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7.d) Central Mont-Forest Lake-Forest View SRTS Planen tral Mon tessori.11- Fores tLake Ele nta '— Fo MrOmwes t View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan Forest Lake School District I Forest Lake, Minnesota I December 2015 � 4�yaxesor4yo a�' i4 Funded through a MnDOT federal Safe Routes to School Planning Assistance Grant Acknowledgements The following key people/entities participated in the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) plan efforts for this Safe Routes to School Plan. Their creativity, energy, and commitment were critical to the success of this effort. Mike Conway, St. Peter's Catholic School Jill Gillach, Century Junior High Jeffrey Ion, Forest Lake Elementary Kelly Lafean, Central Learning Center, STEP Larry Martini, Director of Business Services Steve Massey, Forest Lake Area High School Scott Urness, Forest View Elementary Plan document prepared by: alta con-irnuntty W■ design 00 group ■■N M 71 A k, - M., I-. - - Table of Contents Acknowledgements.................................................................................................................................................................. i Tableof Contents......................................................................................................................................................................ii Introduction................................................................................................................................................................................1 Whatis Safe Routes to School?............................................................................................................................................1 Benefits of Walking and Bicycling to School.................................................................................................................... 3 Howto Use this Plan ............................................................................................................................................................. 4 Vision and Planning Background.......................................................................................................................................7 RelevantPlanning Background............................................................................................................................................ 7 ExistingConditions..................................................................................................................................................................9 SchoolTravel Patterns..........................................................................................................................................................13 Traffic Conditions and Crash Analysis.............................................................................................................................17 SiteAudit................................................................................................................................................................................20 Infrastructure Issues and Recommendations............................................................................................................23 Maintenance........................................................................................................................................................................... 23 ProgramsRecommendations........................................................................................................................................... 27 SchoolCommunity Programs.............................................................................................................................................28 Evaluation............................................................................................................................................................................... 33 ImplementationStrategy.................................................................................................................................................... 36 YearOne.................................................................................................................................................................................. 36 FutureActions....................................................................................................................................................................... 36 ProgramsAction Plan ........................................................................................................................................................... 37 InfrastructureAction Plan.................................................................................................................................................. 38 Introduction What is Safe Routes to School? Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a program with a simple goal: helping more children get to school by walking and bicycling. Envision active kids using safe streets, helped by engaged adults (from teachers to parents to police officers), surrounded by responsible drivers. Safe Routes to School programs use a variety of strategies to make it easy, fun and safe for children to walk and bike to school. These strategies are often called the "Five Es." • Education: programs designed to teach children about traffic safety, bicycle and pedestrian skills, and traffic decision-making. • Encouragement: programs that make it fun for kids to walk and bike. These programs may be challenges, incentive programs, regular events (e.g., "Walk and Bike Wednesdays") or classroom activities. • Engineering: physical projects that are built to improve walking and bicycling conditions. • Enforcement: law enforcement strategies to improve driver behavior near schools. • Evaluation: strategies to help understand program effectiveness, identify improvements, and ensure program sustainability. Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan I 1 The Challenge Although most students in the United States walked or biked to school pre -1980's, the number of students walking or bicycling to school has sharply declined. This decline is due to a number of factors, including urban growth patterns, school siting requirements, increased traffic, busy student schedules, and parental concerns about safety. The situation is self-perpetuating: as more parents drive their children to school, there is increased traffic at the school site, resulting in more parents becoming concerned about traffic and driving their children to school. Safe Routes to School? Within the span of one generation, the percentage of children walking or bicycling to school has dropped precipitously. Kids are not getting enough physical activity. Roads near schools are congested, decreasing safety and air quality for children. 0 � 1 More information, including primary sources, can be found at http://guide.saferoutesinfo.org. Kids who walk. Aik or bike to school: • Arrive alert and able to focus on school • Get most of their recommended daily physical activity during the trip to school • Are more likely to be a healthy body weight • Demonstrate improved test scores and better school performance • Are less likely to suffer from depression and anxiety' The downward cycle of traffic and reduced walking and bicycling 2 1 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan #� ` iii`'-� �'� � �►''a Benefits of Walking and Bicycling to School Safe Routes to School programs directly benefit schoolchildren, parents and teachers by creating a safer SRTS benefits children: travel environment near schools and by reducing motor vehicle congestion at school drop-off and pick-up zones. Increased physical fitness and cardiovascular Students that choose to bike or walk to school are health rewarded with the health benefits of a more active lifestyle, with the responsibility and independence that comes from being in charge of the way they travel, and learn at an early age that bicycling and walking can be safe, enjoyable and good for the environment. Safe Routes to Schools programs offer ancillary benefits to neighborhoods by helping to slow traffic and by providing infrastructure improvements that facilitate bicycling and walking for everyone. Identifying and improving routes for children to safely walk and bicycle to school is also one of the most cost-effective means of reducing weekday morning traffic congestion and can help reduce auto - related pollution. In addition to safety and traffic improvements, an SRTS program helps integrate physical activity into the everyday routine of school children. Health concerns related to sedentary lifestyles have become the focus of statewide and national efforts to reduce risks associated with being overweight. Children who bike or walk to school have an overall higher activity level than those who are driven to school, even though the journey to school makes only a small contribution to activity levels. Active kids are healthy kids. Walking or bicycling to school is an easy way to make sure that children get daily physical activity. • Increased ability to focus on school • A sense of independence and confidence about their transportation and their neighborhood SRTS benefits neighborhoods: • Improved air quality as fewer children are driven to school • Decreased crashes and