Healthy Hilltop School Travel Plan

Healthy Hilltop School Travel Plan

Binns Elementary School Burroughs Elementary School Hilltonia Middle School Lindbergh Elementary School West Mound Elementary

Prepared for: City of Columbus Department of Public Service Division of Mobility Options 109 North Front Street, 3rd Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215

Prepared By: W.E. Stilson Consulting Group, LLC 355 East Campus View Boulevard, Suite 250 Columbus, Ohio 43235

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary .

.

.

.

.

1

Section 1: Target Schools and Safe Routes to Schools Team

.

.

2

Section 2: Introduction

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

4

Section 3: The Public Input Process .

.

.

.

.

.

5

Section 4: School Demographics

.

.

.

.

.

8

Section 5: Current School Travel Environment

.

.

.

.

9

Section 6: Barriers to Active Transportation

.

.

.

.

19

Section 7: Creating Solutions Engineering

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

28

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

28

Enforcement .

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

31

Encouragement

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

32

Education

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

34

Evaluation

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

35

Section 8: Improvements Mapping .

.

.

.

.

.

36

Section 9: The Action Plan .

.

.

.

.

.

.

37

Section 10: Plan Endorsements

.

.

.

.

.

.

38

Section 11: Supporting Documents .

.

.

.

.

.

41

Executive Summary Binns Elementary and Hilltonia Middle Schools were identified in the Hilltop Community Mobility Plan (HCMP) as areas in need of Safe Routes to School Studies based on their respective mobility deficiencies. The City of Columbus completed this massive HCMP planning study in October 2010. This school travel plan is comprised of a single middle school and four elementary schools and is the natural progression for providing students safe access to active transportation. Much of the HCMP study’s public comments and recommendations from the Hilltop Community Mobility Plan were carried forward and incorporated within this study.

The five schools contained in this study have no formal SRTS program in place however they all are implementing some key aspects of a responsible plan currently in their respective Arrival – Dismissal Plan. The two main minor arterial corridors of Sullivant Avenue and West Mound Street have a substantial history of pedestrian and bicycle collisions along with speeding and traffic calming issues. From parent comments, the study area has a perceived crime/safety problem. The significant student travel corridors of Binns Boulevard, West Mound Street and Eureka Boulevard all lack physical sidewalks and pedestrian travel connectivity. The City has awarded a contract for the design and subsequent construction of sidewalks on West Mound Street from Binns Boulevard west to Bishop Ready High School. The City plans on continuing this effort along West Mound Street and Binns Boulevard to complete the sidewalk connectivity within the Binns Elementary and Hilltonia Middle School boundaries.

Four of the five study schools have been newly constructed or recently remodeled. All schools have adequate School Zones with school flasher signing but some of the surrounding City sidewalk and roadway infrastructure is old and in moderate to fair condition. Columbus City Schools have a two mile non-bussing radius so a majority of the students must find other means of school travel. Ideally, active transportation would be the preferred method, however due to perceived safety benefits, most students are driven to and from school. We are addressing these safety concerns in the school travel plan. The significant student travel corridors of Binns Boulevard, West Mound Street and Eureka Boulevard all lack physical sidewalks and pedestrian travel connectivity. All the schools have over a 90% student population that is economically disadvantaged.

The main deficiency for the study area is the lack of sidewalk on minor arterial and local collector roadways. Sidewalk improvements have been recommended for the Binns Boulevard, West Mound Street and Eureka Boulevard corridors. Traffic calming improvements in the form of intersection speed tables are recommended for the Binns and Burroughs Elementary school areas. Updated signalized crosswalk intersections are recommended for the two West Mound Street installations that are on either side of Hilltonia Middle School and for the Sullivant Avenue and S. Richardson Avenue intersection adjacent to Burroughs Elementary School. Several educational programs that have proven successful in other Hilltop schools are recommended as well. Section 9 provides further details on recommended improvements and Section 11 contains a detailed Photo Log of the study area.

1|Page

Section 1 – Target Schools and Safe Routes to Schools Team This School Travel Plan (STP) has been commissioned by the Safe Routes to Schools steering committee with the intent of enabling students to engage in active transportation.

The school travel plan is entitled Healthy Hilltop School Travel Plan. The committee, whose composition is listed below, is made up of members of the community, local government, and the schools who have a vested interest in the success of this initiative.

