West Preparatory School - rtcsnv.com I. West Preparatory School Walk Audit Summary ... Walk Audit Observations and Recommendations ... School Zone No. of

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Clark County School Walk Audits Audit Date: September 20, 2016 Final Report Date: December 2016

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West Preparatory School

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Overview This report summarizes existing conditions, observations and recommended improvements and programs for Charles I. West Preparatory School (PS) resulting from the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) walk audit conducted on September 20, 2016. A summary map illustrates the audit location, area characteristics and locations of infrastructure recommendations.

The report includes the following sections:

Charles I. West Preparatory School Walk Audit Summary ........................................................................... 2

Walk Audit Observations and Recommendations ........................................................................................ 4

Education, Encouragement, and Enforcement Overview............................................................................. 8

Walk Audit Recommendations Map ........................................................................................................... 15

School Walking Route Map ......................................................................................................................... 16

This effort supports the Clark County School District (CCSD) SRTS Program, which encourages children to walk and bicycle to and from school safely. CCSD SRTS Program staff work with schools and community partners to identify improvements, programs and policies to help schools achieve their parent engagement, safety and wellness policy goals, and to make walking and bicycling viable and safe transportation options. More information on the CCSD SRTS Program is available online at: http://ccsd.net/community/partnership/programs/safe-routes/

The benefits of implementing a SRTS plan are far reaching and include improving safety, encouraging physical activity and reducing traffic congestion and motor vehicle emissions. SRTS programs and projects benefit adjacent neighborhoods as well as students and their families.

The 2016 SRTS walk audits were funded by the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC), with support from the Clark County School District (CCSD).

The preparation of this report has been financed in part through grants from the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, under the Metropolitan Planning Program, Section 104(f) of Title 23, U.S. Code. The contents of this report do not necessarily reflect the official views or policy of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

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2 | Clark County Safe Routes to School 2016 Walk Audits

Charles I. West Preparatory School Walk Audit Summary Date: Tuesday, September 20, 2016 Meet Time: 7:15 A.M.; observing morning bell Address: 2050 Sapphire Stone Ave. Las Vegas, Nevada 89106 Weather Conditions: Clear Events/Unique Conditions: None School Type: Preparatory, K-12 Enrollment: 1,300 Morning/Afternoon Bells: 8:00 A.M./3:30 P.M. Parental Involvement: High: Identified SRTS Parent Champion who

takes an active role in planning activities & events

Medium: Parents or parent group regularly participated in SRTS activities and engages around transportation issues

Low: Little to no parent involvement in SRTS or transportation/safety issues

Local Jurisdiction: City of Las Vegas

Attendees Sherie K. Moore, CCSD Safe Routes to School Cathy Halka, Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) Danny Eichelberger, Principal Lakeisha Myers, Assistant Principal Darron McCoy, School Community Liaison April Turner, CCSD Safe Routes to School Saulo Ozuna, Parent Maria Gallardo, Parent Alondra Torres, Parent Josefina Castillo, Parent Laura Serrano, Parent Monica Love, Parent Maria Cecilia Becerra, Parent Socorro Garcia Perez, Parent Maria Gutierrez, Parent Erika Navarro, Parent Georgina Pedregon, Parent Martha Martin, Parent Estela Martin, Parent Aracey Garcia, Parent Steve Love, Parent Bryan Gant, Wood Rodgers Hannah Day-Kapell, Alta Planning + Design

School Layout The school fronts Sapphire Stone Avenue with N. Tonopah Drive to the west and Winter Snow Avenue to the north (backside). Residential land uses are found to the south and west of the school with commercial to the east. The campus is being expanded to the north on the adjacent property fronting W. Lake Mead Boulevard, which is the closest major roadway. This new building will house the elementary school program. W. Lake Mead Boulevard connects to Winter Snow Avenue via Pink Rose Street.

