18-Deliberate and act on a resolution approving an application for funding through TXDOT for Safe Routes to Schools Infrastructure Grant Program18

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Form 2334 (08/09) Page 4 of 6 Project Number: (For TxDOT use only) Problem Identification Description Continued: (Insert narrative below) Based upon evaluation of current conditions, students who want to walk or ride their bike to Justiss Elementary School (JES) or Crockett Middle School (CMS) have no route that will provide a safe barrier between them and vehicular traffic. Both schools are located in areas of high vehicle usage and almost non-existent sidewalks with no bike lanes. The few existing sidewalks adjacent to JES are broken, overgrown and in a state of disrepair.(Photo (P)1) There are no sidewalks adjacent to CMS.(P2) arents, students and school personnel face many real and perceived obstacles regarding students walking/biking to school. Our SRTS laster Plan identifies at least ten real barriers to active transportation for each campus. Barriers at both schools include: one crosswalk at ach campus; congestion at student drop off and pick up areas; no safe corridor to ride a bike; crossing streets and intersections are ifficult or dangerous due to high traffic volume; missing or insufficient walkways; intersection with traffic light in high traffic area; talkways are not accessible to students with disabilities; bike parking at schools is insufficient; and, public safety concerns. At JES the ~ck of shoulder on the street which runs directly in front of the campus, causes children to walk on a very heavily travelled roadway.(P3) nd, at CMS, on-street parking on the road directly in front of schoo) causes visual hazards and unsafe student movement. Perceived bstacles include: student/vehicle accidents, personal safety incidents, bicycling accidents, unsafe vehicle speed in high traffic areas and ge of students (JES). Over 94% (JES) and 96% (CMS) of the enrolled students reside within 2 miles of their school. However, less than t% of the student population walks or bikes to either school. Hazardous route busing is provided due to the identified safety hazards of active transportation and the lack of family vehicles (elevated poverty rate in area). CMS is located in a highly residential area of the city which should encourage the natural inclination of walking/biking to school. However, since no sidewalks are available in the residential area most closely linked to the school and sidewalks exist only on the major thoroughfares connecting the outlying neighborhoods (134) students cannot safely exercise this option. Less than 1% of the parents surveyed replied that they carpool with other families resulting in congestion at student drop off/pick up areas. JES serves a younger student population. The neighborhoods adjacent to this school are accessed by either crossing an extremely busy street, that has no traffic calming features, to a neighborhood with no sidewatks or by walking on a sidewalk that is in extreme disrepair/non-existent in places.(P5) Parents surveyed indicated they would be supportive of their children walking/biking to school if the route were convenient and safe. Currently, the situation is not conducive to parents allowing their children to utilize this option. During the previous four years there have been 14 trafFic accidents on roadways located within a few blocks of the JES campus; 1 auto- pedestrian with injury; 4 injury accidents and 9 accidents with property damage. During the same four yeas, Paris Police report 442 traffic citations were issued. Around CMS, there were 4 traffic accidents in the same time period - one with injury, 3 with property damage and 318 traffic citations issued. Although the number of incidents occurred infrequently, this is a tremendous perceived risk for adults in assessing the vulnerability of the students. ur community is participating in the National Children's Health Study which is focusing on some of the root causes of childhood Iments such asthma and obesity. OR DATA FROM RACHEL - WORK IN PROGRESS Potentially, there are safe routes for students to walWbike to both schools. Each of the real problems identified above are addressed by the addition of the infrastructure enhancements subsequently outlined. Once safe passage is provided, perceived risks can be eliminated. Safe Routes to School Program (SRTS) Infrastructure Project Application ~l~i