School/Education/Encouragement Steve Simmons - Transportation Director - Columbus City Schools (CCS) Steve Holland - Principal, Burroughs Elementary School - CCS Donna LeBeau - Principal, Hilltonia Middle School - CCS Rhonda Rice – Principal, Binns Elementary School – CCS Angela Moore-Tyler (Karla Case)* - Principal, West Mound Elementary School – CCS Jeni Quesenberry – Principal, Lindbergh Elementary School - CCS * (2010-2011 Principal) Community/Evaluation Sue Laughlin - Greater Hilltop Area Commission Justin Boggs - Greater Hilltop Area Commission Lisa Boggs - South Ogden Block Watch Health/Education Jamie Turner - Columbus Public Health Betsy Pandora - Columbus Public Health Sandy Gill - Columbus Public Health Linda Tvorik - Columbus Public Health Public Safety/Enforcement Mark Browning - Columbus Police Department Local Government/Evaluation Terry Stewart, P.E. - City of Columbus, Division of Mobility Options Jody Stefanik, P.E. - City of Columbus, Division of Mobility Options Engineering Scott Seaman, P.E. - W.E. Stilson Consulting Group, LLC Alan Haines, E.I. - W.E. Stilson Consulting Group, LLC Primary Contacts: Jodi Stefanik, P.E., Project Manager City of Columbus 110 N. Front St Columbus, OH 43215 JMStefanik@Columbus.gov 614-724-0576

Scott Seaman, P.E., Traffic Serv. Mgr. W.E. Stilson Consulting Group 355 E. Campus View Blvd, Suite 250 Columbus, OH 43235 SSeaman@StilsonConsulting.com 614-847-4670 2|Page

Listed below are the five schools that are included in this Healthy Hilltop School Travel Plan: Lindbergh Elementary School Enrollment: 266 students Grades: K-5 School Hours: 9 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. 2541 Lindbergh Dr. Columbus, OH 43223 Phone: 614-365-6727

Burroughs Elementary School Enrollment: 243 students Grades: Pre-K-5 School Hours: 9 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. 551 South Richardson Ave. Columbus, OH 43204 Phone: 614-365-5923

Binns Elementary School Enrollment: 232 students Grades: K-5 School Hours: 9 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. 1080 Binns Blvd.

Columbus, OH 43204 Phone: 614-365-5911

West Mound Elementary Enrollment: 386 students Grades: Pre-K-5 School Hours: 9 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. 2051 W. Mound St. Columbus, OH 43223 Phone: 614-365-5968

Hilltonia Middle School Enrollment: 567 students Grades: 6-8 School Hours: 7:30 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. 2345 W. Mound St. Columbus, OH 43204 Phone: 614-365-5937

3|Page

Section 2: Introduction The Healthy Hilltop School Travel Plan has been commissioned as the result of a growing need to improve the health and wellness of students through safety and education, specifically, in regard to active transportation (walking/biking) to and from school. The Hilltop Community Mobility Plan, completed in 2010, identified this need, and the goal of this study is to characterize and prioritize what specific efforts are needed to achieve the goals of the Hilltop school community.

The City of Columbus Public Schools has a two-mile mandatory walk radius at all five study schools with the exception of special needs students that are bus eligible. The Columbus City Schools Transportation Department provided a report for the 2010-2011 school year detailing that approximately 25% of students at all five schools are bus eligible while the other 75% of students must walk, bike or be driven by their parents or guardians to school.

From the Travel Tally surveys conducted in April / May 2011, the following is a summary of how students travel to and from school focusing on the modes of walking and biking. Burroughs Elementary, West Mound Elementary and Hilltonia Middle schools have approximately 40% of their students walking and approximately 1 to 2% of their students bicycling to school. Lindbergh and Binns Elementary schools have approximately 11% of their students walking and approximately 1% of their students bicycling to school. With these schools in an urban setting, there is plenty of room for improvement to increase active transportation.

A school travel plan was chosen specifically to study this area because of its high priority in the Hilltop Community Mobility Plan and with the City’s success with this type of plan in the past. The Valleyview/Westmoor STP is an excellent example of the potential rewards of this type of effort. In that City of Columbus venture, the Valleyview / Westmoor school community was able to obtain funding for improvements such as sidewalks, and it also gave them the foundation from which to support and advance active travel connectivity and educational programs.

With this school travel plan, the community is taking the first step toward achieving their goals. It is hoped that with a successful effort, funding will be awarded to make needed improvements and services available within the community.

4|Page

Section 3: The Public Input Process The assembled steering committee, as described above, is composed of a representative cross section of community leaders, and has met throughout the study to guide the planning effort to best meet the needs of the community. Input has also been sought from parents, teachers, and neighborhood residents through the use of surveys, feedback forms, and a public meeting.

Stakeholder Meetings - The first steering committee meeting was held on April 12, 2011. This meeting was successful not only in that nearly all of the members were able to attend, but also in that a lot of good ideas were brought up to help offset the problems that were mentioned. The goals of this undertaking were laid out, agreed upon, and were also very well received. Scott Seaman provided several informative handouts to guide the focus of the meeting, and also provided the principals with travel tallies and parent surveys to hand out to their teachers and students. Follow up with the committee was via email.

A second steering committee meeting was held on Wednesday August 31, 2011. Despite the meeting being held the first full week of school, 10 members were in attendance.

Scott Seaman introduced the draft School Travel Plan for review and input. The plan was thoroughly reviewed and the resulting discussion yielded constructive input for the Action Plan and other areas of the plan. Follow up with the other members was accomplished via email. Planning for the public meeting was accomplished. All schools gave full support of the plan and their continued support with advertising the upcoming meeting.

Parent Surveys - Parents at all five schools were given the opportunity to provide input by completing a survey that was sent home with students. The survey asked questions such as distance and travel time to school, what method of transit the child currently uses to get to and from school, and what types of concerns the parents have. Nearly 20% of the 1,700 surveys that were sent out to parents were returned. These surveys were sent to the National Center for Safe Routes to Schools for analysis, and graphical representations of the compiled data were returned for review. The results of, and the correlations that can be drawn from the data, will be discussed in Section 5.

Public Meeting - A public meeting was held on Tuesday September 20, 2011 at Hilltonia Middle School to give local residents, parents and other members of the community an opportunity to voice their ideas to their peers and the steering committee directly.

Advertisement for the public meeting was accomplished through several different methods. Approximately 1700 announcements were distributed by sending one home with each student in all five of the study schools. Local resident and steering committee member, Lisa Boggs, was responsible for hand delivering over 300 flyers in her neighborhood. Another 500 community members were reached via the Greater Hilltop Area Commission and Ogden Street Block Watch email listserve. Finally, an interviewed story about the public meeting and the planned improvements for the schools along with

5|Page

a meeting advertisement ran in the local This Week Community Newspaper – West Side edition.

Despite the extensive advertising, besides the steering committee members, only 7 people attended the public meeting. A camera crew and reporter attended from ABC 6/Fox 28 and interviewed a Greater Hilltop Area Commission board member. The interview ran on the late night news. Draft copies of the School Travel Plan, along with photo logs, and several exhibits outlining the key points of the plan were on display. A roll plot of the WEST Mound Street corridor with aerial background and the proposed sidewalk geometrics was made available as a working document on which to sketch and document comments. Generally, all attendees were in support of the School Travel Plan while requesting sidewalks in a couple specific locations near two of the study schools. Public input from the meeting is discussed further in Section 6.

School Arrival / Dismissal Observations – Scott Seaman and Alan Haines met with all the study school principals and observed the arrival / dismissal events. Follow up visits to the schools and other problem areas were conducted based on individual observations and any proposed recommendations. These observations, in part, guided the selection of the locations for the pedestrian and bicycle counts. An open invitation was extended to the entire steering committee to attend the observations. This portion of the study was the most valuable in identifying and providing insight for needed improvements. Key aspects of the observations are documented in the Photo Log in Section 11.

Existing Programs The entire Columbus City School system is implementing a school wellness program this year thanks to the efforts of Columbus Public Health (CPH) department. This has been accomplished with its partnering with Safe Routes to Schools on previous School Travel Plans for the Valleyview Elementary and Westmoor Middle schools. Expanding the creation of health and wellness programs, especially those focusing on safe transit practices is a major goal of this study, and a first step towards a healthier school environment. The City of Columbus Public Health Department also has several healthy initiative programs that are promoted in and around the area to the general community.