Site Circulation and Access Student arrival: Arrival is spread out among various building entrances. However, a majority of students are dropped off south of campus along Sapphire Stone Avenue and enter through the front westerly entrance. In addition, two gates at the rear of the school are used to access campus after being dropped off along Winter Snow Avenue.

Bicycle and pedestrian circulation: A majority of pedestrians make their way to three intersections: (1) the N. Tonopah Drive and W. Lake Mead Boulevard intersection, which is served by three crossing guards; (2)

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the Pink Rose Street and W. Lake Mead Boulevard intersection, which is served by two crossing guards; or (3) they filter through the communities to the south.

The bike parking area is located next to the front westerly building entrance and contained 10 bikes at the time of the audit.

As noted above, crossing guards are stationed at the following locations:

1. N. Tonopah Drive and W. Lake Mead Boulevard (2 crossing guards) 2. Pink Rose Street and W. Lake Mead Boulevard (2 crossing guards)

Passenger vehicle circulation: Parent pick-up and drop-off occurs along Sapphire Stone Avenue and connecting streets to the south, as well as Winter Snow Avenue, Pink Rose Street and N. Tonopah Drive. All of these locations are heavily used due to the large enrollment at this school, which serves elementary, middle, and high school students.

School bus circulation: Bus loading occurs in a designated area along the school property on westbound Sapphire Stone Avenue consisting of approximately 14 buses (4 general and 10 special education). Bus traffic is congested given the overlap with parent pick-up and drop-off along Sapphire Stone Avenue. Bus loading typically occurs in the rear of the school on Winter Snow Avenue, however, it has been temporarily relocated to the front during school expansion construction.

Crash Review: NDOT crash data review (2010-2014) list one pedestrian crash within the ¼ mile walk radius from the school entrance at N. Tonopah Drive and Winter Snow Avenue. A review of the crash details did not result in any specific infrastructure recommendations. Other crashes occurred outside of the ¼ mile walk radius, beyond the limits considered for infrastructure improvements.

Existing Roadways Street Name School Use

Speed: Posted / School Zone

No. of Lanes Parking School Signs

Sapphire Stone Avenue

Primary access 25/15 2 Allowed Static roadside school zone signs, both directions

N. Tonopah Drive

Abuts west side of school

25/15 2 Allowed Static roadside school zone signs, both directions

Winter Snow Avenue

Abuts rear of school

25/15 2 Allowed except along painted red curb

Static roadside school zone signs

Pink Rose Street

N/A 25/15 2 Allowed except along painted red curb

Static roadside school zone signs

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Walk Audit Observations and Recommendations The arrival is very active due to the large school population. Sapphire Stone Avenue gets very congested. This is exacerbated by the temporary bus loading and unloading relocation from Winter Snow Avenue to N. Tonopah Drive during construction. Vehicles traveling southbound on N. Tonopah Drive trying to turn left onto Sapphire Stone Avenue cause extensive queues on N. Tonopah Avenue. Impatient drivers were seen driving around the queue into the southbound bike lane and parking area. This congestion backs up all the way to W. Lake Mead Boulevard at its peak.

Many of the cars on Winter Snow Avenue not only used the roadway for pick-up and drop-off but also as parking while the parents attend morning assembly. This causes congestion along Winter Snow Avenue. Specific observations and recommendations are described below followed by a map of the audit area.

School Parking Lot & Grounds Given the large school population, both the north and south school grounds experience heavy activity. Many students use the two gates to the north to access vehicles along Winter Snow Avenue and the W. Lake Mead Avenue crosswalks. The westerly rear gate requires students to walk through the school field but students were observed entering from this location. Watering the turf leaves the walking path muddy with standing water near the gate.

♦ Recommendation 1.1: Regrade the walking area from the rear westerly gate to the paved activity area to provide positive drainage.

During the walk audit debriefing, several parents and staff commented on the lack of lighting around the school grounds, particularly in the grass fields to the west. It was noted that two students had been assaulted during the previous year and security was a concern. If possible, officials should consider extending the security patrol into evening hours.

