Safe Routes To School

1. Safe Routes To School Lenexa, KS

2. Why Safe Routes To School? • Fewer kids walk and bike to school • Health consequences due to inactivity • SRTS programs are part of the solution

3. 1. Fewer kids are biking and walking. More parents are driving. • 1969: 42% walked • 2001: 16% walked (CDC, 2005)

4. Parents driving Parents driving children to school: 20%-25% of morning traffic (NHTSA 2003; Dept. of Environment)

5. It’s not just distance Students who live within 1 mile and walk or bike: 1969: 87% 2001: 63% (CDC, 2005)

6. 2. Unintended consequences of less walking and bicycling? • For the environment • For individual health

7. Air quality Measurably better around schools with more walkers and bicyclists (EPA, 2003) Chicago, IL

8. Physical inactivity • Most kids aren’t getting the physical activity they need • Recommended 60 minutes on most, preferably all, days of the week (US Depts. of Health and Human Services and Agriculture, 2005)

9. U.S. youth overweight rates (National Center for Health Statistics)

10. Overweight children have an increased risk of… • Type 2 Diabetes • Low self esteem • Decreased physical functioning • Obesity in adulthood • Many other negative emotional & physical effects (Institute of Medicine, 2005)

11. Good news! Antigo is taking action on behalf of children through Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Winston-Salem, NC Alhambra, CA Phoenix, AZ

12. 3. Safe Routes to School programs are part of the solution… ...to improve walking and bicycling conditions ...to increase physical activity ...to decrease air pollution Dallas, TX

13. Safe Routes To SchoolinAntigo

14. SRTS Schools in Antigo Middle North East West

15. SRTS Planning Timeline • August – Planning Grant Awarded • October – Planning Started • November – Walk Audits created 2008: • Aug/Sept – Community Meetings • Fall – Develop alternatives • Fall – Implementation 2009:

16. Elements of SRTS programs • Education • Encouragement • Enforcement • Engineering • Evaluation Lenexa, KS

17. Education • Teaches safety skills • Creates safety awareness • Fosters life-long safety habits • Includes parents, neighbors and other drivers Chicago, IL

18. Encouragement • Increases popularity of walking and bicycling • Is an easy way to start SRTS programs • Emphasizes fun

19. Enforcement • Increases awareness of pedestrians and bicyclists • Improves driver behavior • Helps children follow traffic rules Richmond, VA Denver, CO

20. Engineering • Creates safer conditions for walking and bicycling • Can influence the way people behave

21. Evaluation Is the program making a difference? Survey Parents & Students annually.

22. Antigo’s SRTS Goals • Where it is safe, get children walking and biking to increase their health. • Improve children’s safety around schools during drop-off and pick-up, so children can walk and bike safely to school.

23. Antigo Overall…NCWRPC analysis of information • Antigo is generally safe. - Theft and violence still happen. • Major roads and neighborhoods need sidewalks throughout Antigo. - Students are walking on the roads now. • School zone crossings may need upgrades. - Crossing Hwy 45 is necessary for Middle School

24. Parent Survey (Fall 2008) How did your child get to school? What change is needed before you allow child to walk to school? A survey of parents occurred in Fall of 2008.

25. Fewer kids are biking and walking. More parents are driving. Fall 2008 Survey Walked , Biked • North: 9% , 4% • East: 22% , 2% • Middle: 8% , 2% • West: 22% , 4%

26. Parents would allow walking/bikingif issue changed: • Some Top Issues Chg would (not)…affect decision • Weather/climate 49 (68)% • Safe intersections 48 (55)% • Distance 47 (56)% • Traffic volume along route 41 (64)% • Traffic speed along route 41 (57)% • Violence/crime 32 (53)%

27. Comments from parent’s survey • Major Themes by Priority • 1 - Sex offenders exist (Mostly West Elementary comments) • 2 - Need more crossing guards • 3 - Will allow to walk in group • 3 – Crossing or walking by Hwy 45 is too dangerous

28. Registered sex offenders exist N W M E W = West Elem. Citywide

29. Traffic danger

30. Walking in groups Richmond, VA Alhambra, CA

31. Highway 45 / Superior Street Sidewalks are missing or inadequate along Hwy 45. Dirt paths show that people are walking along Hwy 45 Southbound USH 45, north of fairgrounds Northbound USH 45, north of fairgrounds

32. SRTS Walking Audit • What is it? • Local assessment of walking conditions within ¼ mile of each school. • Why use audits? • Physically makes people aware of local conditions, and local behaviors.

33. Walk Audit Results • Bike racks at each school are: -Located prominently -Used by students North East Middle West

34. Obstructed Ped-Xing Button ???

35. Walk Audit Results • Curb ramps exist on most corners throughout Antigo.

36. Walk Audit Results • More visible flashing yellow lights may be needed for Hwy 45. To: From: Insert picture of flashing light on Hwy 45.

37. Overall student & parent behaviors from Fall 2008 Walk Audit • Vehicles parked everywhere to pick-up kids. • Most drivers using reasonable speeds. • Cars do not slow down as students are in crosswalk. • Car turning cut off safety patrol. • Kids run between cars to cross. • Students crossing Hwy 45 @ 8th instead of @ 7th where crossing guard is located.

38. Antigo SRTS What’s next?