Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-02-20 City Council (16)TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: City of Palo Alto City Manager’s Report HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PLANNING AND COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT February 20,2001 CMR:137:01 WALK OUR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL DAY DATA This is an informational report and no Council action is required. BACKGROUND On October 4, 2000 the City of Palo Alto participated in International Walk to School Day. Partners in this event included the Council of Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA), Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD), the City of Menlo Park, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Safe Kids Coalition of Santa Clara and San Mateo Cotmties, Federal Express and the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office. Palo Alto’s participation was part of an international walking event to encourage walking to school and identify possible improvements to the walking environment. Palo Alto schools also promoted bicycling, carpooling and transit as part of the Walk to School Day promotion. DISCUSSION The following summary covers the data from the 2000 Walk to School Day event in Palo Alto. An expanded table (Attachment A) includes mode split data for alternative commutes broken down by school. Participation and Data Collection Eleven of the Palo Alto Unified School District’s twelve elementary schools participated in the October 4 Walk to School event, with nine schools administering an in-class survey asking how children normally get to school and how they got to school on October 4. Over 2,619 students used an alternative to being driven alone to school on Walk to School Day. The remaining school that did not participate in the October event (Duveneck) held a two- day event on November 15 and 16. The results are reported in Table 1 below. CMR:137:01 Page 1 of 4 School Addison Barron Park* Briones* Duveneck** El Carmelo Escondido Fairmeadow Walter Hays Hoover Nixon* Ohlone Palo Verde Table 1 Percentage of students using alternative commute mode on Walk to School Day 88% N/A N/A 58% 73% 74% 74% 82% 46% 50% 63% 74% Percentage of students normally using alternative commute to school 66% N/A N/A 51% 68% ,~ 66% 51% 60% 37% 49% 41% 56% Number of Walkability Checklists turned in 62 25 19 N/A 40 100 25 67 25 N/A 60 53 *School did not participate in in-class survey **School participated in November event Walkability Checklists modeled on the National Walk to School Day checklists were printed up and distributed to PTA Traffic Sa.fety representatives. They were distributed to children in the days leading up to the event. Walkability Checklists asked how the student usually. gets to school, whether there was room to walk safely, whether streets were easy to cross, if drivers behaved well and whether the walk was pleasant and positive. Students turned in 476 Walkability Checklists after Walk to School Day. Data from these. Walkability Checklists will be shared with the City School Traffic Safety Committee and will be utilized when applying for Safe Routes to School grant funding and in Safe Routes to School through Safe Communities planning projects. Schools that turned in at least 25 completed Walkability Checklists received $40 Safeway Gift Certificates that were awarded to the school’s PTA Traffic Safety representative to be used for trip reduction promotions in the future. The Transportation Division Commute Coordinator program provided the gift certificates. Palo Alto also hosted two "human crosswalk" efforts, which were held at Nelson Drive and Charleston Road and on Stanford Avenue at the intersections of Hanover Street and Escondido Road. At both events, volunteers, including parents, teachers, City Council Members, police, and healthcare representatives, formed a human crosswalk by holding hands and carrying signs promoting walking, bicycling and alternative co .rnmute modes. When the signals permitted, students crossed and the volunteers walked into the crosswalk creating a safe passage for the pedestrians. Promotion and Marketing The San Jose Mercury News, Palo Alto Weekly, and Palo Alto Daily News covered the event with photos and articles. Advertisements were placed in the Palo Alto Daily News and Palo Alto Weekly prior to the event and press releases were sent out to area papers CMR: 137:01 Page 2 of 3 announcing the event. The Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) placed articles in its employee newsletter as well as on its web site. PAMF was also responsible for placing a short article in the Los Altos Town Crier regarding walking to school and the importance of choosing the right footwear for children. Walking Magazine published a center spread on the international event. Following the event, Palo Alto had photos and quotes posted on the International Walk to School Day web site (http://www.iwalktoschool.org) along with event news ~om all over the world. Future Walking/Bicycling Events In order to continue to promote alternative commutes in the elementary schools, the PTA Traffic Safety and Trip Reduction Coordinators are currently working with City staff to plan for the 2001 Walk to School event that will