congestion as fewer children are driven to school • More community involvement as parents, teachers and neighbors get involved and put "eyes on the street" SRTS benefits schools: • Fewer discipline problems because children arrive "ready to learn" • Fewer private cars arriving to drop off and pick up children • Opportunities to integrate walking, bicycling and transportation topics into curriculum (e.g. "Walk & Bike Across America") • Increased efficiency and safety during drop-off and pick-up times Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan 13 M 71 A k, - M., I-. - - How to Use this Plan This SRTS plan provides an overview of Safe Routes to School with specific recommendations for a 5 E's approach to improve the safety and the health and wellness of students. The specific recommendations in this plan are intended to support infrastructure improvements and programs over the next 5 years. It should be noted that not all of these projects and programs need to be implemented right away to improve the environment for walking and bicycling to school. The recommended projects and programs listed in this plan should be reviewed as part of the overall and ongoing Safe Routes to School strategy. Some projects will require more time, support, and funding than others. It is important to achieve shorter -term successes while laying the groundwork for progress toward some of the larger and more complex projects. This plan includes recommendations for infrastructure projects both long- and short-term as well as programmatic recommendations. At the heart of every successful Safe Routes to School comprehensive program is a coordinated effort by parent volunteers, school staff, local agency staff, law enforcement and community advocates, such as public health. The following paragraphs highlight the unique contributions of key partners in Safe Routes to School. Parents can use this report to understand the conditions at their children's school and to become familiar with the ways an SRTS program can work to make walking and bicycling safer. Concerned parents or city residents have a very important role in the Safe Routes to School process. Parent groups, both formal and informal, have the ability and the responsibility to help implement many of the educational and encouragement programs suggested in this plan. Parent groups can also be critical to ongoing success by helping to fundraise for smaller projects and programs that are implementable without serious effort on behalf of the district or local agency. School district and school administrative staff can use this report to prioritize improvements identified on District property and develop programs that educate and encourage students and parents to seek alternatives to single family commutes to school. Parents lead students on walking school bus from a park and walk site Parents waiting in queue for students at pick up play a significant role in student transportation safety District officials are perhaps the most stable of the stakeholders for a Safe Routes to School program and have the responsibility for keeping the program active over time. District staff can work with multiple schools sharing information and bringing efficiencies to programs at each school working on Safe Routes. 4 1 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan #� ` iii`'-� �'� � �►''a School administrators have an important role in implementing the recommendations contained within this SRTS plan. The impetus for change and improvement must be supported by the leadership of the school. School administrators can help with making policy and procedural changes to projects that are within school grounds and have the responsibility to distribute informational materials to parents within school publications. City and County staff can use this report to identify citywide issues and opportunities related to walking and bicycling and to prioritize infrastructure improvements. City staff can also use this report to support Safe Routes to School funding and support opportunities such as: MnDOT Safe Routes to School (SRTS) grants Federal Safe Routes to School (SRTS) grants Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP) For all infrastructure recommendations, a traffic study and more detailed engineering may be necessary to evaluate project feasibility, and additional public outreach should be conducted before final design and construction. For recommendations within the public right-of-way, the responsible agency will determine how (and if) to incorporate suggestions into local improvement plans and prioritize funding to best meet the needs of each school community. Police department staff can use this report to understand issues related to walking and bicycling to school and to plan for and prioritize enforcement activities that may make it easier and safer for students to walk and bike to school. The Police Department will be Enforcement is a key component of successful SRTS programs. Safety officers can become a key ally of students walking and cycling to school instrumental to the success of the enforcement programs and policies recommended in this plan. The Police Department will also have a key role in working with school administrations in providing officers and assistance to some of the proposed education and encouragement programs. Public health staff can use this report to identify specific opportunities to collaborate with schools and local governments to support safety improvements and encourage healthy behaviors in school children and their families. Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan 15 M 71 A k, - M., I-. - - This Page Intentionally Left Blank 6 1 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan Vision and Planning Background "Safe Routes to School initiatives will improve safety and encourage more students and families in Forest Lake to walk, bike or roll to school. The program will result in less traffic congestion, higher levels of physical activity, and an enhanced quality of life in our neighborhoods. The program will connect students and their familics withyear-round opportunities for active transportation through education, encouragement, and use of a safe on -street and trail network. Safe Routes to School will foster a culture of healthy and active families by encouraging non -motorized forms of transportation as a safe, comfortable and normal way of getting to and from school." The vision of walking and bicycling around Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary and Forest View Elementary Schools will help frame the Safe Routes to School planning process and inform recommended improvements to pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and programs. Relevant Planning Background This is the first year that the Forest Lake Area School District is partnering with local elementary and junior high schools to support them in developing individual Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Plans. Local support for SRTS comes from the Forest Lake City Engineer, the Washington County Department of Public Health and Environment, Parent Teacher Associations, and the City Administrator. Law enforcement from the city is also providing local support to participating schools, building on their past work of over 20 years of providing annual bicycle safety camps for elementary school students. Some existing district and city policies already support SRTS goals, including a district policy about student wellness. District policy requires parental permission to walk or bike to school, and busing is available for all students based on the school board's definition of hazardous road crossings. This policy has high community support, as it was funded by a levy. In 2008 the City of Forest Lake adopted its 2030 Comprehensive Plan, which includes chapters on Transportation and Parks, Trails & Open Space. The Trails section of the Transportation chapter includes the statement that "as residential developments are proposed the City will require sidewalks and trails through its review process to ensure connectivity within [the] development and to important points outside... such as schools, parks, public facilities and commercial areas." Priority trails to link schools to the Hardwood Creek Regional Trail are also identified in this chapter. The Parks, Trails &r Open Space chapter incorporates the 2003 stand-alone Parks, Trails & Open Space Plan. It includes the goal of "developing a trail system that meets the needs of all residents of the City," and identifies a list of high priority trail locations for the improved safety of residents. These locations include several near Forest Lake area schools. In 2012 the Highway 61 Aesthetics and Water Quality Planning Study identified the need for improved pedestrian connections along U.S. Highway 61, 11th Avenue, and 8th Street. This Planning Study also identified other community priorities: improving non -motorized network connectivity and providing safe places for kids to walk or bike to school. Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan 17 z 71 A k, - M., I-. - - The district was recently awarded funding for infrastructure improvements near several schools that will make it easier for more students to walk or bike to school. Planned projects include cooperative MnDOT projects, and SRTS projects, are slated for completion by 2016. Planned infrastructure projects include a roundabout and pedestrian overpass at U.S. Highway 61 and MN Highway 97; Sidewalk connection on 8th Street SE between 15th Avenue Southeast and Scandia Trail North; Sidewalk connection on 11th Avenue Southeast between U.S. Highway 61 and South Shore Drive; Sidewalk connection on Scandia Trail North between U.S. Highway 61 and 8th Street Southeast; and a sidewalk connection on U.S. Highway 61 north of Scandia Trail Drive. Additional sidewalks are planned for the area that will help to support a more complete pedestrian network in Forest Lake. Planning Process The year-long planning process for these SRTS plans included building a SRTS team, gathering data and information about existing conditions, developing recommendations for the 5 E's, and developing a report that outlines the priorities for infrastructure and programming improvements for participating schools in the Forest Lake Area School District. The graphic below illustrates key stages in the planning process: 8 1 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan December - Fall January February - April Fall NovemberAsscmhlc draft plans Discuss implementation May -August Execute Contract SRTS Team Meetings conditions, survey, audit Develop initial Z & 3; Produce cxisti'lg SRTS Team Meeting 4; g contacts mn SRTS concitions memo and Finalize pla❑ document team leaders develop plan - aiternatives 8 1 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan October - February - April Fall NovemberAsscmhlc draft plans Discuss implementation SRTS Team Meeting 1; based on existing strategies and opportunities Collect existing conditions, survey, audit conditions data, conduct and community commmunity survey, meetings walk/bike audit 8 1 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan Existing Conditions Seven Forest Lake Area Schools are participating in the 2014-2015 SRTS planning process including Forest Lake Elementary School, Forest View Elementary School, Central Montessori K-6 School, Southwest Junior High School, Century Junior High School, and St. Peters Catholic K-6 School. Due to the close proximity of Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary and Forest View Elementary, these schools have been grouped together. Central Montessori is open to all children in the Forest Lake Area School District, regardless of traditional attendance areas. The principal of Central Montessori is Kelly Tschudy-Lafean. The school serves K-6 and had an enrollment of 123 students in the 2014-2015 school year. Forest Lake Elementary School is a 4- 6 grade school that served 331 students. The principal of Forest Lake is Jeff Ion. Forest View Elementary School serves K-3 and had an enrollment of 585 students in the 2014-2015 school year. The principal of Forest View is Scott Urness. Forest Lake Area School District Boundary Map Legend E" Forest Lake School District 2014-2015 Schools 1 Southwest Junior High 2 Central Montessori 3 Forest Lake Elementary 4 Forest View Elementary 5 St. Peters Catholic School 6 Century Junior High 6 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary &Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan 19 z 71 A k, - M., I-. - - Due to the location and distribution of the Forest Lake schools, three schools have been grouped together and should be considered as a campus; Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary and Forest View Elementary. The proximity of these three schools makes it compelling to consider them a campus and schools should coordinate as such. Central Montessori Elementary, Forest Lake Elementary and Forest View Elementary Schools Surrounding Land Use Central Montessori Elementary, Forest Lake Elementary and Forest View Elementary Schools share a campus and are located along 4th Street Southwest to the east, 2nd Avenue Southwest on the north, and 8th Street Southwest on the west. The campus is bound by 8th Street on the west side of the campus, except for the area between 7th Avenue Southwest and 9th Avenue Southwest (a grassy and wooded area that connects Southwest Junior High and Forest View Elementary with a trail). An extension of Southwest 4th Avenue is located between Forest Lake and Central Montessori and connects to 3rd Avenue Southwest in the Central Montessori Parking lot. The street used to be closed to through traffic but is now used as a shortcut by local residents. Single-family residences and apartment complexes are located adjacent to the schools and community ballparks are located on the west side of campus. There is also a small park with a winter skating rink located one block to the southeast. Commercial uses are located within a half -mile west and east of the campus, on 12th Street Southwest and Lake Street South (Highway 61), respectively. Student Walking and Bicycling Conditions An on -campus sidewalk system connects students directly between Forest View and Forest Lake. Students must cross Southwest 4th Avenue to reach Central Montessori sidewalks. There is a sidewalk in the apartment complex east of the school (across 4th Street Southwest) that connects 4th Street Southwest to apartments across the street, and to the Hardwood Creek Trail one block away. Single-family residences are located east of 4th Street Southwest, and north and west of the multi -school campus. Multi -family housing is also located east and south. There is not a sidewalk along 3rd Avenue Southwest which connects neighborhoods from the west to the community ballpark, Central Montessori parking lot, and western entrances. A pedestrian overpass and access point to the Hardwood Trail at 11 th Avenue Southwest a quarter mile southeast of Forest View, and one block east of multi -family housing. There is no sidewalks or marked bicycle facilities on 11th Avenue Southwest. 10 1 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan #� ` iii`'-� �'� � �►''a The Hardwood Creek Trail runs north/south, and includes pedestrian overpasses where it crosses busy thoroughfares including West Broadway Avenue and 11th Avenue Southwest. There is a sidewalk on the west side of 4th Street Southwest for three blocks between West Broadway Avenue and Central Montessori. Sidewalks are not present on nearby residential streets. Sidewalks are present on both sides of West Broadway Avenue and to varying degrees along U.S. Highway 61 (ranging from no coverage to sidewalks on both sides of the roadway). A roundabout is located at the intersection of West Broadway Avenue and U.S. Highway 61 that includes at - grade pedestrian crosswalks. A parent who lives east of U.S. Highway identified the roundabout as a barrier for walking to school with her child. There are two well -tread "cow -paths" crossing the athletic fields between the schools and 8th Street Southwest. Central Montessori Elementary School does not have a student patrol program, or adult crossing guards. Students at Forest Lake and Forest View must get permission from the principal before biking or walking to school. Neither schools have a student patrol program, or any crossings facilitated by adults. School Layout Central Montessori School is located on the northeast corner of the block. A small short-term parking area is located along 4th Street Southwest on the southeast side of the school. This parking lot is also used for bus circulation. A large parking lot is located on the west side of the school. This is where most parent pick-up occurs. Parents must meet their children in the cafeteria after school, which requires parking in the lot and entering the school building. There is not a continuous parent loop for picking students up curbside. The campus also includes high school programming in the same building (the Forest Lake Area Learning Center, or ALC). A small high school parking lot is located on the southwest corner of the primary parking lot, adjacent to the community ball field entrance, and at the southern terminus of 6th Street Southwest. Bicycle parking was not observed at Central Montessori. M Buses drop off in a loop on the east side of Forest Lake. Parents and special education busses drop off in the parking lot south of the school. The intersection of4th Street Southwest and 4th Avenue Southwest is of concern. 4th Avenue Southwest extends between Forest Lake and Central Montessori and is used as a local shortcut to access the west side of town. or There is not a sidewalk along 3rd Avenue Southwest which connects neighborhoods from the west to the community ballpark, Central Montessori parking lot and western entrances. Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan 111 M 71 A k, - M., I-. - - Forest Lake Elementary is positioned diagonally on the campus, forming a diamond. The school parking lot is located along 4th Street Southwest, on the southeast side of the school. Outdoor athletic facilities are located west of the school. Special education students and 4th and 5th grade students are released from the southern corner of the school. Sixth grade students are released from the eastern doors (near the main office). Both special education buses and private parent vehicles circulate the rough the parking lot. Regular buses pick up students at Forest View Elementary. Forest View Elementary School's parking lot and parent circulation area is located in the south side of the school. Buses have a designated loop on the east side of the school, with two designated driveways on 4th Street Southwest. The third, southernmost driveway on 4th Street Southwest provides access to the parking lot and parent dropoff area (and the school district maintenance shed, which is located on the south end of campus). A sidewalk separates the two main circulation areas (buses and parent vehicles). A striped walking zone is painted through the middle of the parking lot and connects to a high visibility crosswalk painted at the north end of the lot. Paint designates two one-way drop-off/pick-up lanes on the east side of the lot. Bidirectional lanes are painted west of the crosswalk and on the south side of the parking lot. Students are released through doors on the south and east sides of the building. Sports fields and a small lake are located on campus just west of Forest View. The west side of campus connects directly to the Southwest Junior High School campus. A "cow -path" trail exists between the two campuses. A single comb -style bicycle rack is located north of the school adjacent to a playground between Forest Lake and Forest View Elementary Schools. It appears to be oriented towards after-school, weekend, and general community use. A bike rack is located north of the Forest View, adjacent to a play structure between Forest Lake and Forest View. A student waits to cross 4th Street Southwest at Forest Lake's southern driveway. ALC students were observed crossing 4th Street Southwest to reach private vehicles. 12 1 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan #� ` iii`'-� �'� � �►''a School Travel Patterns Central Mon essur In -classroom tallies of students' arrival and departure travel modes were conducted at Central Montessori School in October 2014. A total of 200 trips were tallied in the morning and 199 trips were tallied during the afternoon. Overall, 55% of students traveled to and from school by school bus and 449/o by family vehicle. Two percent of students walked to and from school, 0% carpooled and 0% traveled by bike. As shown in the chart, the mode split was fairly consistent during the morning and afternoon, with slightly less students taking the bus home in the afternoon and more being driven home in the family vehicle. Student Travel Survey Summary 60% 50% 40% 30% 2496 10% 496 Central Montessori School Travel Mode Split 45% Walk Bike School Bus Family Vehicle CarpoDl Transit Other m Morning ■ Afternoon Parent Survey Summary Parent surveys were not collected at Central Montessori. Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan 113 z 71 A k, - M., I-. - - Forest Lake Elementary School In -classroom tallies of students' arrival and departure travel modes were conducted at Forest Lake Elementary School in October 2014. A total of 708 trips were tallied in the morning and 681 trips were tallied during the afternoon. Overall, 74% of students traveled to and from school by school bus and 19% by family vehicle. Six percent of students walked to and from school, l% carpooled and 0% traveled by bike. As shown in the chart, the mode split was fairly consistent during the morning and afternoon, with slightly more students taking the bus home in the afternoon. Student Travel Survey Summary Sada 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Forest Lake Elementary School Travel Mode Split Walk Bike School Bus Family Vehicle Carpool Transit [}ther Morning ■ Afternoon Parent Survey Summary In January 2015, Forest Lake Elementary School parents were asked to fill out a short survey about how their children travel to and from school, perceived barriers to walking and biking to and from school, and their own attitudes related to walking and biking. Administrators received 89 total surveys. Current Travel Patterns: Mode and Distance The vast majority of Forest Lake Elementary School students travel to and from school by school bus or family vehicle. However, survey results indicate that students who live closer to school (within a 1/4 mile) are more likely to walk to school. All of the students who walked to or from school live within one mile of the school. 14 1 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan Proximity to School vs. Children's Walk & Bike to School Rate 45% of respondents live within a 30 minute bike ride of the school (up to two miles away) of respondents' children "usually" bike 0 % to/from school Barriers to walking and bicycling Despite the fact that 30% of respondent's children could walk to school in 30 minutes or less, and 45% of respondent's children could bike to school in 30 minutes or less, parents who responded to the survey rarely reported that their children usually walked to/from school and none reported that their children usually biked to school. Parents may be reluctant to allow children to walk and bike to school for a variety of reason, though many students seem interested in walking or bicycling. The survey reveals that 62% of students who live within one mile the school and 50% of students who live within two miles of the school have asked permission to walk or bike to school. The parent survey also asked specifically about barriers to walking and biking to school. More than half of respondents who do not allow their children to walk or bike to school reported that the following issues affected their decision: • Amount of Traffic Along Route (81%) • Speed of Traffic Along Route (81%) • Safety of Intersections and Crossings (74%) • Distance (64%) • Weather or Climate (61%) • Sidewalks or Pathways (59%) Other reasons given by respondents for not allowing children to walk or bike include a lack of crossing guards (290/o), violence or crime (22%), the additional time required compared to other modes (17%), a lack of available adults wo walk/bike with (16%), child's participation in after school programs (12%) and the convenience of driving (10/6). Parent attitudes about walking and bicycling Seventy-five percent of parents who answered the survey think that Forest Lake Elementary School neither encourages nor discourages walking and biking to and from school. Three percent of parents responded that Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan 115 30%of respondents live within a 30 minute walk of the school (up to one mile away) 3%of respondents' children "usually" walk to/from school 45% of respondents live within a 30 minute bike ride of the school (up to two miles away) of respondents' children "usually" bike 0 % to/from school Barriers to walking and bicycling Despite the fact that 30% of respondent's children could walk to school in 30 minutes or less, and 45% of respondent's children could bike to school in 30 minutes or less, parents who responded to the survey rarely reported that their children usually walked to/from school and none reported that their children usually biked to school. Parents may be reluctant to allow children to walk and bike to school for a variety of reason, though many students seem interested in walking or bicycling. The survey reveals that 62% of students who live within one mile the school and 50% of students who live within two miles of the school have asked permission to walk or bike to school. The parent survey also asked specifically about barriers to walking and biking to school. More than half of respondents who do not allow their children to walk or bike to school reported that the following issues affected their decision: • Amount of Traffic Along Route (81%) • Speed of Traffic Along Route (81%) • Safety of Intersections and Crossings (74%) • Distance (64%) • Weather or Climate (61%) • Sidewalks or Pathways (59%) Other reasons given by respondents for not allowing children to walk or bike include a lack of crossing guards (290/o), violence or crime (22%), the additional time required compared to other modes (17%), a lack of available adults wo walk/bike with (16%), child's participation in after school programs (12%) and the convenience of driving (10/6). Parent attitudes about walking and bicycling Seventy-five percent of parents who answered the survey think that Forest Lake Elementary School neither encourages nor discourages walking and biking to and from school. Three percent of parents responded that Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan 115 M 71 A k, - M., I-. - - they believe Forest Lake Elementary School encourages or strongly encourages walking and biking to/from school and 3% of the respondents believe that the school discourages walking and biking to/from school. The survey also revealed parent opinions about how much fun walking and bicycling is for their children, and how healthy walking and bicycling is for their children. Seventy-seven percent of parents felt that walking and bicycling to school was very healthy or healthy for their children, while 35% think riding bikes or walking to and from school is fun or very fun for their child. Forest View Elementary School Student Travel Survey Summary No hand tallies were collected on student travel patterns at Forest View Elementary School. Parent Survey Summary No parent surveys were collected on student travel patterns at Forest View Elementary School. 