occasions during the morning arrival time. The crossing guard at Gaines Mill noted that traffic coming from the south is more attentive when the flashing lights are on than when not flashing. While on school grounds, students cross the school drive to travel south on McCord. Due to sidewalk

locations, students must make the crossing midway up the driveway with no designated location assigned. As a result, students dart across the drive competing with entering and exiting traffic (left). Various problems were observed with the onsite vehicular circulation discussed in Section 6. In the parent pick-up/drop-off area traffic queues out of the lot onto the drive resulting in many vehicles dropping off or picking up their student in the drive, then attempted to turn around in the drive with a three point turn (right). This resulted in

many problems including students crossing exiting traffic, exiting traffic being blocked by vehicles turning around, and overall confusion. Many vehicles were also observed to enter the lot the wrong way then park in a parking spot to pickup their student, especially during pickup. Onsite signing and striping was conflicting due to construction. All onsite traffic control will need updated after construction.

LEGEND

Highland Elem..

LEGEND


36

SECTION 8: CREATING SOLUTIONS AND COUNTERMEASURES A comprehensive solutions strategy was developed for each school consisting of a toolbox of general solutions along with benefits of each solution. Strategies were developed for each of the 5 E’s (Engineering, Encouragement, Education, Enforcement, and Evaluation). In the immediate school campus areas, Sylvania provides a sidewalk network on most streets. While the schools have common solutions that can be utilized such as signage and pavement marking upgrades, each campus also has unique countermeasures to be employed for safer walking and biking. In general, students walk or bike to school more often in good weather. The schools need to encourage and promote walking and biking in all kinds of weather. This will help reduce the number of parent vehicles dropping off and picking up. Reduction of parent vehicles will improve the air quality at each school building. Engineering improvements may help reduce hazard bussing. Until additional school buildings are constructed in the western portion of the school district, many students will continue to be bussed due to distance. Strategies that allow bussed students to engage in walking to school are included. Parent support for using adult crossing guards at crosswalks with higher speeds and traffic volumes was shown through the surveys. Many comments were provided that indicated that an adult presence was the key for allowing students to walk to school. Parental support was also shown when McCord walkers and bikers increased with the addition of an adult for the 2009-2010 school year. The most significant support was seen for Highland parents when students using the crosswalks increased from eight to 33 in a short time period. Law enforcement can quickly help change unsafe behaviors around school campuses. These changes will make walking and biking more attractive to students and parents will feel more comfortable allowing their students to walk or bike. Educational programs are most closely linked to encouragement programs although they also complement enforcement and engineering. Each school has some educational and encouragement programs in place. Additional school programs as well as community programs are presented in the Action Plan to address educational and encouragement components of Safe Routes to School.


37

Infrastructure (Engineering) School zone signing and marking The 2009 Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) provides that all school warning signs shall have a fluorescent yellow-green background with a black legend. Fluorescent yellow-green signs are more conspicuous than standard yellow signs, especially at dawn and dusk, as well as during inclement weather. As a result, drivers detect fluorescent yellow-green signs from greater distances, which enables drivers to respond to situations earlier (i.e., slowing down or yielding to a pedestrian). By alerting drivers sooner that special caution is needed, fluorescent yellow-green signs significantly improve the safety of students who walk and bike to school. In many instances, the school flasher needs to be employed to give more attention to the school times. These are especially important for elementary schools and schools located on busy streets. Beacons are typically used on roads with an Average Daily Traffic (ADT) volume of greater than 10,000 and normal speed limits of 35 mph or greater. The new MUTCD no longer allows for “During Restricted Hours” plaque, instead requiring flashers or specific time periods.

Crosswalk Signing and Markings Crosswalk markings are used to alert drivers of pedestrian rights of way and to direct pedestrians to the preferred crossing location. There are many styles of crosswalk markings with the preferred enhanced style being the “continental” as shown to the right. The continental style crossing consists of multiple longitudinal bars. Crosswalk markings are recommended on all school routes. All pavement markings are required to meet the requirements of the 2005 OMUTCD and 2009 MUTCD. Crosswalk signs with the fluorescent yellow-green background should also be provided. The preferred signs are yellow-green S1-1. The S1-1 sign will be provided for advanced warning with the W16-9p “AHEAD” plaque and at the actual crosswalk with the W16-7p “sloping down arrow” plaque. The standard crosswalk warning sign W11-2 must be used in place of the S1-1 sign for crosswalks outside of school zones or on non-established school pedestrian routes. Crosswalk warning assemblies shall not be used on approaches controlled by a stop sign. All signing is required to meet the requirements of the 2005 OMUTCD and 2009 MUTCD.