be held on Tuesday, October 2. In addition,, in March, April and May of 2001 alternative commute days promoting walking and the use of organized walking groups commonly known as "walking school busses", as well as bicycling, carpooling and transit skating are being planned. The March event will be a Spring kick off to alternative modes of transportation, the April event will focus on Earth Day promotions; and the May event will be in conjunction with Bike Week and Bike to School Day. The City’s. goal in sponsoring these types of events cooperatively with PAUSD, healthcare and other community partners is to create healthy travel habits for students and parents to relieve congestion around schools during drop-off and pick-up times and reduce additional auto trips which add to air pollution. RESOURCE IMPACT The event was funded through the Commute Alternatives Program budget. ATTACHMENTS A. Walk to School Day Data Table B. Walkability Checklist C. Event Publicity. CMR:137:01 Page 3 of 4 PREPARED BY: Amanda Jones, Commute Coordinator DEPARTMENT HEAD: G. EDW~WF Director of Plauning and Community Environment CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: Assistant City Manager City School Traffic Safety Committee PTA Traffic .Safety Representatives School Trip Reduction Representatives PAUSD Principals Palo Alto Medical Foundation (Beckry Beacom, Donna Cumming, Nancy Smith) Ellen Corman, Safe Kids Coalition/Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Ken Rafanan, City of Menlo Park Jim Shore, Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Ofc CMR: 137:01 Page 4 of 4 School Addison 10/04/00 Usual *Barron Park 10/04/00 Usual *Briones 10/04/00 Usual **Duveneck 10/04/00 Usual E1 Ca~melo 10/04/00 Usual Escondido 10/04/00 Usual Fadmeadow 10/04/00 Usual Walter Hays 10/04/00 Usual Hoover 10/04/00 Usual Nixon 10/04/00 Usual Ohlone 10/04/00 Usual Palo Verde ’ 10/04/00 Usual Family Car 54% 63% 2000 Walk to School Day Data In Class Surveys & Walkability Checklists Total Alt.Wal~ Bike Commute 46% 24% 5% 37%11% 6% Barton Park and Briones did not participate in in- class surveys in 2000. 27% 32% 26% 34% 26% 48% 17% 40% 54% 63% 50% 52% 38% 59% 26% 44% Duveneck participated in November event. 73% 68% 74% 66% 74% 51% 82% 6O% 46% 27% 50% .49% 63% 41% 74% 56% Skate I Bus Carpool 34% 3O% 19% 15% 40% 20% 3O% 19% 24% 11% 21% 18% 21% 11% 41% 25% 14% 15% 21% 17% 11% 11% 19% 15% 5% 6% 3% 3% 14% 7% 15% 11% 159 11~, 7% 5% 10oA 9% 28% 18°A 2% 0 3% 2% 8% 4% 15% 12% Note: Escondido, Ohlone and Hoover all participate in either all school or partial choice programs which bring students in from throughout the district and are not neighborhood schools, therefore more students come from further away making alternative commutes such as walking and bicycling more difficult. 7% 9% 13% 13% 4% 6% 2% 2% ~ 6% 6% 2% 2% 2% 3% 2% 2% 13% 13% 2% 2% 3% 6% 10% 10% Total Students ATTACHMENT A Other 4% 3% 2% 2% 7% 4% 0 I ITotal students/alt mode 458/210 347/255 458/253 377/279 477/391 352/162 399/199 416/262 364/269 = 4,545 Alt mode (from survey data) On Walk to School Day = 2,619 Walk Our Children to School October 4, 2000 City of Palo Alto Walkability Checklist Day ATTACHMENT B This Walkability Checklist is for you and your child to use while walking on "Walk Our .- Children to School Day". It will help the City of Palo Alto focus resources to improve safety along school commute routes. Please read through checklist before you leave, then fill it out after your walk. Turn it lin to the school office or a "Walk Our Children to School" volunteer. Rules for Walking Safely- Every Day! 1.Stop and look left, right and left again before crossing the street. 2.Always cross at crosswalks or where you can see and be seen by drivers. 3.Cross with a traffic signal where possible. Do not start to cross the intersection when the red.flashing hand appears - wait for the next light cycle. 4. Always walk on sidewalks. If sidewalks aren’t available, be sure to walk facing traffic. Location where you started your walk: Your Child’s School: What grade is your child in? K 1 ~2 Time you started: 3 4 5 6 7 8 Teacher: Time you got to school: Howdo your child usually get to school? (check one) Walk [] Bike [] Driven by parent/guardian Did you have enough room to walk Safely? a. Sidewalks started and stopped c. Sidewalks had obstruc~tion ~l Carpool [] Bus [] Yes [] No, due to hazards: b. Sidewalks were broken or cracked d. No sidewalks, paths or shoulders Example: a, c Example: East Meadow and Waverley Example: Cars parked on sidewalk Was it easy to cross streets? [] Yes [] a. Parked cars blocked view of traffic c. Bushes blocked view of traffic e. Pedestrian signal not long enough to .cross Not always, due to these hazards: b. Need curb ramps or repairs d. Need crosswalks or traffic signal 1 f " Other 4.Did drivers behave well?. [] Yes [] a. Drove too fast co 1Did not yield for pedestrians e. Other Not always, because some drivers: b..Sped ,up to make it through red lights d. Backed outof driveways without looking Was your walk pleasant and positive? [] Yes [] Not always, because of: a. Scary dogs b. Fear of crime c. Harassment ~from other children d. Litter and trash e. No crossing guard f. Lack of street light g~ Noise i. Lack of trees, flowers etc.j. Other 6. Do you plan to walk regularly in the future?