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School-based projects from a Transportation Act program
Federal master transportation actFunded by gas taxesIncluded roadway construction
and maintenance fundingSafety project funds“Enhancement” funding for trails
and sidewalksFirst time: Safe Routes to School
program
To encourage children, K-12, including the disabled, to walk and ride bikes to school◦Obesity cited as a major concern
• Florida Child Obesity (age 2-19): 18.3%
• Adult: 26% and rising
• Physically Active Florida Children (Age 6-17): 34.1%
• Increasing health care costs• shortened lifespan
Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: 2011
Funding began in 2005Funding flexibility
70-90% infrastructureSidewalks, trails, traffic
calming, bike storage
10-30% non-infrastructureEducation, outreach,
promotion
Focus on schools, new to Focus on schools, new to DOTDOTFDOT studies include preliminary design
and engineering (PD&E) phasePD&E manual barely mentions schoolsPedestrian and bike accommodation,
part of the PD&E process***
By statute, hazardous walking condition requires responsible agency to address the condition within a reasonable time
School transportation comes School transportation comes in many flavorsin many flavors
Program developmentProgram developmentInfrastructure projects, local
applications—filtered for constructability
Non-infrastructure—more difficult to find and carry out
All projects aimed to encourage change
Competing ideasCompeting ideasabout children walking or about children walking or bikingbiking
Culture of cars
Dependence on Others
World is essentially unsafe
Generational changes
Culture of flexibility in mobility
IndependenceWorld is complex
Past was different but instructive
ONE MEDIUM-ONE MEDIUM-SIZEDSIZED COUNTY COUNTY
• 49 Schools for 41,000 students
• 295 School buses transport 23,000 students daily
• 10,000 bus stops
• 29,000 miles per day/5.39 million miles per year
• Transportation Costs: $19.5 Million/year
Saving money when funds Saving money when funds are tightare tight
Ending courtesy busing, using Ending courtesy busing, using depot systemsdepot systems
A little about infrastructure A little about infrastructure (Needs)(Needs)
Many needs for pedestrian facilities
Challenges ◦Right of way◦Drainage impacts (environmental)◦Local opinions
Some sample projectsSome sample projects
Eustis Eustis Heights
Non-infrastructure and Non-infrastructure and bike parkingbike parking
Walking to School kits Better bike racks
Why Kids Don’t Walk to SchoolWhy Kids Don’t Walk to School
Factors affecting parents’ decision to let children walk to school:
•Distance (52%)
•Safety crossings (42%)
•Weather/climate (41%)
•Presence of sidewalks/pathways(38%)
•Traffic volume(36%)
•Speed along route(35%)
Security -- Surveys uncover Security -- Surveys uncover attitudesattitudesConcerns about
◦Bullying, verbal and physical threat, 32% of 12-18 year olds report being bullied
◦Gangs—23% report gangs in schools◦Personal violent crime—though reported,
significant decrease over past 10 years◦Abduction—2% are non-family, most are
missing for other reasons (lost, injured, stranded)
Diverse counter measures to avoid these situations
Overview of Overview of countermeasurescountermeasuresTeach children to speak upHelp children to be street smartInvolve families in designing safe
strategiesEncourage groups Practice with adult supervision
Long term benefit, independent ‘free range’ young people
Walking school busesWalking school busesSuccess depends on community characteristics, one size doesn’t fit
allSimple beginnings sometimes are
bestOrganized volunteers and
coordinatorsSmall incentives for participating
Bike trainsBike trainsSuitable for older students
http://guide.saferoutesinfo.org/walking_school_bus/index.cfm
DOT resourcesDOT resourceshttp://www.hhp.ufl.edu/safety/
◦Contacts for bike and ped teacher training
http://www.pedbikesrc.ce.ufl.edu/◦Many safety and best practice
handouts: tip sheets, pamphlets, curriculum guides, small items for promotion
Coming soonComing soonWorkshops around Florida about
walking school bus techniqueshttp://www.pednet.org/programs/
Contact FDOT SRTS coordinator for details
http://www.dot.state.fl.us/safety/SRTS_files/SRTS.shtm
Big Picture – long range Big Picture – long range coordination among coordination among
agenciesagencies
Source: Ruth Steiner, Ph.D, UF, 2006)
WHAT WE NEED FROM WHAT WE NEED FROM SCHOOLSSCHOOLS
Information, collaborative planning
Annual information about hazardous walking conditions
School representation during PD&E studies for new projects
Participation in transportation planning process at MPO
Coordination during school site selection and design (early and often)
Joan Carter, FDOT, District FiveBicycle and Pedestrian CoordinatorDeLand, 32720 (386) 943-5335