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