♦ Recommendation 1.2: Conduct a lighting study of the school grounds to improve nighttime security.

The bus loading along Sapphire Stone Avenue greatly increases congestion and ultimately increases congestion on N. Tonopah Drive. While this may be necessary during construction of the school expansion, it is not ideal. The drive aisle around the east side of the campus may provide opportunities for improved bus circulation (both general and special education) to provide access to the rear of the school. The current bus loading area can be used as a kiss-and-go location if bus loading is relocated.

♦ Recommendation 1.3: Relocate general bus loading/unloading to the drive circle at the rear of the school, east of Winter Snow Avenue (once construction progress permits).

Adjacent Streets Sapphire Stone Avenue: Many students use the crosswalk directly in front of the school to cross Sapphire Stone Avenue. As noted, this area is also heavily used for parent pick-up and drop-off as well. During the walk audit debrief, parents and school administration noted that Sapphire Stone Avenue experiences

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significant flooding during rain events with water flowing over the curb and gutter from west to east. This flooding hampers pick-up and drop-off and represents a hazard.

♦ Recommendation 2.1: Conduct a drainage study of Sapphire Stone Avenue and the adjacent stormwater system to identify improvements and mitigations.

Many parents park along the roadways intersecting Sapphire Stone Avenue to the south and access the school grounds through a fence gate across from Star Sapphire Court. This location is west of the only crosswalk on Sapphire Stone Avenue located at the school parking exit. It is anticipated that this gate will be locked in the future which will eliminate this issue.

N. Tonopah Drive is a north/south major roadway connecting W. Lake Mead Boulevard to other major east/west roadways to the south. Given this connectivity, there is considerable amount of through traffic intermixed with school traffic. Northbound drivers were observed speeding through the school zone. The current school zone signs on N. Tonopah Drive are not being observed.

♦ Recommendation 2.2: Install larger sized roadside school zone sign (S5-1) with better visibility on N. Tonopah Drive.

The long left-turning queue from southbound N. Tonopah Drive to eastbound Sapphire Stone Avenue significantly delays the through traffic on N. Tonopah Drive. Through drivers were observed using the bike lane and on-street parking area to bypass the queue. This caused conflicts with pedestrians at the N. Tonopah Drive crosswalks at Sapphire Stone Drive and Winter Snow Avenue.

♦ Recommendation 2.3: Install a curb extension from the west sidewalk at the N. Tonopah Drive crosswalk at Winter Snow Drive to improve pedestrian visibility and prevent bypass movements.

♦ Recommendation 2.4: Install a curb extension from the west sidewalk at the N. Tonopah Drive

crosswalk at Sapphire Stone Avenue to improve pedestrian visibility and prevent bypass movements.

Roadway Signs The existing school zone sign on Sapphire Stone Avenue west of Star Sapphire Court is extremely faded and difficult to read.

♦ Recommendation 3.1: Replace existing school zone sign (R2-1).

Pedestrians entering through the gate across from Star Sapphire Court

Bypassing vehicles on N. Tonopah Drive conflicting with crossing pedestrians

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6 | Clark County Safe Routes to School 2016 Walk Audits

The existing school crossing sign in the west N. Tonopah Drive sidewalk obstructs the effective width of the sidewalk. There is a utility area directly adjacent to the school zone crossing sign that provides an opportunity to relocate the sign out of the walk way.

Recommendation 3.2: Relocate school crossing assembly (S1-1 & W16-7P) at the N. Tonopah Drive crosswalk at Winter Snow Avenue to the adjacent utility area.

Sidewalk Obstructions Overgrown trees were observed in two locations along the west N. Tonopah Drive sidewalk that obstructed the sidewalk.

♦ Recommendation 4.1: Trim up the tree at the N. Tonopah Drive and Sapphire Stone Avenue intersection crosswalk to provide an 8-foot minimum clear space above the sidewalk.