38

Several options exist for further enhancement of unsignalized crossings. In addition to the above, midblock crosswalks and crosswalks on uncontrolled approaches at intersections may include yield lines and “Yield Here to Pedestrians” signs (R1-5) to further enforce the yield condition.

In-street pedestrian crossing sign (right) can be used as well. The sign is typically mounted on a portable base and would be placed only during the restricted hours of the school zone. This enhancement is effective due to the driver discomfort caused by the sign in the roadway.

Flashing beacons can be added to the crosswalk assembly signs to command the attention of drivers Crosswalk signs and flashing beacons can also be located overhead (left).

Furthermore, In-Roadway Warning Lights (IRWLs) systems include lights that are located in the roadway along the edges of the crosswalk markings. The lights create higher visibility crosswalks to improve crossings and reduce vehicle speeds. Studies have shown that yielding increases except at locations with initial very low yielding rates. Positive effects may degrade over time as found in several studies. The location, site conditions and environmental factors should be carefully assessed to determine if this treatment, alone or in combination with other treatments, is the best solution for a particular location. Some communities have removed IRWLs due to both safety and efficiency reasons. If installed, the treatment should be carefully evaluated and monitored long term for effects on pedestrian safety and mobility. The system was recently installed in the City of Perrysburg, Ohio.


39

Crosswalk Signals When warranted, traffic signals can be installed at midblock crosswalks. When a full traffic signal is not warranted, a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon, also known as a HAWK, may be warranted. The HAWK uses traditional traffic and pedestrian signal heads but in a different configuration. It includes a sign instructing motorists to “stop on red” and a “pedestrians” overhead sign. There is also a sign informing pedestrians on how to cross the street safely. When not activated, the signal is blanked out. The HAWK signal is activated by a pedestrian push button. The overhead signal begins flashing yellow and then solid yellow, advising drivers to prepare to stop. The signal then displays a solid red and shows the pedestrian a “Walk” indication. Finally, an alternating flashing red signal indicates that motorists may proceed when safe, after coming to a full stop. The pedestrian is shown a flashing “Don’t Walk” with a countdown indicating the time left to cross. Developed in Tucson, the device substantially improved motorist stopping behavior in the city, as compared to the use of flashing overhead school signs. As shown below, studies have shown that the HAWK is more effective than any other treatment including full signalization.

Source: Alaska DOT & PF


40

Warrants for the Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon / HAWK are included in the 2009 MUTCD. The system does not currently meet Ohio Revised Code (O.R.C.), however its inclusion in the 2009 MUTCD has the issue being reviewed for potential change to the O.R.C. Traffic volumes in front of McCord and Highland schools do not currently warrant the use of a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon, however they should be considered in the future with increases in traffic. A HAWK system would need to be approved by ODOT as a demonstration project for use in Sylvania. Pedestrian Signals Proper pedestrian signals and timing provide a safe method for pedestrians to cross high volume roadways. Pedestrian signals should provide pushbuttons which are located within reach from a flat surface. Signal timing should provide quick response to the pushbutton. Countdown timers with proper signing help pedestrians make proper judgment when crossing the street. A leading pedestrian interval gives pedestrians green time three to four seconds before the motorists; with pedestrians entering the crosswalk prior to the vehicle signal turning green they are more likely to be seen by the drivers. Review of signal timing for pedestrian crossings is encouraged especially near schools. Pushbutton response and pedestrian phasing was found confusing at the Sun Valley Blvd (Grove Bel) / Erie Street intersection. Parking Restrictions at Corners Restricting parking at corners will improve visibility of the crossing for both drivers and pedestrians. At a

minimum, 30 feet should be kept clear in advance of marked crosswalks to help pedestrians and drivers see each other better. Distances greater than 30 feet are generally better, but parking restrictions have to be balanced with the need of the motorist. For example, if parent parking is severely restricted or completely removed near schools, parents may ignore all parking restrictions.

