1. A Project of Traffic Safe Communities Network
Safe routes to school
A Project of Traffic Safe Communities Network
Alice Kawaguchi, Health Education Specialist
Santa Clara County Public Health Department
March 26, 2014
© 2013 Santa Clara County Public Health Department
The Public Health Department is owned and operated by the County of Santa Clara

2. Traffic Safe Communities Network
Launch: 1997
Partners: 70+ local stakeholders, representing healthcare, engineering, law enforcement, bicycle and pedestrian advocates, schools and others interested in reducing traffic related injuries and deaths
Leadership: County Health Officer and Member of County Board of Supervisors
Staff: Public Health Department
Current Priority Areas: Alcohol and Impaired Driving Prevention, Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety, Active Transportation Policy, Comprehensive Data Collection
Funding: Primarily grant funded; supplemented by General Funds
TSCN began in 1997 using the Safe Communities Model promoted by the WHO and NHTSA. Understanding that traffic related injuries and deaths are preventable and need to be addressed at the community level.
From a large group of local traffic safety stakeholders and with the leadership of Dr. Fenstersheib and Sup. Jim Beall, formed the Network. Stakeholders represented law enforcement, engineering, public health, injury prevention, elected officials, judiciary, emergency medical services, bicycle and pedestrian advocates, and community organizations.
Throughout the year, they developed the mission and identified the Network’s priority areas.
Mission: Prevent traffic-related injuries, disabilities, fatalities, and costs by adapting NHTSA’s Safe Communities Model through a comprehensive and systematic collaborative planning process focused on both a prevention and “best practices” approach in order to create a safer, healthier and more economically viable community.
Over time the workgroups have evolved but the two have remained consistent: AIDPWG and Bike/Ped Safety
We have been very fortunate the partners who got involved early have continued to be engaged. Very few collaborative can say they have been in existence for 15 years or more.
TSCN was exclusively grant funded until two years ago when it also became supported by General Funds. Current funding includes: California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), Caltrans, Metropolitan Transportation Commission/Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), General Funds

3. Our Non-infrastructure SRTS Program
FUNDING
Initial funding ( ) by California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the California Office of Traffic Safety
Currently funded ( ) by VTA (Valley Transportation Authority), our local congestion management agency, and MTC (Metropolitan Transportation Commission) for VERBS (Vehicle Emissions Reductions Based at Schools)
Additional Funding ( ) from Caltrans

4. Initial Strategies Student and Parent Safety Education
Encouragement Events
9/18/2018

5. Comprehensive SRTS Strategies
Walkability/Bikeability Assessment
SRTS Team Planning Meetings
SRTS Supply Plans
Volunteer, Parent, Coordinator Recruitment and Training
Middle/High School Engagement
Community Outreach and Education
Policies to Support Walking and Bicycling
Community Engagement and ownership in data collection, walk/bike assessment, bike rodeos, developing their own plans for walking groups, or Walking Wednesday

6. Walkability/Bikeability Assessment
Counts of pedestrians and bicyclists
Observation of behaviors
Environmental Assessment
Community based
Mid-block cross, are parents walking
Bicyclist wearing helmets, ride with traffic, stop at signs
Room to walk or bike
Easy to walk or bike
Pleasant, safe, driver beahviors

7. Other Assessment and Evaluation
Student travel to school tallies
Survey of parent attitudes/opinions about walking and bicycling

8. SRTS Team Planning Meeting
We take all of the information and turn out an individualized school report and present the information a school meeting.
Team includes law enforcement, engineering, healthcare, bicycle and pedestrian advocates, school community, etc.

9. Written Plans/Supplies
Walking groups, walking days, incentive days
Twenty nine elementary, middle or high schools participated in the school materials program and 28 of 29 or 97% successful implemented their plans. The one school that did not implement their original plan, focused on educational aspects of the Safe Routes to School Program.

10. Student Traffic Safety Education
Again, we ask the school to provide at least half of the volunteer and we contract with LCI to supervise the activities.
Classroom presentations and bicycle rodeos

11. Parent Traffic Safety Education
We contract with a LCI to supervise the riding stations.
Family Fun Bike Night
Families ride to school for traffic safety presentation…
riding stations and bike check.

12. Other Bike and Helmet Activities
Helmet Distribution and Fitting
Mobile Bike Repair Shop, sponsored by MTC

13. SRTS Coordinator Engagement
Volunteer, Coordinator and Parent “How to Workshops”
Jumpstart Your Program
Walking School Buses and Bicycle Trains
Walking Days and Incentive Systems
Bike Rodeos
Evaluation
Recruit school site coordinators, train

14. Encouragement Events Family Fun Bike Rides
To encourage and support walking and bicycling among youth and families, TSCN sponsors an annual Walk and Bike to School Week event and Family Fun Bike Rides. Last October’s Walk and Bike to School event engaged over youth from over 30 elementary, middle, and high schools.
The last Family Fun Bike Ride had nearly 200 young people and parents riding together and practicing safe riding skills. For some families, it was the first time their children had been on a “bike ride.”
Walk and Bike to School Week

15. Middle and High School Engagement
Student clubs and leadership classes develop plans
Train younger students
Develop video and social media
Organize walk/bike to school days

16. Safe Routes to School workshops and walking audits
Community Education
Working with local school districts and cities to develop resolutions of support for SRTS, safety and wellness plans and policies to support walking and bicycling to school, and communication between the various partners at the city, school district and parents.
Safe Routes to School workshops and walking audits

17. Active Transportation Policy
Trainings with national experts.
Over the last two years, TSCN has begun to broaden its activities from providing direct services to coordinating countywide Safe Routes to School activities and empowering communities to make sustainable changes. These efforts include bringing in expert speakers from around the country. Here we see Mark Fenton, leading a group of community members and elected officials on a walking audit and discussing the group’s observations.
In collaboration with other PHD efforts, TSCN staff worked with cities and school districts to create Safe Routes to School resolutions. We also worked with staff to insert policy language into planning documents and school district wellness policies and safety plans.”

18. For More Information
Traffic Safe Communities Network (TSCN) in Santa Clara County c/o
Santa Clara County Public Health Department Sobrato Center for Nonprofits – San Jose, 1400 Parkmoor Avenue, San Jose, CA 95126
Alice Kawaguchi, (408)