♦ Recommendation 4.2: Trim the tree to an 8-foot height at the west side of the crosswalk over N.

Tonopah Drive at the Winter Snow Avenue intersection.

ADA Ramp Assessment Reviewing the ramps within the quarter-mile walk radius from the front entrance, the following ADA improvements have been identified:

♦ Recommendation 5.0: o N. Tonopah Drive at Kendall Hill Avenue: add tactile strips to existing ramps.

Bike Parking The bike parking area is located near the westerly front entrance. It currently provides a sufficient number of racks to accommodate all bicycles, but staff should regularly check on the cage to determine whether additional parking is necessary. When racks are replaced, new racks should comply with the Association for Bicycle and Pedestrian Professional’s Bicycle Parking Guidelines. Racks should enable the bicycle frame and at least one wheel to be locked to the rack and support the bicycle in a stable position without damage to wheels, frame or components (such as U-racks on a concrete pad). Each bicycle should have a 2 ft. by 6 ft. space that is easy to access. Furthermore, the bike corral should be covered to prevent theft (Recommendation 6.0).

In addition to the longer-term student parking in a cage that is locked during the day, one or two bike racks should be installed near the school’s front entrance for short-term parking.

Vegetation Overgrown vegetation can reduce the effective width of the sidewalk, create a tripping hazard, or impede visibility. Parent volunteers or school staff should regularly walk around the school and review the landscaping maintenance needs, informing the appropriate agency when trimming is necessary. CCSD maintains the school grounds and adjacent sidewalks, while the City of Las Vegas maintains nearby streets and property owners are responsible for maintaining sidewalks adjacent to their property. Contact City

School crossing sign obstructing the N. Tonopah Drive sidewalk near Winter

Snow Avenue

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of Las Vegas Code Enforcement for landscape trimming and sidewalk maintenance. Graffiti removal requests can be submitted via the Southern Nevada Graffiti Hotline.

Table 1: Summary of Infrastructure Recommendations

Recommendation Description Jurisdiction Cost Estimate

West Prep 1.1 Regrade Turf Clark County School District $600

West Prep 1.2 Conduct Lighting Study Clark County School District $8,000

West Prep 1.3 Relocate Bus Loading Area Clark County School District N/A

West Prep 2.1 Conduct Drainage Study City of Las Vegas $10,000

West Prep 2.2 Install Larger School Zone Signs City of Las Vegas $1,100

West Prep 2.3 Install Curb Extension City of Las Vegas $6,000

West Prep 2.4 Install Curb Extension City of Las Vegas $6,000

West Prep 3.1 Replace School Zone Sign City of Las Vegas $600

West Prep 3.2 Relocate School Crossing Sign City of Las Vegas $700

West Prep 4.1 Trim Up Tree City of Las Vegas $200

West Prep 4.2 Trim Up Tree City of Las Vegas $200

West Prep 5.0 ADA Recommendations City of Las Vegas $500

West Prep 6.0 Cover Bike Corral Clark County School District $2,500

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Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, and Evaluation Overview Non-infrastructure activities and events complement infrastructure improvements by empowering students and their families to try walking and bicycling, and by making it safer for them to do so. At the walk audit, participants noted and observed several behavioral issues, which could be addressed through education, encouragement and enforcement activities, including parent drivers not complying with traffic laws and students and families outside of the marked crosswalk.

CCSD SRTS has developed an Achievement Level Program to recognize school efforts to improve and promote safe walking and bicycling. The first step, which is recommended in all schools, is to provide bicycle and pedestrian education at each school every year. Schools are also encouraged to draft an Action Plan and identify the top two or three goals to work on. Action Plans help schools focus on the most important activities and evaluate progress on their goals. See the CCSD SRTS School Achievement Level Guide for more information.

Existing Activities West Prep Academy achieved First Step Status in the 2015-16 school year and currently participates in a variety of programs to promote safe travel around the school. Examples include but are not limited to:

♦ Provided Transportation Safety announcements to the school by listing a safety tip on the school website.

♦ Conducted a bicycle/pedestrian safety assembly for students, in which about 500 students participated.

♦ Participated in the CCSD SRTS Thank you for Driving Safely (formerly known as the Positive Presence program), which encourages safe driving in the school zone and pedestrians and bicyclists to follow the rules of the road.

Recommended SRTS Programs As a CCSD SRTS First Step School, West Prep Academy is involved in two education programs. This Walk Audit and an Action Plan is a key element of moving to the next Achievement Level. Staff should draft an Action Plan and post it on the school’s website to share the information and recommendations with the school community. West Prep Academy should participate in events to encourage walking and bicycling to school such as Nevada Moves Day, Bike to School Day, Fire Up Your Feet, and/or Walk to School Day.

The activities below are recommended for West Prep Academy to improve and promote safe walking and bicycling to and from school and in the community. They can be implemented by school administrators, teachers, parents or even school clubs, to promote walking and bicycling safely to and from school. The CCSD SRTS program is focused on elementary and middle school student travel. West Prep Academy also includes high school students who can take leadership roles and work with students to organize events. Teachers can incorporate data collection and analysis into the school curriculum.

CCSD SRTS offers resources, outreach, and technical assistance and can provide presentations and workshops tailored to the school’s needs. Contact program staff at [email protected] for more information about these resources.

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Recommended Programs Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Education Pedestrian and bicycle safety education teaches students basic traffic laws and safety rules. Pedestrian safety includes basic traffic safety rules, sign identification and decision-making tools. Bicycle education can include informational school assemblies, in-classroom lessons, and on-pavement practice.

All curricula must be approved by the State of Nevada. Bicycle or pedestrian safety lessons should be taught by trained safety professionals, as part of an assembly, physical education curriculum, or other classes. The CCSD SRTS program offers bicycle and pedestrian safety assemblies, trainings on how to conduct a bike rodeo and can provide limited support, and has a bike fleet that schools can check out to use at a bike rodeo.

Best practice programs for elementary-aged students include:

♦ The League of American Bicyclists’ Ride Smart Program offers on-street bicycling classes taught by certified instructors. Local instructors are identified on the League’s website here.

♦ The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers a child pedestrian safety curriculum and the Cycling Skills Clinic Guide to help organizations plan bike safety skills events.

Getting middle school students excited about Safe Routes to School activities and events can build momentum for walking and bicycling, since older students can have more independence to get to school on their own or together. The National Center for SRTS provides Tips for Engaging Middle School Students, which will help SRTS practitioners recognize and build off of the typical attributes of middle school students. Resources and best practice programs for middle school students include:

Curriculum specific for middle school students include:

♦ Marin SRTS's Advanced Bike Safety, Bike Colorado’s Middle School Curriculum, and Shape America's Bike Safety Curriculum.

♦ The Girls in Gear curriculum is a girls-specific, bicycling program designed to empower adolescent girls. GIG is designed to create self-reliance and build confidence. It is also the first program to creatively integrate STEM— Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics—activities, physical exercise and nutrition education by way of the bicycle.

♦ SRTS Michigan: Make Trax lessons and activities complement community SRTS planning efforts. Make Trax provides lessons on data collection, mapping software, and presentation skills. The program promotes student leadership and service learning, and focuses on STEM-based learning.

Bike rodeos provide a comfortable, fun, and safe environment for students to learn bike safety

skills

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Parent Education and Outreach Parents are the primary decision-makers about how their children get to school. Informing parents about their options for walking and bicycling, as well as communicating the benefits of active transportation, can encourage more families to walk and bike. This can occur through school e-news or announcements, and through informational resources. Suggested route maps can show parents the best walking or biking route to the school, overcoming concerns about barriers. The City of Las Vegas has an existing map available here and a new map is provided on Page 16.

Resources and best practice programs:

♦ The CCSD SRTS program offers workshops and presentations to parents that can be tailored to the school community’s needs.

♦ The National Center for SRTS has several tip sheets for parents on safe walking and bicycling behaviors.

♦ The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) has a white paper on School Route Maps. o The City of Henderson provides similar maps that include pedestrian, bicycle, and driver

safety tips. o Pico Rivera, CA developed user-friendly Suggested School Route Maps that include walking

times and location of bicycle parking.

Fire Up Your Feet Fire Up Your Feet is a national campaign aimed at increasing physical activity. The website provides outreach materials and educational resources for the Fire Up Your Feet campaign that occurs over one month in the spring and the fall. The website helps classrooms track the number of times they walk, bike, carpool or take transit to school. Students and classrooms with the highest percentage of students walking, biking or carpooling compete for prizes. Schools can win prizes in several categories including most overall participation, highest weekly activity tracking numbers, most bicycling, and most walking.

Resources and best practice programs:

♦ Nevada’s Fire Up Your Feet program includes promotional resources and an activity tracker, funded through the Southern Nevada Health District and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation. Schools in the CCSD SRTS program can win cash prizes as well as bike parking racks, and are eligible for national awards.

Parent education communicates the benefits of active transportation and encourages parents to

get involved in SRTS activities

Fire Up Your Feet encourages physical activity through a competitive program

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Nevada Moves Day, Walk to School Day, and Bike to School Day Nevada Moves Day, Walk to School Day, and Bike to School Day are events that celebrate students walking and bicycling to school. Nevada Moves Day is held in March as part of Nevada Moves Week, while Walk to School Day is usually the first Wednesday in October, and Bike to School day takes place the second week in May. Parents can set up a table on the event day to provide refreshments and small rewards for families who participate, as well as maps, lights, and safety information to encourage more students and families to join in the fun.

Resources and best practices:

♦ The CCSD Safe Routes to School program and NDOT supports Nevada Moves Day by providing a box of promotional materials to the first 50 schools that sign up to participate.

♦ Walk Bike to School suggests event ideas and planning resources for encouraging active transportation at schools.

♦ The National Center for SRTS maintains a national database of walk and bike to school day events as well as event ideas and planning resources.

Walking School Buses and Bike Trains In a Walking school bus, a group of children walks together to school, accompanied by one or two adults (usually parents or guardians of the children on the “bus”). As the walking school bus continues on the route to school they pick up students at designated meeting locations. Similar to walking school buses, bike trains involve a group of students biking with adults.

Bike trains and walking school buses for elementary school students are typically lead by a parent, however, middle school students can become leaders, act as role models, and practice and teach safe bicycling behaviors. Bike trains may be more appropriate for middle school students, as they enable students to feel independent in their mobility, while also providing the safety and comfort of riding in a group.

CCSD SRTS is in the process of developing a formal walking school bus program, which will involve background checks for all “bus drivers.” Walking school buses can also be informal arrangements between neighbors with children attending the same school.

Resources and best practice programs:

♦ Michigan’s SRTS program developed Walking School Bus volunteer resources, sample parent letters, and resources to help develop a route.

♦ Santa Clarita SRTS developed a Walking School Bus Training Guidebook to help parents form walking school buses.

Nevada Moves Day is a statewide event that celebrates the benefits of walking and bicycling to

and from school

Parents and guardians accompany a group of students for a Walking School Bus

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♦ Tampa Bay, Washington DC, Denver, and Portland participated in a Bike Train Webinar. ♦ The National Center for Safe Routes to School has a Walking School Bus “how to” guide.

Student Clubs and Youth Leadership Programs Clubs and leadership programs allow older students to form groups to support the causes they care about most. Middle school student clubs can host Nevada Moves Day or middle school specific events (see below), organize a competition, or work with their peers to promote walking and bicycling. Student clubs can offer excellent ideas, provide exceptional energy and drive to get things done.