16 1 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan #� ` iii`'-� �'� � �►''a Traffic Conditions and Crash Analysis Central Moniessuri An assessment of collisions surrounding the campus of Central Montessori School was completed using Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) crash data from 2004 - 2013. A primary objective in analyzing this data is to identify crash patterns and particular locations or corridors that have been unsafe for pedestrians and bicyclists over a period of time. Data from 2004 - 2013 reported a total of 1,546 collisions within V mile of Central Montessori School. Of these collisions, 48 involved pedestrians or bicyclists. Pedestrian and bicycle collisions within V mile of Central Montessori School are concentrated along several corridors including 12th Street SW, 4th Street SW, W Broadway Avenue, and Lake Street S. Crash Locations 2004 - 2013 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan 117 Forest Lake Elementary School An assessment of collisions surrounding the campus of Forest Lake Elementary School was completed using Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) crash data from 2004 - 2013. A primary objective in analyzing this data is to identify crash patterns and particular locations or corridors that have been unsafe for pedestrians and bicyclists over a period of time. Data from 2004 - 2013 reported a total of 1,071 collisions within V mile of Forest Lake Elementary School. Of these collisions, 37 involved pedestrians or bicyclists. Pedestrian and bicycle collisions within V mile of Forest Lake Elementary are concentrated along several corridors including 12th Street SW, 4th Street SW, Lake Street S, and W Broadway Avenue. Forest Lake Elementary School Area Crash Locations 2004 - 2013 18 1 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan Forest View Elementary School An assessment of collisions surrounding the campus of Forest View Elementary School was completed using Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) crash data from 2004 - 2013. A primary objective in analyzing this data is to identify crash patterns and particular locations or corridors that have been unsafe for pedestrians and bicyclists over a period of time. Data from 2004 - 2013 reported a total of 631 collisions within V mile of Forest View Elementary School. Of these collisions, 22 involved pedestrians or bicyclists. Pedestrian and bicycle collisions within 1/ mile of Forest View Elementary are concentrated along several corridors including 12th Street SW, 4th Street SW, Lake Street S, and W Broadway Avenue. Forest View Elementary School Area Crash Locations 2004 - 2013 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan 119 z 71 A k, - M., I-. - - Site Audit The Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary and Forest View Elementary site visits took place during dismissal on November 13, 2014. Two members of the consultant team completed the dismissal observation. A community walking audit was conducted before dismissal, with assistance from the Central Montessori Dean, Forest Lake and Forest View Principals, and local law enforcement. Walking and Biking No walkers or bikers were observed during dismissal from Central Montessori. According to school faculty, some people may walk from the northeast on occasion, or to the west through the school parking lot. Older students were observed crossing 4th Street Southwest to reach vehicles parked on nearby residential streets. Several students were observed walking from the apartments across 4th Street Southwest. There are not any marked crosswalks between the apartments and the school. One parent walked with her student from apartments located south of the school. They walked along a ridge on the west side of the street, where snow was packed down from previous trips. There are students who live in apartments on the east side of 4th Street Southwest, within a quarter -mile of the school, who are bused because there is not a way for them to comfortably cross/travel along 4th Street Southwest to the school. There are some students who walk west through the field to Sth Street Southwest, although there is no formal trail connection. No bicyclists were observed during the arrival. School Bus Buses pick up from Central Montessori in the east parking lot/loop area. There are three buses total, including one for ALC students. A "Bus Only Zone" is signed along the curb in the western parking lot. According to school staff, this area is reserved for activity buses that visit the school irregularly. No buses were seen in the west lot during the visit. In the afternoon, regular buses pick up from Forest View Elementary (all bused students from Forest View and Forest Lake). All students walk together along the sidewalk that connects the two schools to catch their buses in front of Forest View. The entire sidewalk/loop area in front of Forest View is full of buses that are angled in. It takes about ten minutes to fill all of the buses, which leave Parents park in the west parking lot and walk inside to meet their students at Central Montessori. together. Special education students and ESL students are released ahead of other students, and are picked up in the Forest Lake bus loop on the north side of the parking lot 20 1 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan #� ` iii`'-� �'� � �►''a Parent Vehicle There is not a designated loop or system for cars at Central Montessori. A few parents parked or circulated through the parking lot / bus loop on the east side of the school. In the west parking lot, cars parked in the lot, or in a small paved area adjacent to the school near Door 11, where parents enter to meet their students in the cafeteria. There was never a peak in elementary pick-up activity. In total, around 10-15 parents parked to pick up young students. Vehicle activity did pick up when ALC students were dismissed. Drivers exited campus by heading west from the main parking lot, and by traveling east on the 4th Avenue Southwest extension towards 4th Street Southwest. Parents at Forest Lake are allowed to pick up along the school curb when buses are not present. Otherwise, they line up at the pick-up island, which is connected to the main door by a high -visibility crosswalk that crosses the bus lane. Some parents parked in the parking lot and walked to the front door to pick up students. A few parents pulled to the side of the cut -through road just north of the Forest Lake building to wait for their students. At Forest View, most of the drop-off occurred along the sidewalk that separates the parking lot from the bus drop- off area, as opposed to occurring along the curb directly south of the school. Parent drop-off traffic was relatively light. Backup only occurred when parents parked in the drop-off lane and walked their students inside; parents are instructed not to do this, but it still occurs from time to Parent vehicles pick up from an island on the south side of the bus loop at Forest Lake. Once buses have left they may also pick up students in the bus loading area. During morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up at Forest View, double parking (and parking in general) was sometimes a problem in the parent loop. time. Some parents parked in the lot and walked in with their students. Parents also used the bus loop before buses started to arrive, and after the buses left. Parents mostly kept out of the loop when buses were present. Most students entered Forest View through the southern door. Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan 121 M 71 A k, - M., I-. - - This Page Intentionally Left Blank 22 1 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan Infrastructure Issues and Recommendations The initial field review and subsequent meetings yielded specific recommendations to address the key identified barriers to walking and bicycling at Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary and Forest View Elementary Schools. This plan does not represent a comprehensive list of every project that could improve conditions for walking and cycling in the neighborhood, but rather the key conflict points and highest priority infrastructure improvements to improve walking and cycling access to the school. The recommendations range from simple striping changes and school signing to more significant changes to the streets, intersections and school infrastructure. Short-term projects that should be addressed in the 2015-2016 school year are noted as such in the Implementation Strategy section of this plan. Some of the more significant recommendations for changes to streets and intersections may require policy changes, additional discussion and coordination, engineering, and significant funding sources. All engineering recommendations are described in Table 1 with locations shown on the Recommended Improvements Map. It should be noted that funding is limited and all recommendations made are planning - level concepts only. Additional engineering studies will be needed to confirm feasibility and final costs for projects. Maintenance School routes and crosswalks should be prioritized for maintenance. To ensure high visibility crosswalks maintain their effectiveness, review all crosswalks within one block of the school each year. If there is notable deterioration, crosswalks should be repainted annually. In addition, crosswalks on key school walk routes should be evaluated annually and repainted every other year or more often as needed. Because walking and cycling diminish during the cold winter months, it is particularly important to prioritize snow removal and maintenance of school routes. Snow removal is a critical component of pedestrian and bicycle safety. The presence of snow or ice on sidewalks, curb ramps, or bikeways will deter pedestrian and cyclist use of those facilities to a much higher degree than cold temperature alone. Families with children will avoid walking in locations where ice or snow accumulation creates slippery conditions that may cause a fall. Curb ramps that are blocked by ice or snow effectively sever access to pedestrian facilities. Additionally, inadequately maintained facilities may force pedestrians and bicyclists into the street. Identified routes to school should be given priority for snow removal and ongoing maintenance. Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan 123 This Page Intentionally Left Blank 24 1 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan ITIM►i �. �a Table 1. Central Montessori, Forest Lake & Forest View Issues and Recommendations Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan 125 Location Problem/issueProject .. 4th Street Southwest from 3rd Increased pedestrian comfort City of Forest A Avenue South to 7th Avenue Walking along 4th Avenue near the schools is uncomfortable. Construct sidewalks on the west side of the street. and safety. Lake Southwest B 4th Street Southwest and This intersection is a complex 5 -way stop with limited striping and signing Install full school crossing sign assembly with stop bars. Increased vehicle compliance City of Forest Southwest 4th Avenue resulting in a lack of understanding of expected behavior. more consistent behavior. Lake C 4th Street and 5th Street Southwest (at school's southern Students who live in the apartments on the east side of 4th Street Install high visibility marked crosswalk and full crossing assembly Increased pedestrian comfort City of Forest driveway) Southwest cross here, but unmarked crossing is uncomfortable. signage. and visibility. Lake D 4th Street Southwest at Hardwood Unmarked Hardwood Trail connection is unexpected and uncomfortable. Install high visibility marked crosswalk and full crossing assembly Increased trail user comfort/safety when crossing City of Forest Trail connection signage. roadway. Lake E US Highway 61 and 2nd Avenue Existing marked crossing on north side is challenging to cross. US 61 is Install curb extensions and median refuge island to reduce crossing Increased vehicle yielding at crosswalk; increased MnDOT Southwest wide and fast. distance. Install RRFB to increase yielding compliance. pedestrian comfort. F US Highway 61 from Southwest 4th Avenue to 2nd Avenue Sidewalk drops mid -block, and on -street walking is unsafe and Fill gaps on sidewalk of US 61. Increased pedestrian comfort MnDOT Southwest uncomfortable. and safety. G 3rd Avenue Southwest from 12th Street Southwest to school Walking on -street along 3rd Ave is uncomfortable. Construct sidewalk/path on south side. Increased pedestrian comfort and safety. City of Forest Lake sidewalks. H Path adjacent to track field Existing path connection adjacent to track does not connect to school. Construct an extension of the path to connect to the school grounds. Increased connectivity to school grounds. School District I Path connection from 8th St Existing path stops short of school. Construct an extension of the path to connect to the school grounds. Increased connectivity to City of Forest Southwest school grounds. Lake 11th Ave Southwest from 8th Lack of sidewalk results in students walking along unimproved road Construct sidewalk on north side of street. Coordinate with County Increased pedestrian comfort City of Forest Avenue Southwest to Forest Blvd N edge. on improvements. and safety. Lake Existing crossing is long and uncomfortable, lacking tactile ramps, Construct ramps and landings at corners, and construct a waiting Increased vehicle yielding at K 11th Avenue at Forest Blvd N landings and waiting areas. area in the existing median to improve comfort. Coordinate with crosswalk; increased MnDOT County on improvements to intersection. pedestrian comfort. Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan 125 VIP Cent+ d Montessori Z.@ Schaal Forest Lake E#ement•ary 5choo� Ilk - on-wr Forest Lake Elementary School •T.t 117. Forest View Elementary School Existing Conditions School Grounds Traffic Signal Sidewalks/Paths Stop Sign ® Standard Crosswalk Rapid Flash Beacon ' a 4 MM High Visibility Crosswalk M Bike Parking u ®<�> School/Pedestrian Warning Sign 'd0 Parentl Bus Loading Southwest • &<'> School/Pedestrian Crossing Sign © Crossing Guards Junior High r School �_ . �' ley Recommendations 01 1 jrl :. - r �' Road ReconfigurationRapid Flash Beacons NV zMcc Sidewalks/Paths Crossing Signage 5170 1,000 2,000 High Visibility Crosswalk IN FEEL Enhanced Crosswalk 26 1 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan Construct sidewalks on the west side of the street. Install full school crossing sign assembly with stop bars. Install high visibility marked crosswalk and full crossing assembly signage. # _., Install high visibility marked crosswalk and full crossing assembly signage. Install curb extensions and median refuge island to reduce crossing distance. Install RRFB to increase yeiiding compliance. FIJI gaps on sidewalk of US 6t. Construct sidewalk/path on south side. Construct sidewalklpoth Construct sidewalk/path Construct sidewalklpoth. Coordinate with County on improvements. Consider improving crossing at intersection. Coordinate with County on improvements to intersection. Forest Lake Elementary School •T.t 117. Forest View Elementary School Existing Conditions School Grounds Traffic Signal Sidewalks/Paths Stop Sign ® Standard Crosswalk Rapid Flash Beacon ' a 4 MM High Visibility Crosswalk M Bike Parking u ®<�> School/Pedestrian Warning Sign 'd0 Parentl Bus Loading Southwest • &<'> School/Pedestrian Crossing Sign © Crossing Guards Junior High r School �_ . �' ley Recommendations 01 1 jrl :. - r �' Road ReconfigurationRapid Flash Beacons NV zMcc Sidewalks/Paths Crossing Signage 5170 1,000 2,000 High Visibility Crosswalk IN FEEL Enhanced Crosswalk 26 1 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan #� ` iii`'-� �'� � �►''a Programs Recommendations The Safe Routes to School movement has been a leader in acknowledging that infrastructure changes are a necessary but insufficient condition for shifting school travel behavior. While engineering improvements like sidewalks, crosswalks, and bikeways are important, equally important are education programs to make sure children and families have basic safety skills, encouragement programs to highlight walking and bicycling to school as fun and normal, enforcement against unsafe and illegal motorist behavior, and evaluation of the impact of investments and non -infrastructure efforts. Recommended Programs • International Walk to School Day and Bike to School Day • SRTS walk and bike maps • School SRTS Communication • Classroom lessons (Minnesota Walk! Bike! Fun! Curriculum) • School specific trip tracking/competitions The following programs were identified as priority programs for Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary and Forest View Elementary Schools during the SRTS planning process. These programs were selected to meet the interest and needs of the school community in the near term (one to five years). The programs are recommended to serve both schools and can be implemented in tandem, however programs can be tailored and implemented to meet the age group and interests of the school and students. For each program concept, the recommendation includes the primary intended outcomes, potential lead and partners, a recommended timeframe for implementation, resources and sample programs, and a short description. Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan 127 z 71 A k. - M., I-. - - School Community Programs 'Walk and Bike to School Day Increased walking and bicycling; youth empowerment ' • School Administrators • • Forest Lake Schools; Forest Lake PTO, Forest Lake Police Department, students; local businesses; local celebrities • Twice a year - Annually on or around International Walk and Bike to School Day in October and in May around Bike to School Day. • Form an event planning team • Consider the scale and format of the event and assess volunteer capacity • Set a date early • Determine incentive structure International Walk to School: http://www.iwalktoschool.org/ Walk Bike to School: http://www.walkbiketoschool.org/ MnDOT Walk and Bike to School Day Webinar: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/saferoutes/tooIkit.htmI ' • • Oregon Safe Routes to School: http://www.walknbike.org/schools Walk and Bike to School Day is an international event that attracts millions of participants in over 30 countries in October. The event encourages students and their families to try walking or bicycling to school. Parents and other adults accompany students, and staging areas can be designated along the route to school where groups can gather and walk or bike together. These events can be held for one or more days. Walk and Bike to School Day events are often promoted through press releases, backpack/folder/electronic mail, newsletter articles, and posters. Students often earn incentives for participating, such as healthy snacks, buttons, or stickers. The event International Walk to School Day draws large numbers of students and families to walk to school planning team can work with local businesses, such as grocery stores, to provide donations to students participating in the events. There can also be a celebration at school following the morning event, such as an awards ceremony, lunch time party, or a raffle. This can require substantial coordination time, as well as time to