Curb Ramps Curb ramps provide transition from sidewalks to street level for pedestrian, bicycles and wheelchairs. It is common to add ADA compliant curb ramps when replacing sidewalk in a neighborhood. Recommendations for SRTS may include curb ramps in existing sidewalks where replacement is not expected in the near future. Any new sidewalk installation shall provide curb ramps where appropriate. Sidewalk Sidewalks are an integral part of pedestrian accessibility. Sidewalks should be provided in all residential areas and should be designed to meet ADA requirements.


41

Bike Racks Bicycle racks provide a safe and convenient location for parking bikes in public areas. “Inverted u rack” types are recommended although it is recognized that for schools with large numbers of bike riders and low crime risk, the traditional bike racks are more economical and provide more parking and locking slots. Encouragement 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. Walk to School Days On selected days, students are encouraged to walk or ride a bike to school. Walk to School Days can lead to enhanced child health and safer routes for walking and bicycling to schools. Some communities set a date of once a month, while others have weekly events such as “Walk to School Wednesdays”. In communities where many students need to be bussed due to distance or other hazards, Remote Walk to School Days has been employed. In this program, students that are bussed are dropped off several blocks from school along a safe walking route. The school bus is met by a teacher, administrator or police officer and the students then walk the several blocks to school. This can be done by grade level (i.e. on the first Wednesday in October all first graders will walk from the remote spot, the second Wednesday all second graders will walk) or the entire bus unloads and walks to school. Other ideas to encourage students to walk to school include:

• Walk and Park Days – Encourage families that drive to school to park at a remote location and walk to the building. Start monthly and work towards weekly to reduce parent vehicles at school.

• Walking or Mileage Club – Students earn a reward for miles walked during recess or after school. (Highland and Sylvan have already)

• Fitness Club – After school program to keep kids moving. • Ride to School Week – Encourage bike riding over a one week period.

Enforcement Crossing Guards According to the OMUTCD a student guard may be used to direct and control pedestrians at crossings where frequent gaps in traffic allow safe crossing; they are not permitted to direct traffic. Adult crossing guards are permitted to use a STOP paddle and create gaps in traffic. Communities provide paid adult crossing guards through various funding mechanisms. Many communities and school districts share the


42

cost of a paid adult guard. Training for crossing guards can be funded with SRTS monies; however, salary costs are not fundable. Speed Limit and School Zone Enforcement Law enforcement officers should be present and enforce all limits including the 20 mph school speed limit during the appropriate hours. Electronic Speed Measuring Signage This sign displays actual vehicle speeds under the posted speed limit sign. Speeds over the speed limit may flash to indicate an improper speed. The goal is to reduce speeding through the corridor by raising awareness. Homeowners/Zoning Enforcement of sidewalk maintenance, vegetation trimming, parking, and snow clearing will allow for a contiguous sidewalk network which otherwise might prevent students from walking or biking. Enforcement of building, parking, zoning, and animal laws will provide safer and more comfortable walking routes, thus improving walkability. Requiring sidewalk in new developments avoids future issues with lack of sidewalks and provides facilities for students and others to walk through or along the new development. Education Pedestrian and Bike Safety A program that instructs all aspects of pedestrian and bicycle safety should be considered for students. Railroad crossing and roadway crossing safety should be especially reinforced. These can be accomplished with the following:

• Pedestrian and Bike Safety • Newsletter • Safety City • Safety Poster Contest • Mentoring Program – pair older students with younger students to teach safe crossing, parking lot

safety, etc. Media Support Local residents should be made aware of school zone and pedestrian safety rules through the use of media articles and the city, county, and school websites. Inside Out School faculty and staff, police, township, and city leaders and staff at all levels must understand issues facing pedestrians and embrace pedestrian and school zone safety in order to receive public awareness and create a walkable community for students.


43

Evaluation Pedestrian/Bicycle Counts The effectiveness of all solution countermeasures will be evaluated based on pedestrian/bicycle counts. Counts conducted in conjunction with this plan will be repeated following the implementation of solution countermeasures to formulate quantitative results. Speed Data The effectiveness of infrastructure solutions will be evaluated, in part, by the collection of speed data. Speed counts will be conducted at or near locations where solution countermeasures have been implemented and where previous speed data information is available. Before and after data will be compared to determine possible benefits, such as lower traffic speeds and/or traffic volumes.


44

Specific Engineering Countermeasures by School

With reference to the above solutions, below are specific countermeasures for each school and surrounding area. Countermeasures are prioritized as short, medium, or long term based on safety urgency, cost, and complexity. Cost estimates are included in Section 12 – Supporting Documentation. Highland Elementary School See Figures 22 and 23 for a non-inclusive diagram of specific countermeasures. Short Term (0-12 months)

• School Dismissal – Consider staggered dismissal of bus riders, car pool and walkers/bikers to reduce conflicts between cars, buses and pedestrians.

• School Zone Improvements o Install electronic speed measurement signs of the type that flash when speed is excessive, below flashing school zone speed limit assemblies along Erie. All flashing beacons, speed limit sign beacons, and electronic speed measurement signs should be monitored and adjusted to operate only during the proper restricted hours. All school zone speed limit signs without beacons should include a plaque with the restricted hours listed.

o Enforcement of speed limits and other traffic laws should be accelerated within the school zone.

o Signage should be brought to current code, including downward diagonal arrows on crosswalk signs.

o Continue safety patrol program with refresher courses each semester and monitor safety patrol for proper behavior.

o Continue with adult volunteers at current locations to give a more authoritative presence with the safety patrol as well facilitate the safety patrol operations. The adult should wear a safety vest to be easily recognized by students and adults as an authority figure.

• School Property Improvements-See Figure 23 for onsite improvements. o Onsite signing and striping should be made to demand attention. Pavement markings

should be condensed and easier to read. o Lane use signs should be added at the entrance and exit drive. o A stop sign should be added at the exit of the inner-lot to the exit drive. o Paint crosswalk from main doors across bus lanes. Keep safety patrol at this location to get

students to parent dropoff/pickup area. • School Crosswalk Improvements

o Install a continental style crosswalk immediately in front of the school on Erie. Relocate the paid guard to the crossing to allow students traveling east or west to cross within the school zone. The crossing should include additional enhancements, including yield lines and “Yield Here to Pedestrian” signs. The crosswalk should give trial to in-street pedestrian crossing signs, used during the before-and-after-school hours.

o If the crossing is found desirable, overhead signing and pedestrian activated flashing beacons and in-street LED’s should be considered (medium term). Use of the crosswalk should be monitored and a HAWK system considered if/when warranted. Students should be encouraged to use the crosswalk, as additional signing and striping must correspond with common use for the crosswalks to be properly respected by drivers. A safe route to the crosswalk from the school doors must also be provided and should be considered for the


45

final placement of the crosswalk. A lockable booth could be installed to house the guard and equipment and provide more visibility to the crossing (medium term).

• Erie/Sun Valley Signal Improvements o Countdown timers should be installed at the signalized intersection of Sun Valley Blvd. and

Erie Street. Educational signs (R10-3e) should be installed as well. A leading pedestrian interval should be added to the signal timing to make crossing pedestrians more visible. Signal timing and coordination should be reviewed for removing the flashing “Don’t Walk” phase on Sun Valley when no vehicle calls are made.

o Install Turning Vehicles Yield to Pedestrians signs (R10-15) on signal mast arms at Sun Valley and Erie as shown on Figure 22.

o Backplates should be installed on all signal heads at Sun Valley & Erie. • Crosswalk Upgrades

o Install continental style crosswalks at Sun Valley/Bonniebrook and Erie/Centennial. o Install continental crosswalks along Erie side streets – Eagle Trace, apple Meadow,

Hedingham, Little, Olde Farm, Little Farm, Foxpointe, Wakefield and Jeffrey. Medium Term (1-3 years)

• School Property Improvements (Paths) – A paved or stone pathway should be constructed behind the school, along the sports fields, to connect the Centennial Farms subdivision sidewalk with the school. Students should be provided a walkable, plowed path from these sidewalk connections and Avon Lane to the nearest allowed entrance.

