Additional Content By Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. Safe Routes to School Improving Health, Safety and Transportation Madison, WI

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. The need for Safe Routes to School 1.Fewer kids today walk and bike to school 2.Unintended consequences have resulted 3.SRTS programs are part of the solution

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. 1. Fewer kids are biking and walking. More parents are driving.  2001: 16% walked  1969: 42% walked (CDC, 2005)

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. Parents driving Parents driving children to school: 20%-25% of morning traffic (NHTSA 2003; Dept. of Environment)

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. What caused the shift?

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. School siting issues: A generation ago  Small schools  Located in community centers (EPA, 2003) Madison, WI

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. School siting issues: Today  Mega-schools  Built on edges of towns and cities

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. School consolidation has lengthened the trip between home and school

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. It’s not just distance Students who live within 1 mile and walk or bike: 2001: 63% 1969: 87% (CDC, 2005) Madison, WI

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. Most common barriers to walking and bicycling to school  Long distances62%  Traffic speeds/volume30%  Adverse weather19%  Fear of crime/danger12% Note: Sum of percentages is more than 100% because respondents could identify more than one barrier. (CDC, 2005)

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. Traffic danger Middleton, WI Milwaukee, WI

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. Adverse weather Howard’s Grove, WICentreville, VA

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc.  Fear of crime (both real and perceived)  Abandoned buildings  Other reasons Individual community issues

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. 2. The unintended consequences of less walking and bicycling  On the environment  On individual health

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc Summer Olympic Games banned single occupant cars in downtown Atlanta Atlanta, GA

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc.  Morning traffic –  23%  Peak ozone –  28%  Asthma-related events for kids –  42% (Journal of the American Medical Association [JAMA], 2001) Results of the ban

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. Engine Idling  Reduces air quality Idling an engine produces 2X exhaust emissions as an engine in motion  Increases air pollution around the school right at the time when children are present  10 seconds of idling wastes more fuel than restarting the engine  Wastes money Madison, WI

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. Air quality Measurably better around schools with more walkers and bicyclists (EPA, 2003) Chicago, IL

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. 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)

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. U.S. youth overweight rates

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. 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)

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. Good news! Communities are taking action on behalf of children through Safe Routes to School Phoenix, AZ Winston-Salem, NCAlhambra, CA

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. 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

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. More benefits of SRTS programs  Reduce congestion around schools  Can lead to cost savings for schools (reduce need for “hazard” busing)  Others: increase child’s sense of freedom, help establish lifetime habits, teach pedestrian and bicyclist skills

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. Elements of SRTS programs  Education  Encouragement  Enforcement  Engineering  Evaluation Madison, WI

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. Education  Imparts safety skills  Creates safety awareness  Fosters life-long safety habits  Includes parents, neighbors and other drivers Chicago, IL

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc.  Increases popularity of walking and bicycling  Is an easy way to start SRTS programs  Emphasizes fun Encouragement Elmhurst, IL

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. Enforcement  Increases awareness of pedestrians and bicyclists  Improves driver behavior  Helps children follow traffic rules Denver, CO Richmond, VA

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. Engineering  Creates safer conditions for walking and bicycling  Can influence the way people behave West Valley City, UT

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. Evaluation Is the program making a difference?

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. Federal Safe Routes to School program  $612 million to States  Funds infrastructure and non-infrastructure activities  Requires State SRTS Coordinators More information:

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. Wisconsin’s program Renee Callaway SRTS Program Manager Wisconsin Department of Transportation PO Box 7913, Madison, WI Phone: (608) Fax: (608)

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. Safe Routes to School goals  Where it’s safe, get children walking and biking  Where it’s not safe, make changes Winston-Salem, NC Green Bay, WI

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. Your Safe Routes to School Plan  Your Safe Routes to School Plan will contain the following chapters: Executive Summary Introduction to SRTS Present Conditions and Past Studies Safety Issues and Routes Study Recommendations Developing a School Campaign

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. Timeline  2007 September: Meeting #1; data collection September/October: Walking and Biking Audits; Distribute and Collect Surveys October: Continue Walk/Bike Audits; Continue to Collect Surveys November: Surveys Compiled; Meeting #2; Develop Alternatives December: Develop Alternatives

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. Timeline…  2008 January: Develop Alternatives; Meeting #3; Start to Assemble Draft Plan February: Assemble Draft Plans March: Meeting #4; Finalize Document April: Finalize Documents; Delivery Safe Routes to School: Practice and Promise (2004)

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. SRTS Audit  Purpose To assess the conditions of a ½ mile radius around each school as they relate to biking and walking Will help determine the recommendations in the plan Can be used to apply for infrastructure grants in 2008 Grant requirement  Volunteers needed!

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. SRTS Audit Team  Jack Hirt Executive Director of Bicycle Federation of WI Involved in Safe Routes to School planning and implementation since 2004 Abilities include classroom instruction of bicycle and pedestrian safety, and facility design and planning for specific school sites Year-round bike and walk commuter

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. SRTS Audit Team  Jessica Wineberg She currently bikes to work everyday at the Bicycle Federation of WI She runs the largest Safe Routes to School program in the state with the Milwaukee Public Schools She is a League Cycling Instructor

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. SRTS Audit Team  Charley Weeth Executive Director of Wisconsin Walks Years of experience with pedestrian safety and access issues Avid walker and bicyclist, routinely out and about with his German Shepherds

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. Success!  The success of the plan depends on you Talk to your neighbors and friends Participate in the School Campaign Call your local papers Envision success! Madison WI

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. Websites Additional Information from the Wisconsin DOT includes: Applications Toolkit Surveys Contacts Links to additional information

Additional Content by Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. Websites Additional Information from Schreiber/Anderson Associates includes: Introductory Packet Surveys Contacts Project progress