develop promotional materials and secure donations. Walk and Bike to school can be combined with other programs such as Park and Walk for those students that live too far from school to walk or bike. 28 1 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan #� ` iii`'-� �'� � �►''a `—,1k and Bike to School Route Mapr • Improved walking and bicycling safety, knowledge of supportive infrastructure ' City of Forest Lake Planning Department School administrators; teachers and crossing guards, parents, students ' Distribute when students and families are adjusting to new habits, e.g., back -to -school, following winter/spring break, as weather gets warmer. Revise and redistribute annually, if possible. • • Determine format of map • Identify resources to produce and distribute map • Collaborate with parents to identify key routes National Center for Safe Routes to School's Map -a -Route Tool: http://ma ps.wal kbi ketoschool.oM/ MnDOT Walk and Bike to School Maps Webinar http://www.dot.state.mn.us/saferoutes/tooIkit.htmI Bozeman, MT:http://www.bozeman.kl2.mt.us/schools/safe routes/ Santa Clarita, CA: http://www.santa-clarita.com/index.aspx?page=177 Rochester, NY: http://www.waIkinginfo.org/pedsafe/casestudy.cfm?CS NUM=33 Walk and Bike to School Maps, sometimes called Suggested Route to School maps, help families choose the best route for walking or bicycling to school. Maps show stop signs, signals, crosswalks, sidewalks, bikeways, paths/trails, school entrances, bike parking, and crossing guard locations around a school. Maps may also show transit routes and stops, school enrollment areas, pick- up/drop-off zones, and important destinations, such as community centers and parks. Some less objective elements to consider include recommended routes, good walking/biking routes, and hazardous locations. The team leading the mapping effort should decide in advance whether the maps will be distributed electronically or in paper form as this can inform how the map is produced. Maps may be produced using mapping walk and Bike to School Maps show the safest streets or drawing technologies, such as GIS or Adobe and crossings for getting to school. Illustrator, but can also be as simple as hand drawn maps or marked up Google maps. Students may also be engaged in the making of maps through classroom or after- school activities. The City of Forest Lake can take leadership in developing maps that serve all the schools and school administers should collaborate on development of suggested routes and addition of information that supports other education and encouragement programs. Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan 129 M 71 A k, - M., I-. - - School Safety Campaign • Will depend on campaign focus, but may include improved walking/biking safety behavior, improved driving safety behavior, and youth empowerment • . City of Forest Lake Police Department; Forest Lake School District • . Teachers/administrators/staff; PTO/parents; City of Forest Lake Planning or Public Works; local groups/advocates/volunteers; local businesses Annual or semi-annual; when habits, traffic patterns, or seasons change: upon returning to school in the fall, when the weather gets warmer, when daylight saving time ends • Forma team to lead the development of the campaign • Identify the key issue(s) to focus the message of the campaign • Decide on the preferred format (signs, posters, billboards, etc.) • Identify funding for promotional material production and distribution. • City of Portland: http://www.portiandoregon.gov/transportation/article/272948 . • San Jose (CA) Street Smarts Program: http://www.getstreetsmarts.org/ MnDOT Share the Road (broad community focus): httr)://www.dot.state.mn.us/sharetheroad/ A safety campaign is an effective way to build awareness around students walking and bicycling to school and to encourage safe driving behavior among parents and passersby. A School Traffic Safety Campaign can use media at or near schools—such as posters, business window stickers, yard signs, or street banners—to remind drivers to slow down and use caution in school zones. This type of campaign can also address other specific hazards or behaviors, such as walking or bicycling to school, school bus safety, and parent drop-off and pick- up behavior. Campaigns may have significant costs to produce promotional materials and collateral, though these items can often be covered through grants. Advertising can also be an important part of safety campaigns to inform the community and expand the reach of the messaging. A collaborative effort between the police department and the district can pool resources and expand the reach of the campaign. A campaign that coordinates with all schools in the area can be very effective. The location of several schools in one area with shared transportation facilities provides a unique opportunity to support mentorship and leadership options for the high school students. School administrators can work together to develop a comprehensive campaign that targets the three age groups, their families and the broader community. A School Traffic Safety Campaign can use media at or near schools to remind drivers to use caution in school zones 30 1 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan Classroom Lessons (Minnesota Walk! Bike! Fun! Curriculum) • Improved walking and bicycling safety behavior; youth empowerment • . Teachers/administrators at all Forest Lake Area Schools • . Forest Lake School District; PTO/parents; City of Forest Lake Regularly integrated as viable. Safety training and skills elements twice per year. • Download and review curriculum • Identify interested teachers • Have a key teachers attend a Bike Minnesota training session • Teachers plan for integration of curriculum Minnesota Walk! Bike! Fun! Curriculum http-//www.dot.state.mn.us/saferoutes http://www.bikemn.ora/education/srts-education-curriculum • . • Oregon Safe Routes to School: http://walknbike.org/pedestrian-safety/ National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: http://www.nhtsa.gov/ChildPedestrianSafetyCurriculum A variety of existing in -classroom lessons and skills training activities are available to help teach students about walking, bicycling, health, and traffic safety. Benefits One of the quickest and easiest ways to ensure all children receive important information on the safety basics and benefits of walking and bicycling Flexible activities can accommodate a variety of time/ space constraints and grade levels Helps institutionalize pedestrian and bicycle safety as a priority life skill (similar to home economics or driver education) Pedestrian safety training teaches basic lessons such as, 'look left, right, and left again". In -class lessons introduce the topic of pedestrian and bicycle safety to children, including what types of situations they may encounter on the road, how to follow street signs, and how to interact with drivers. Rhymes, songs, and videos can be used to help children remember how to walk and cross streets safely. The new Minnesota Walk! Bike! Fun! Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Curriculum is a two-part curriculum designed specifically for Minnesota's schools and is structured to meet Minnesota education standards. The Minnesota Walk! Bike! Fun! Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Curriculum was developed by the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Center for Prevention at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. The curriculum was designed to help children ages five to thirteen learn traffic rules and regulations, the potential hazards to traveling, and handling skills needed to bike and walk effectively, appropriately and safely through their community. This curriculum is free for anyone to download and use. Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan 131 Z 71 A k, - M., I-. - - Trip/Mileag- `—eking " rograrr Increased walking, bicycling, transit use, or carpooling; youth empowerment • Forest Lake Area Schools Administration and teachers; PTO/parents Forest Lake School District; local groups/advocates/volunteers; local businesses • Annually, possibly in conjunction with International Walk and Bike to School Day or Bike Month • Identify staff and volunteer resources available • Determine the duration and format of the competition • Consider coordination with other events or learning objectives at the school National Center for Safe Routes to School Guide: http://guide.saferoutesinfo.org/encouragement/mileage clubs and contests.cfm Fire Up Your Feet Minnesota: http://mn.fireupyourfeet.org/about/fire-your-feet- minnesota MnDOT Encouragement Programs: Trip Tracking and Competitions webinar http://www.dot.state.m n.us/saferoutes/tool kit.htm I .. Marin County (CA) Pollution Punchcard: http://www.saferoutestoschool s.org/SR2Si mages/Pol I ution-Guide-09-2.pdf A trip or mileage tracking program can be implemented as an opt -in club, a classroom activity, or a collaborative school -wide event. Students track trips or mileage made by walking, bicycling, transit, or carpools with some type of goal or culminating celebration or reward. Students can work towards a certain milestone to earn a prize or raffle entry, or they can track their individual or group progress as miles across their town, the state of Minnesota, or the United States. The program should encourage all students to participate, regardless of where they live; those who live too