• Erie/Centennial Signal Improvements - Install countdown pedestrian signals with pushbuttons at the Centennial/Erie/Sylvania-Metamora intersection. Leading pedestrian intervals should be used due to the semi-rural nature of the intersection. Educational signs (R10-3e) should be installed as well.

• Sidewalks Over Twin Culverts - Pedestrian railings should be installed along sidewalk which immediately abuts pavement. The most prominent example is over the existing culverts between Hedingham and Little. These culverts are planned for replacement in the next year or so. The sidewalk could be moved further from the roadway edge if longer culverts are installed. Consideration of pedestrian mobility should be included in the culvert replacement project.

• Sidewalk Network (New) - Install sidewalk along Rockdale Lane, Wakefield Drive, Alexa Lane, Jeffery Lane, Little Road, Centennial Road, and Sylvania Metamora Road. These routes are collector roads for students traveling to school and are listed as concerns by parents.

Note: Long Term Improvements include completion of the sidewalk network. See All Buildings Improvement descriptions.


46

Maplewood Elementary School See Figure 24 for a non-inclusive diagram of specific countermeasures. Short Term (0-12 months)


• Philips Crosswalk - Students should be encouraged to use the crosswalk on Erie at Philips. The crosswalk should be updated to a continental style crosswalk. A sign should be installed on Philips to indicate the crosswalk around the corner.

• School Zone Improvements – o Install flashing school zone speed limit assemblies on Monroe Street, with removal of the

existing assembly near Parkwood Blvd. Although the building entrances are focused on Judy Young and Maplewood, the school building will be much closer to Monroe Street and this area would benefit from reduced speeds during school hours.

o Install school zone speed limit signs on Judy Young Drive. o Signing should be brought to current code, including downward diagonal arrows on

crosswalk signs. All flashing beacons, speed limit sign beacons, and electronic speed measurement signs should be monitored and adjusted to operate only during the proper restricted hours. All school zone speed limit signs without beacons should include a plaque with the restricted hours listed.

o Enforcement of speed limits and other traffic laws should be accelerated within the school zone and along Erie Street.


o Continue with adult volunteers at current locations to give a more authoritative presence with the safety patrol as well facilitate the safety patrol operations. The adult should wear a safety vest to be easily recognized by students and adults as an authority figure.

• Crosswalk Upgrades - o Continental crosswalks should be installed at the Erie / Monroe intersection, Erie/Philips,

Phillips/Maplewood and Monroe/Silica/Judi Young. o Remove crosswalk across Erie currently located at Brainard.

• Signal Upgrades – Countdown timers should be installed at the signalized intersection of Judi Young / Silica / Erie Street. Educational signs (R10-3e) should be installed as well. A leading pedestrian interval should be added to the signal timing to make crossing pedestrians more visible. Crosswalks at the intersection should be updated to continental style.

Medium Term (1-3 years)

• School Property Improvements - Onsite circulation at the new school should be easy to read and demand attention. Pavement markings should be condensed and easy to read. Update new school plans to include recommendations.

• Sidewalk Network (New) - Construct sidewalk as shown on Figure 24 to provide connectivity with neighborhoods to the south. Provide connection from Olde Post Road to new curb ramps at existing pedestrian signals at Erie/Monroe.

Note: Long Term Improvements include completion of the sidewalk network. See All Buildings Improvement descriptions.


47

Sylvan Elementary School See Figures 25 and 26 for a non-inclusive diagram of specific countermeasures. Short Term (0-12 months)


• School Zone Improvements o Place an adult volunteer at the Charlesgate/Wickford intersection to give a more authoritative

presence with the safety patrol as well facilitate the safety patrol operations. The adult should wear a safety vest to be easily recognized by students and adults as an authority figure.


o Signage should be brought to current code, including downward diagonal arrows on crosswalk signs. Removal of signs and replacement of others as shown in Figure 25.

o Install additional “No Parking” or “No Standing/Stopping” signs if permitted by city code, along Wickford Drive