[] Yes [] No, because: I1 Thank you for participating iln "Walk Our Children to School, Day! For lmore information contact Amanda Jones, City of Palo Alto Commute Coordinator 650-329-2568 or e-mail amanda_jones@city.palo-alto.ca.us ATTACHMENT C Upfront Taking it slow In an effort to crack down on drivers who speed in school zones, the Santa Clara/San KIDS Coalition sponsored "Walk Our Children to School Day" Wednesday with the help of I and animal friends. Daniel Rahamin (right) visits M!ner 49er the donkey and Inge Bol Park before heading off Io school. The morning s activities also included a human Charleston Road at Nelson Drive. According to the results of a police survey taken at two school zones before school, more than 75 percent of drivers traveled over the speed limit, ¯ cent traveling 10 mph over the speed limit. internation2 to or English? ¯ ~r ~ds walk~nq ~ s~l- other o~atio~ up.to emph~e the of ba~g s~e w~g to SchoolDa~’ O~ 4’ .,. p~en~ ~ pro~e ~-’ ~s ~th a ~b~k~.~t ~ de~r~e the s~’~ ~erent rou~s. .~:;-,, ~ ~,. at Ne~on D~ve ~d ~ad ~om 7:45 to8:80 ~ c~en ~d the~ ~ F~meadow ~d men~ schoo~ ~d J~Z~’-rop St~ord ~d~e.... --~ >.~Mayor L~ ~ ~....~th c~n m-~e Gr~me~-.-,.- ~..~ ~ ~,:.~downe~ghborhood.:~ ....~, .... Last ye~, more th~ schools ~ ~ sta~s held:A~L:~ events..42 Tuesd.ay~. ,O~.,o3, 2000.,.-ADVERtISINg-SECTION ",Dally NeW~ 44 Monday,and help a together Sept. 19 and. raised $12,000 for breast?" cancer, pediatric cancers and.HIV research. Kudos~;~: to the salons (Just Kids . Cuts and Beauty Market, Renda Za’ Arour Salon, Classic Touch Beauty an6 Utopia) for a job well ..... done. And kudos to all the patrons who showed up for the cut-a-thon and a great haircut for a great’. cause. ’ ’ BRING YOUR NIES and walk your c~iL dren to school next Thurs-i: day. It’s International Walk our Children to School Day, and that ............. means calling attentioW~6 : pedestrian safety issues: and encouraging safe ’}’i~ walking habits. If need(../ information, call Ms. A:manda Jones, the city Of Palo Alto’s commute coor- dinator, at 329-2568. can., : c~ver,of at -i toda~,’s Weddin’ ui e ~~ai-.: ......¯-~.gg d or afety! fr aman~ Parents walk kids to school ALL PALO ALTO SCHOOLS --Children and parents at all of our schools will be celebrating Walk Our Children to School Day tomorrow in many different ways. Volunteer organizers have played a big role in creating a wide variety of opportunities for everyone to participate in the event. At Fairmeadow Ele- SCHOOL mentary Mm’T~$School, par- ents and chil~ making a human cross- walk at the intersection of Nelson and Charleston Roads. In addi- tion, children coming from all directions will decorate Principal Scott Bowers’ window with mini-certifi- cates saying "I walked to school" or "I biked to school." Superintendent Don Phillips will be on hand to greet them as well. Escondido students will have banners along Stan- ford Avenue to encourage drivers to observe the speed limit. Neighborhood residents will also partici- pate by creating another human crosswalk, where children must cross Stan- ford Avenue at Hanover Street and at Escondido Road. City Council member Vie Ojakian will be on hand to greet students and parents participating in the event. Animals will enter the picture at Barron Park Elementary, where fami- lies will meet at Bol Park to walk to school with the Barron Park donkeys. Walter Hays families will gather at the corner of Seale Avenue and Webster Street and walk-pool to school with balloons. EYE SPY that you blink every four sec- onds? It’s true-- otherwise your eyes would dry out. Yuk! Children participating in the event from any part of the neighborhood will receive stickers when they get to school. Students who walk or bike to Palo Verde Ele- mentary School will be welcomed with stickers when they arrive at school. Ohlone, Nixon and Hoover elementary schools are all encourag-. ing families to participate in any way that reduces cars near the school sites. Their suggestions include biking, carpooling, taking the bus, even park- ing a few blocks away and walking the rest of the dis- tance to school, i. At secondary schools, since walking with one’s parents doesn’t.have the same appeal as it does for younger students; the event will have a different focus. Students who are able to walk, bike, skate or take the bus are encour- aged to cross intersections safely and legally, and not to forget to make eye con- tact with drivers whose paths they must cross. Par- ents of students unable to come by alternate means are encouraged to increase safety and reduce the number of vehicles around school by carpooling wherever possible. New this fall is an online "School Pool" form where all parents seeking to find carpool partners can submit their request to RIDES. This online form is. accessible via the school district’s transportation . webpage, or from the PTA Council’s traffic safety Web site: http://pta.palo- alto.ca.us/traffic. This Web site, created by Escondido parent Ben Lloyd, also has more information on Walk Our Children to School Day. if you h.ave news at your sChool, e-mail School Matters at editorial @paloaltodai = lynews~com. You can also send items to Christine Seaver of the Palo Alto PTA Council, which is assisting with this column. E-mail her at cns @ seaverkent, com.