far to walk can participate in a "park and walk' activity or students can be accommodated in PE class or during recess. Example programs include Pollution Punchcards or Walk Across America. ,,, Do it , 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Simple punch cards can be used to track trips Classrooms can complete for the 'golden sneaker award' or other that honors their walking and cycling efforts 32 1 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan Evaluation Why evaluate? Evaluation is an important component of any Safe Routes to School effort. Not only does evaluation measure a program's reach and impact on a school community, it can also ensure continued funding and provide a path forward for ongoing and future efforts. Evaluation can measure participation and accomplishments, shifts in travel behavior, changes in attitudes toward bicycling and walking, awareness of the Safe Routes to School program, and/or the effectiveness of processes or programs. Safe Routes to School evaluation is beneficial in the following ways: • Indicates whether your SRTS efforts are paying off. Evaluation can tell you what's working well, what's not, and how you can improve your program in the future. • Allows you to share your program's impact with others. Evaluation can demonstrate the value of continuing your program, with school faculty and administration, the district, parents, and elected officials. • Provides a record of your efforts to serve as institutional memory. The nature of Safe Routes to School teams is that they change over time, as parents and their children move on to other schools and as staff turns over. Recording and evaluating your efforts provides vital information to future teams. • Tells you if you are reaching your goals. Evaluation can confirm that you are accomplishing or working towards what you set out to do. On the other hand, evaluation efforts can reveal that there is a mismatch in your efforts and your goals or that you need to correct course. • Encourages continued funding for Safe Routes to School programs. Data collected and shared by local programs can influence decisions at the local, state and national level. In part, today's funding and grant programs exist because of the evaluations of past programs. Basics of Evaluation At a minimum, SRTS evaluation should include the standard classroom hand tallies and parent surveys expected in order to be consistent with the national Safe Routes to School program. Evaluating the programs can - and should where possible - delve beyond this, but it need not be burdensome. Evaluating the program can be as simple as recording what you did and when you did it, and counting or estimating the number of students who participated or were reached. Recording planning efforts and taking photos is also helpful for the legacy of the program. In most cases, it is beneficial to measure more, such as school travel mode split and miles walked/biked, from which the school, district or city can estimate environmental, health, and other impacts. There are two kinds of information that can be collected: quantitative data (numbers, such as counts, logs, and survey results) and qualitative data (words and images, such as observations, interviews, and records). Further, there are several different ways to collect information. This includes the following: 1. Conducting tallies/counts 2. Keeping logs (such as for mileage tracking) 3. Conducting surveys and interviews 4. Conducting observations and audits 5. Keeping planning and process records Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan 133 z 71 A k, - M., I-. - - Regardless of how elaborate you make your evaluation, it is important to plan ahead for measuring and tracking results. When you are designing your program, consider how you are going to evaluate it from the beginning, so that you can build in mechanisms for collecting the necessary data. For example, if showing changes in travel behavior over time is important to your effort, you will need to start by collecting baseline data so you know how students are getting to school currently in order to be able to demonstrate any change later. Below is a series of basic steps to take in designing and executing your program evaluation: 1. Establish your goals and plan the specific program. 2. Decide what, how, and when to measure. 3. Collect baseline information, if necessary. 4. Conduct the program and monitor progress. 5. Conduct any post -program data collection, if necessary. 6. Interpret your data. 7. Use and share your results. More resources for evaluation can be found on the National Center for Safe Routes to School's website here: http://guide.saferoutesinfo.org/evaluation/index.cfm. Before and After Study of Infrastructure It's also helpful to understand the impact of the specific infrastructure projects on travel behavior and patterns. When planning to improve the built environment to serve school travel, a simple before and after study can be completed with minimal resources and in some cases little more than volunteer support. Document baseline conditions before the project and evaluate a few months after completion. A complete traffic count is very helpful but may be cost prohibitive. At a minimum, complete a count of pedestrians and bicyclists and note any large vehicles. For information on how to conduct a pedestrian and bicycle count refer to the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project, which can be found online at http://bikepeddocumentation.org/ Document motorist compliance with traffic laws, such as yielding at crosswalks and obeying the speed limit. Note pedestrian and bicyclist behavior that may cause safety concerns, such as wrong -way riding or crossing outside of crosswalks. Annual Evaluation Tasks At the beginning of each year establish which programs and improvements will be made and what needs to be done to complete basic steps 1-3. 34 1 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan ` iii`'-� �'� � �►''a This Page Intentionally Left Blank Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan 135 Z 71 A k. - M., I-. - - Implementation Strategy The following section outlines an estimated implementation timeline for both the infrastructure and programmatic recommendations. This strategy identifies programs that can be started in first year of plan implementation and summarizes the estimated timing of infrastructure improvements. Year One The programs identified for year one implementation will require the leading organization to take some immediate actions to make progress and follow this timeline. See the Recommended Programs chapter for detailed descriptions of each program, including a list of steps to get started on implementation. Year one programs were selected based on existing capacity and interest identified during the planning process. Most education, encouragement and enforcement programs will be ongoing and once started can be integrated into school programs year after year. Future Actions While some recommendations may not be implemented in year one, it is still important to plan and prepare for future programmatic and infrastructure projects. These future actions are displayed in simplified timeline, illustrating a potential approach to phasing in certain activities. Example Project qAL Planning Implementation ilL 36 1 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan k4A"AAMX Programs Action Plan Planning Implementation 4IF 4F Table 2. Programs ProgramType Potential Lead Key Partner Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 International Walk to School Forest Lake Encouragement School Day and Bike to Administrators School District School Day Education SRTS walk and bike City of Forest Lake Forest Lake maps School District School SRTS Forest Lake School School Education Communication District Administrators Classroom Lessons Forest Lake School Education (Minnesota Walk! Bike! Teachers District Fun! Curriculum) Encouragement School specific trip School Teachers tracking/competitions Administrators Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan 137 z 71 A k, - M., I-. - - Infrastructure Action Plan See the Infrastructure Issues and Recommendations chapter for detailed discussion of the infrastructure projects listed here. Table 3. Implementation Plan Project Solution/ Recommendation .Priority A Construct sidewalks on the west side of the street. City of Forest Lake Medium B Install full school crossing sign assembly with stop bars. City of Forest Lake High C Install high visibility marked crosswalk and full crossing City of Forest Lake Medium ��► assembly signage. D Install high visibility marked crosswalk and full crossing City of Forest Lake Medium assembly signage. Install curb extensions and median refuge island to E reduce crossing distance. Install RRFB to increase MnDOT High yielding compliance. F Fill gaps on sidewalk of US 61. MnDOT High G Construct sidewalk/path on south side. City of Forest Lake Medium H Construct sidewalk/path. Forest Lake School Medium District Construct sidewalk/path. City of Forest Lake Medium Construct sidewalk/path. Coordinate with the County on City of Forest Lake Medium ��► improvements. K Consider improving crossing at intersection. Coordinate MnDOT Medium with the County on Improvements to intersection. Planning Implementation 38 1 Central Montessori, Forest Lake Elementary & Forest View Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan