Mapping the Way to Success: the Arkansas Safe Routes to School Program

Active Commuting 1970: ~ 50% of students walked or biked to school 2000: <15% of students walked or biked to school Lack of Physical Activity The Obesity Epidemic Lack of Safe and Supportive Environments

Safe Routes to Schools Program Goal Improve the health and well-being of children by enabling and encouraging them to walk and bicycle to school Facilitate planning, development, and implementation of projects and activities that improve safety and reduce traffic, fuel consumption, and air pollution in the vicinity (~ 2 miles) of schools (K-8) Program Structure $612 million over 5 years ( ) Each State administers its own program and hires full-time State Coordinator Develops procedures to solicit and select projects for funding Infrastructure projects (engineering improvements) Non-infrastructure activities (education, enforcement, and encouragement programs) AR hired the first State Coordinator in October 2006

SRTS Framework (the 5 E’s) Using this framework helps ensure sustainability of most built environment endeavors Encouragement —Using events and activities to promote bicycling and walking Education—Teaching individuals about the broad range of health and transportation benefits as well as safety skills Engineering—Creating infrastructure improvements that reduce speeds and establish safer areas Enforcement—Partnering with local law enforcement to ensure drivers obey laws and initiating community safety enforcement campaigns Evaluation—Monitoring and researching safety and utilization outcomes and trends

“ The City of Davis has even dispensed school buses because of safe access by bicycle and foot to local schools” Safe Routes to Schools Nationally Funded SRTS Activities: Walkability and bikeability audits of street safety around schools Local programs to improve sidewalk conditions near schools Use of traffic calming and pedestrian priority devices Walk and bike safety education and fitness challenges "Walking school buses" Increased traffic enforcement around schools Cooperation between school officials, law enforcement officials, and transportation planners

Arkansas SRTS Program The goal of the Arkansas SRTS Program is to provide a safe environment in which children can safely walk and bike to school Three types of projects are funded in Arkansas:  Educational Projects  Infrastructure Projects  Start-up Projects

Who is Eligible?  Individual schools  School clusters  School districts  Communities  Counties  State Agencies  Cities  Non-Profit Agencies Applicants need to notify their cities and get the proper easements and maintenance agreements. All applicants are responsible for maintenance of all project infrastructure.

Start Up  Form school-specific SRTS Coalition  Perform self assessment of bicycle and pedestrian environment  Develop prioritized lists of educational programs and infrastructure projects  Organize and hold one SRTS event such as Walk to School Day  $3,000 lump sum payment upon completion

Education  Education Programs are designed to create awareness of the benefits and goals of your Safe Routes to School Plan  Activities include teaching pedestrian, bicyclist and traffic safety.

Education  Promotional and educational materials  Bike and pedestrian safety curricula  Training for school and community audiences  Modest participation incentives  SRTS data collection, analysis, evaluation, and reporting  Law enforcement and equipment  Crossing guard training and equipment Allowable Expenses

Infrastructure All infrastructure projects must be within two miles of the school. Types of projects include:  Sidewalk improvements  Crossings,  Median refuges,  Raised crossings,  Raised intersections,  Traffic control devices and sight distance improvements  new or upgraded traffic signals  pavement markings  traffic stripes, in-roadway crossing lights, flashing beacons, bicycle- sensitive signal actuation devices, pedestrian countdown signals, vehicle speed feedback signs, and pedestrian-activated signal upgrades),

Arkansas SRTS Advisory Committee initial review Applications rated using a point system Arkansas Highway Commission approves scores Federal Highway Administration appropriates funds Project Selection Process

AR Safe Routes to Schools Mapping the Way to Success: Arkansas’s SRTS “Walking and Wheeling Toolkit and Online Resource Guide” 2008 Grant Specific Aims: To increase statewide awareness of the Arkansas SRTS program by adapting existing SRTS products to better serve an Arkansas audience specifically address rurality and other identified barriers Funded Grant Activities: 4 Components Formative Evaluation (focus groups) Arkansas-specific SRTS Toolkit (print and CD) Arkansas-specific SRTS Website Arkansas SRTS Training Curriculum/Workshop Development

AR Safe Routes to Schools Mapping the Way to Success: Statewide Dissemination and Evaluation Planning for the AR SRTS Program 2009 Grant Specific Aims: 1.To develop dissemination and communication/marketing strategies for the Arkansas-specific SRTS program materials currently under development Partner with the ADE, AHTD, ADH to distribute AR- specific SRTS program materials, to advertise their availability, and to promote/market these materials at various venues 2.To develop an evaluation plan for those materials and programs currently funded by the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) SRTS program

SRTS Marketing and Promotion

SRTS National Partnership The Safe Routes to School National Partnership was launched in the summer of 2005 after two years of planning meetings. The Partnership brings together diverse non-profit organizations, government agencies, businesses and professionals to advance the Safe Routes to School movement in the United States.

2010–2011 State Network Project Participants

Network Activities Create a network of partners including government agencies, non-profits and policy-makers Research state policies to identify best practices for the network. Assemble detailed briefs to help network assess policies related to SRTS issues in Arkansas Prioritize state policies based on opportunities and need Develop and implement a state action plan to address state policies and engage partners Evaluate progress, look for new state policy and funding opportunities and revise state action plans regularly

Safe Routes to Schools Contacts Infrastructure and Funding Questions—Kim Sanders Education and Communication—Mechelle Winslow Evaluation and Community Coalitions—Jennifer Shaw State Network and Policy—Julie Hendrix