• School Property Improvements – Onsite improvements shown on Figure 26 o Create a cul-de-sac / roundabout at the rear of the south/east lot to facilitate an orderly pick-

up/drop-off cycle. Install a stop sign at the south/east drive exit and install pavement markings as shown on Figure 26.

o Construct a permanent road around the rear of the school. The road should be used for bus pickup and drop off, while the front loop and the west parking lot loop be used for parent pick-up/drop-off, and the east/south lot be off-limits for pick-up/drop-off.

o Install signing in the west parking lot to indicate lane usage and Do Not Enter signs to discourage vehicle from parking and exiting the entrance drive.

o Onsite signing and striping should be made to demand attention. Pavement markings should be condensed and easier to read.

o Information regarding proper pick-up/drop-off procedures should be sent home to parents. Faculty/staff/volunteers should be located in the drop-off / pick-up zones wearing fluorescent vests to enforce proper procedures by parents. If parents insist on parking to pick-up their children cones or yellow tape can be used to restrict parking.

o Install a DuraTherm crosswalk across the west parking lot drive. • Crosswalk Upgrades

o Install a continental style crosswalk on the north approach of McCord at Charlesgate. Consider relocating the paid guard to the crossing during the Sylvan arrival and dismissal times to allow students traveling north or down Gettysburg to use the guard as well. The crossing should include additional enhancements, including yield lines and “Yield Here to Pedestrian” signs. The crosswalk should give trial to in-street pedestrian crossing signs, used during the before-and-after-school hours. A lockable booth could be installed to house the guard and equipment and provide more visibility to the crossing (medium term).

o If the crossing is found beneficial, overhead signing and pedestrian activated flashing beacons should be considered (medium term). Students should be encouraged to use the crosswalk, as additional signing and striping must correspond with common use for the crosswalks to be properly respected by drivers. A safe route to the crosswalk from the


48

school doors must also be provided and should be considered for the final placement of the crosswalk.

o Install continental crosswalks at side street approaches along McCord, as well as on Longfellow at Charlesgate.

• School Operations o Consider of a change of school hours to allow guard to finish at the Gaines Mill crossing and

the move to the Charlesgate crossing. If not possible, expedite installation of overhead flashing beacons at the new Charlesgate crossing or add a second adult crossing guard.


• Sidewalk Network (new) - Construct sidewalk along Gettysburg, Brintwood, and Brinthaven as shown on Figure 25

• Bus Lane – Construct bus lane that goes around the back of the school building. This will permit all parents to use the front circle drive and eliminate the need for parents in the west and east lots.

Note: Long Term Improvements include completion of the sidewalk network. See All Buildings Improvement descriptions. McCord Junior High School See Figures 25 and 27 for a non-inclusive diagram of specific countermeasures. Short Term (0-12 months)


• School Property Improvements – Install pavement markings and new signage to make vehicle and bus operations very clear. This should be incorporated into the building reconstruction plans if possible.

• School Zone Improvements o Install electronic speed measurement signs of the type that flash when speed is excessive

below flashing school zone speed limit assemblies along McCord. All flashing beacons, speed limit sign beacons, and electronic speed measurement signs should be monitored and adjusted to operate only during the proper restricted hours.

o Enforcement of speed limits and other traffic laws should be accelerated within the school zone.

o Signs should be brought to current code, including downward diagonal arrows on crosswalk signs. Removal of signs and replacement of others as shown in Figure 25.

• Crosswalk Upgrades o Install a continental style crosswalk at the current crosswalk location just south of the north

school drive. The crossing should include additional enhancements, including yield lines and “Yield Here to Pedestrian” signs. The crosswalk should give trial to in-street pedestrian crossing signs, used during the before-and-after-school hours. If the crossing is found beneficial, overhead signing and pedestrian activated flashing beacons should be considered (medium term). Students should be strongly encouraged to use the crosswalk, as additional signing and striping must correspond with common use for the crosswalks to be properly respected by drivers. Police or school enforcement may be necessary. A safe route to the crosswalk from the school doors must also be provided.


49

o The crossing at Gaines Mill and Coppersmith should be similarly upgraded. A lockable booth could be installed to house the guard and equipment and provide more visibility to the crossing (medium term).

o Use of the crosswalks should be monitored and a HAWK system considered if/when warranted. If warranted the system should be installed near the north exit drive.

o Install a continental crosswalk across McCord near Worth Avenue for students crossing to Speedway, Biggby’s and the shopping plaza.

o Install continental style crosswalks at all side street approaches along McCord. o Delete crosswalks as noted on Figure 25.


• Construct sidewalk with crosswalks along Brint Road, King, and Silica Drive as shown in Figures 24 and 25.

Long Term (4+ years)

• Alternative intersection control should be studied at McCord/Gaines Mill/Coppersmith and McCord/Brint, including a roundabout or signalization.

Note: Long Term Improvements also include completion of the sidewalk network. See All Buildings Improvement descriptions. All Buildings Short Term (0-12 months)

• City Ordinances - Enforce parking laws, snow clearing laws, and trim vegetation to allow proper sidewalk access and sight distance at crosswalks.


• Signal Upgrades - Install countdown pedestrian signals, consider rigid mounted vehicular signal heads with Backplates especially on east/west approaches.

• Street Network (Repairs) - Improve all degraded sidewalk and fill sidewalk gaps. Install ADA ramps where no ramps are currently provided.

• Street Lighting - Install street lighting where not present or not sufficient. Work with neighborhoods to determine need and desire for street lighting.

Long Term (4+ years)

• Street Network (Extended) - Complete the sidewalk network with an emphasis on the one and a half mile school walking radius.


50

SECTION 9: IMPROVEMENTS MAPPING The suggested improvements for each school are found on the following figures:

Figure 22 – Highland Suggested Improvements Map Figure 23 – Highland Onsite Improvements Map Figure 24 – Maplewood Suggested Improvements Map Figure 25 – Sylvan/McCord Suggested Improvements Map Figure 26 – Sylvan Onsite Improvements Map Figure 27 – McCord School Zone Improvements Map

LEGEND

SEE MAP BELOW

SEE MAP ABOVE

ATTENDANCE

BOUNDARY

SEE MAP BELOW

LEGEND

LEGEND

CURRENT BUSLOADING AREA

IF BUS LANE AT REAR OF SCHOOLCAN BE CREATED, MOVE PARENTPICKUP TO FRONT CIRCLE ANDELIMINATE WEST AND EASTPARKING LOT PICKUP/DROPOFF(MEDIUM TERM)

PREDOMINATE EXITMOVEMENTS ARE RIGHTTURNS FROM BOTH DRIVES.

PREDOMINATE ENTRANCEMOVEMENTS IS LEFT TURN


57

SECTION 10: THE ACTION PLAN The Sylvania SRTS Task Force has developed an action plan that prioritizes the action items discussed in this plan. Non-infrastructure projects are as or more important as the infrastructure projects. In fact, encouragement and educational programs complement some of the engineering projects. Table 2 shows the Non-Engineering portions of the plan. These items are generally very low in cost and provide a very high Return on Investment (ROI).

Table 1 – Action Non-Engineering (All Schools)


58

The Task Force evaluated the infrastructure projects and determined the list of priorities. The rating for prioritizing projects were based on proximity to school, greatest number of students utilizing improvements, the greatest safety impact, and the return on investment (ROI). The list was determined by utilizing the task forces’ visual observations, the walking audit, survey results, and the engineer’s recommendations. Tables 3 and 4 show the action plan for engineering projects.

Table 2 – Action Plan Engineering (Highland and Maplewood)


59

Table 3 – Action Plan Engineering (Sylvan, McCord and Overall)


60

SECTION 11: PLAN ENDORSEMENTS The Sylvania Safe Routes to School Task Force consists of members of the community, City administration, school administration, and local law enforcement. The City of Sylvania and the Sylvania School Administration have committed to being active partners in fulfilling the items addressed in the school travel plan. Task force members and stakeholders have participated in the School Travel Plan process through meeting attendance, walking audits, report review, and public input. They have endorsed the plan as indicated below and on the next page.


61


62

SECTION 12: SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION Supporting documentation of the Sylvania SRTS School Travel Plan process is included in this section.

o Media/Press Articles o Survey Results o Task Force Meeting Info o Cost Estimates For Engineering Strategies