25B - AGMT - CITYWIDE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL

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and a walking audit checklist that prompts them to look for specific infrastructure elements and traffic behaviors during the assessment. During the walking audit, we will observe, document, and photograph existing behavioral and physical condi- tions that may serve as barriers or challenges to safe walking, bicycling, vehicle, or transit circula- tion/access in the school area including: n Parking (onsite/offsite) A Loading/Circulation (onsite/offsite) • Crossings (intersection, midblock, marked, unmarked, yield compliance) • Sidewalks and pathways (presence, width, condition, access barriers) A Bikeways (presence, width, condition) n Transit stops, routes, and access pathways n Crossing guards (locations, times on duty) • Traffic signal operations • School area striping, signage, and markings (condition, compliance, color) n Bicycle parking facilities • School access points/gates • Local traffic circulation patterns Immediately following the observations during the drop-off or pick-up, the Alta team's engineers and planners facilitate a working session with a large- scale aerial map where stakeholders discuss and summarize the observed safety challenges and brainstorm solutions. During the working session, we will also gather input on recommended routes for walking and biking to school that will serve as a basis for the Suggested Routes to School Maps. Walking Audits at Intermediate and High Schools Alta will conduct school site and vicinity audits at the City's ten (10) intermediate and nine (9) high schools, providing the same services and deliv- erables as provided for the elementary schools. Upper grade level schools provide opportunity for increased student involvement in the walking audit process. Particularly for high schools, we will make efforts to work with a group of students (e.g., Green Team, Health Academy, Student Leadership) to participate in the walking audits—this provides an opportunity to understand students unique perspectives of barriers and challenges they face in commuting to school on foot, bicycle or via transit, and also helps to engage them in taking ownership of potential solutions and improvements on and around the campus. 9 TASK 2.5. SUPPLEMENTAL DATA COLLECTION Extensive background data will be collected in Task 2.1 prior to the walking audits. We recog- nize that as part of developing engineering recom- mendations, further data collection efforts may be needed around school areas, such as additional traffic volume data, turning movements, or speed surveys. For budgeting purposes the Alta team assumes that we will conduct one set of manual bicycle/pedestrian counts (per SCAG method- ology), and one set of automated vehicular traffic counts at each of the 62 schools. Specific loca- tions at which to collect additional data would be determined in conjunction with City engineering staff to support project recommendations. TASK 2.6. RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS Following each walking audit, Alta will draft a technical memo and conceptual improvement plan displaying recommended improvements on an annotated aerial map, which can serve as the basis for future grant applications. For each school the Technical Memo will include: Basic School information • Address v Arrival and dismissal times n Enrollment A Site layout and existing facilities Summary of Existing Conditions and Needs n List of participants in the assessment Photos Summary of issues identified during back- ground data collection and assessment/ walking audit » Any other identified major barriers (freeways, arterials) that may be discouraging active modes to school, even if outside immediate walking audit map boundary Recommendations: Infrastructure/operations: Conceptual improvement plan with Cost Estimates Policy or programmatic recommendations Given the large number of Walking Audits being conducted, it will be important to have a well- defined review process to ensure that draft recom- mendations are being reviewed and revised in a timely manner. In our experience conducting numerous school walking audits it is important to 25B-15