Resources and best practice programs:

♦ CCSD schools Lunt ES and Kitty Ward ES have successfully piloted a 5th grade leadership program where the students are trained to conduct a bike rodeo for their school. Lunt ES holds several small bike rodeos for other students to participate by grade level, while Kitty Ward's students run a schoolwide bike rodeo, then holds several Saturday family bike rides throughout the year.

♦ Marin County SRTS’s Teens Go Green program partners with teens interested in the environment to bring reduced CO2 and healthy lifestyles to their schools.

♦ Create a Cycling League or club, Leagues can introduce student riders to the sport of mountain biking or road racing, with a focus on skills, fun, fitness, and responsibility.

Middle School Events While many of the recommended programs are targeted towards elementary school students, programs for middle school students share the basic framework, with a few key differences: raffles can be more effective than small giveaways such as stickers and pencils; a single bicycle, pair of sneakers, or iPad can be an effective reward for participation. Middle school students should also be given leadership opportunities, such as organizing a school-wide walk to school day or presenting to a City council.

Resources and best practice programs:

♦ Biking for Cocoa is a fun morning treat for students who bike or walk to school. The program can be combined with a Twitter/Instagram/Facebook social media campaign such as #BikesCocoaforBikes.

♦ Themed Bike Rides can correspond with other school events, like earth day, or can be a standalone event.

♦ Local celebrities or passionate advocates can make great bike ride captains. ♦ BMX School Assembly programs are action packed, but can also provide education and

encouragement.

Teens can support Safe Routes activities through clubs and youth leadership programs

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AAA School Safety Patrol Middle school aged volunteers can sign-up to become a certified AAA School Safety Patroller. With support and leadership from school faculty and parents, student patrollers help fellow students develop a better understanding of pedestrian and vehicular traffic hazards. CCSD has partnered with AAA and ten schools across the district have participated. Participating schools can receive up to $250 for materials and incentives to help tailor the program to the school’s needs. To learn more contact CCSD SRTS for more information.

Resources and best practice programs:

♦ AAA has School Safety Patrol membership information and description of student, teacher, and parent roles.

♦ In CCSD, McWilliams ES partnered with AAA staff during a Walking School Bus, handed out incentives on Nevada Moves Day, and assisted with McWilliams’ Family Fitness Night.

♦ Another CCSD school, Rogers ES worked with AAA to build a 5th grade leadership program where the students teach other students about bus, pedestrian and bicycle safety.

Student Hand Tallies Hand tallies are a standard way of tracking school commute mode split for SRTS programs. Students are asked how they got to and from school over a 2-3 day period. Students raise their hand when the mode they took is called out, and the teacher or a volunteer records this. Hand tallies are often required of state and federal SRTS grant recipients.

Resources and best practice programs:

♦ CCSD SRTS encourages all schools to collect hand tallies every other year, offset from the parent survey data collection.

♦ The National Center for SRTS provides forms, data collection guidelines, data center, and automatically-generated reports.

Student Walk Audits Middle and high school aged students can document their routes on video or through images from their camera or cell phone. They describe what they see, what’s working and what’s not working for them to get to school by walking or biking. These images and testimonials can be used to catalog surrounding transportation conditions gain funding to support SRTS projects.

Resources and best practice programs:

♦ The results of the Hamilton Student Photovoice in Ontario, Canada, have activity informed the broader community initiatives - such as the Stepping It Up project and the Hamilton Neighbourhood Revitalization project.

Certified School Safety Patrollers inform students of potential pedestrian and vehicle traffic dangers

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♦ Alameda County SRTS involves high school students in walk audits at their schools, and student groups develop recommendations, which they present to their local elected officials.

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Walk Audit Recommendations Map

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School Walking Route Map

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