These include free maps of walking routes around the city, outreach field trips, and Safe Kids programs that focus on helmet safety. They also have “Slow Down” signs available for people to place in their yards; in fact, several of these can be seen in the community surrounding these five schools.

Programs in place include the following: Crossing Guards – At West Mound Elementary, a school employee works the signalized intersection crossing on West Mound Street at Belvidere Avenue for both school arrival and dismissal. At Burroughs Elementary, a school employee works the signalized crossing on Sullivant Avenue at Richardson Avenue for both school arrival and dismissal. At Binns Elementary, a student safety patrol officer works the crossing from the curb on Binns Avenue at Stephen Drive for both school arrival and dismissal.

6|Page

Students are not allowed to enter the road. At Lindbergh, Elementary, a school employee works the internal drive gate and guides students from a sidewalk connector to the adjacent neighborhood for both school arrival and dismissal. At all five study school, a school employee is stationed at the front door or at a prominent location on the campus to greet and guide students while interacting with the buses and parent drop offs.

School Zone Speeding Enforcement – The City of Columbus Police Department has two programs that have been in place to deter speeding in school zone areas. The first is the Motorcycle Unit School Zone – Speed Enforcement program. This program has police officers on motorcycle patrol in various school locations throughout the school year. During the 2009-2010 school year, officers through this program made 1,440 school visits yielding 6,500 traffic citations along with numerous arrests made and warrants served. Hilltonia Middle school along with Binns, Burroughs and West Mound Elementary schools were served under this program.

The second is Columbus Police Photo Task Force - Speed Enforcement program. This program positions a police vehicle equipped with radar and photo equipment within a school zone. The equipment captures speeding incidents digitally and sends a speeding ticket to the registered owner of the speeding vehicle. There is a prioritized list of 29 schools that will participate in the program. Burroughs and West Mound Elementary Schools are being served under this program.

Wellness Programs – Binns Elementary is planning to start a Recess Wellness (Walking) Club for the students and staff this fall. There are available trails/sidewalks close to school property that are conducive for this activity. This club will be held during school hours and its benefit will be exercise and not transportation to and from school.

Safe Walking/Biking Curriculum - Columbus City Schools will be adding a Safe Walking/Biking curriculum as an option for Health Education this 2011-2012 school year. Teachers will present the curriculum to the class as part of their 20 minutes of health education required per week. Columbus Public Health is under contract with Columbus City Schools to develop this program. The curriculum will meet Ohio Department of Education standards and be based on National Highway Traffic Safety recommendations.

7|Page

Section 4: School Demographics The following tables summarize the demographics of each individual study school.

Burroughs Elementary School Student Subgroups

This School

State Average

Economically disadvantaged students

96%

36%

Students with disabilities

26%

14% Source: OH Dept. of Education, 2007-2008

Hilltonia Middle School Student Subgroups

This School

State Average

Economically disadvantaged students

99%

36%

Students with disabilities

17%

14% Source: OH Dept. of Education, 2007-2008

Binns Elementary School Student Subgroups

This School

State Average

Economically disadvantaged students

94%

36%

Students with disabilities

23%

14% Source: OH Dept. of Education, 2007-2008

West Mound Elementary School Student Subgroups

This School

State Average

Economically disadvantaged students

99%

36%

Students with disabilities

14%

14% Source: OH Dept. of Education, 2007-2008

Lindbergh Elementary School Student Subgroups

This School

State Average

Economically disadvantaged students

99%

36%

Students with disabilities

18%

14%

Source: OH Dept. of Education, 2007-2008

8|Page

Section 5: Current School Travel Environment Binns Elementary School Overview Binns Elementary school is located on the northeast corner of Binns Boulevard and Briggs Road. It is designated as a walking school with all of the students within a 2-mile radius being ineligible for bus transportation. A small percentage of students, consisting of students outside of the 2-mile radius, and special needs children are transported via one of four buses. Distribution of students within a 1-mile radius can be seen in Figure 1.

A 1-mile radius view was chosen for all schools due to the majority of the student population for each school living within this range, and also to have a better scale by which to highlight other features such as pedestrian routes.

Traffic signage along Briggs Road consists of 20 MPH school signs with flashing yellow lights located to the east and the west of the school which operate for about 45 minutes during both the arrival and dismissal times. There are also 20 MPH school signs that list restricted hours, but do not have flashing lights that are located to the north and south of the school entrances along Binns Boulevard. Photos of existing signage for all of the schools can be found in the photo log. A police presence is not constant, but patrol cars can be observed sitting and cruising in the areas adjacent to the school during arrival and dismissal.

Pedestrian safety is provided on the single crosswalk on Binns Boulevard at Stephen Drive by student safety patrol crossing guards.

These students are on station for approximately ten minutes during both arrival and dismissal; however, they are not permitted to actually stand in the road and block traffic.

The front entrance is the only entrance made available for students to use in the morning.

Therefore, all traffic including buses, vehicles, walkers, and bikers begin to converge on the front the building as early as 8:15 A.M. A staff member is present there between 8:30 A.M. and 9:00 A.M. to greet students, to help keep the drive clear, and to encourage safe behaviors by students and parents alike.

For reasons that will be discussed further in Section 7, there are exceptionally few students who engage in active transportation at Binns Elementary. Those that do however, come from one of three directions. From the west, students cross Binns Boulevard at the cross walk provided just south of Stephen Drive and the schools southerly driveway entrance. From the north, students travel down Binns Boulevard, and from the northeast, students cut across school property from the adjacent neighborhoods.

These same general paths are also used for departure upon dismissal.

Dismissal differs significantly from arrival due primarily to the much more condensed time frame in which it occurs. Whereas arrival spans a time frame of approximately 45 minutes, dismissal is complete within about 10 minutes. Some conflict has been resolved by moving buses to the rear of the building for student pick-up. This change exemplifies how Binns Elementary staff has taken measures to rectify issues, but problems as discussed in Section 7 still remain.

9|Page

The most notable change made at Binns Elementary was the decision by Ms. Rice to dismiss kindergarten children at the rear of the building. This allows for closer supervision of these younger children, and a separate area for parents to pick-up that is less congested. The parent must also come up to the school to retrieve their child, alleviating the hazards of these children being unsupervised amongst vehicle traffic.

A policy has also been created to require parents picking up students at the front of the building to park in one of the designated areas to pick up their child. The idea of this policy is to avoid congestion, but more importantly, keep children from crossing the busy driveway, or Binns Boulevard unsupervised and across moving traffic. These policies are enforced by Ms. Rice herself, and a few other staff members who have a forward presence during dismissal.

Figure 1 – Binns Elementary Observed Pedestrian Routes to School

10 | P a g e

Burroughs Elementary School Overview Unlike the other schools in this study, Burroughs Elementary is directly bounded by streets on three of its sides, and a playground and park area in the rear. On the east side of the school lies the staff parking area, and Richardson Avenue, a north-bound one-way street. In the front (north), there is a bus parking lane adjacent to the busy four lane road that is Sullivant Avenue, and to the west is Burgess Avenue, a south-bound one-way street.

Not unlike the other schools in this study, it is designated as a walking school with the stipulation that only special needs students and students outside of a 2-mile radius centered on the school are eligible for bus transportation. Distribution of students within a 1-mile radius can be seen in Figure 2.

Traffic signage on Sullivant Avenue consists of 20 MPH school signs with flashing yellow lights to the east and west of the school which are operable for approximately 45 minutes during both arrival and dismissal. There are also 20 MPH “during restricted hours� signs without flashing lights along Richardson Avenue to the south of the school, and along Burgess Avenue to the north of the school. Police cruisers were observed in the vicinity during both the arrival and dismissal time frames.

Due to the above described geographic nature of Burroughs Elementary, there are several crosswalks provided around the school. On the west side of the school there are crosswalks across Burgess Avenue at both Burroughs Avenue and Sullivant Avenue. On Richardson Avenue, on the east side of the school, there are crosswalks at both Springmont Avenue and Sullivant Avenue. Although the aforementioned crosswalks do get used, none of them have crossing guards as neither Richardson Avenue nor Burgess Avenue are very busy.

There is one intersection on Sullivant Avenue that has crosswalks, it is at Richardson Avenue, and there is an adult crossing guard assigned to it both in the morning and afternoon. This intersection receives a high volume of foot traffic, both student and nonstudent, and also has some student bicycle traffic as well. Unfortunately, being as the intersection is at the easternmost point of the school, there are some pedestrians that choose not to use the crosswalk and venture across Sullivant Avenue at their own risk.

The majority of pick-up and drop-off activity occurs at the east entrance, as it is the primary entrance to the building. Special needs students are escorted into the north entrance of the building by staff members who greet them as they exit the buses on the north side of the building. Walkers and bikers can be observed coming from just about every direction, with a very large number crossing Sullivant Avenue at Richardson Avenue. It is also of note that many students cross Richardson Avenue at the alley just south of Sullivant Avenue, where there is not a crosswalk. Dismissal is similar, albeit faster, and staff members, including Principal Holland, are out during both time frames to promote safety and welcome or dismiss the children.

11 | P a g e

It should also be noted that there are school buses that stop along Sullivant Avenue that are not affiliated with Burroughs Elementary school. Some of these buses use the bus parking lane, and some stop traffic in the east bound lanes of Sullivant Avenue.

Additionally, there is a large volume of vehicles that wait along Richardson Avenue at the end of the school day; thus, Richardson Avenue becomes very congested from 3:30 to 4:00 P.M. Finally, some vehicles travelling along Sullivant Avenue were observed to be travelling at speeds estimated to be well above the 20 MPH restricted school zone speed limit.

Figure 2 – Burroughs Elementary Observed Pedestrian Routes to School

12 | P a g e

Hilltonia Middle School Overview Hilltonia Middle School is bounded on the north by West Mound Street, a neighborhood to the east, and a park to the south and the west. As with the other schools in this study, it is a walking school with the same 2-mile radius walking policy and buses only for special needs and distant students. Distribution of students within the 1-mile radius can be seen in Figure 3.

Traffic signage for Hilltonia Middle School includes 20 MPH school signs with flashing yellow lights located to the east and the west of the school along West Mound Street which are on for around 45 minutes during both arrival and dismissal. Signage is not present on surrounding streets though, as the nearest are not close enough to warrant such items. However, at South Wheatland Avenue, which intersects West Mound Street directly across from the school, there is a dedicated school traffic signal. This signal only operates for approximately an hour during each arrival and dismissal interval.

A crosswalk is provided at the above described intersection of South Wheatland Avenue and West Mound Street, and it is essentially the only crosswalk that offers direct access to the school across West Mound Street. This crosswalk is convenient for those students who are headed directly to the north, or to the east, but not for those who are headed west. The next available crossing for westbound students is nearly an eighth of a mile away at the intersection of South Wayne Avenue and West Mound Street. Although this does not seem too distant, as there are no streets between the school and South Wayne Avenue, during observation several students were seen crossing West Mound Street midblock between these two locations. The three directions discussed, east and west along West Mound Street, and north along South Wheatland Avenue are the primary active transportation routes.

Due in part to the high volume and older age of students who walk, and also in part to the set-up of the parking lot and drive area, the interaction between students and vehicles at Hilltonia Middle School is a matter of relative insignificance. The entrance/exit design allows for buses and cars to be kept separate, using the east drive and west parking lot respectively, thus enabling a smooth transition at both arrival and dismissal. For both of these time periods, there is an outside presence of staff to greet and bid adieux to students, as well as to enforce the parking lot/drive restrictions for both parents and students. Though only the front entrance is open in the morning, dismissal is permitted through the side and back doors as well.

13 | P a g e

Figure 3 – Hilltonia Middle School Observed Pedestrian Routes to School

Lindbergh Elementary School Overview Lindbergh Elementary School is tucked away with driveway access off of Eureka Boulevard to the east, and walking access to Spaatz Avenue to the north. To the west it is bounded by a neighborhood with no direct access, and to the south by a park which abuts Briggs Road. It too is a walking school with the same 2-mile radius walking policy, and a small number of distant and special needs children who are bused. Distribution of students within a 1-mile radius can be seen in Figure 4.

Due to the off-street location of the school, very little signage is necessary. In fact, there are no speed limit restriction signs on either Eureka Boulevard or Spaatz Avenue. There are crosswalks across both of these roads however, and they have associated high visibility signs demarking their location.

School policy at Lindbergh Elementary keeps cars and buses separated to reduce conflict, congestion, and the hazards of student/vehicle interaction. Regardless, the set-up of the parking lot does not allow for this interaction to be eradicated, and it is still viewed as a 14 | P a g e

problem, especially during the narrow dismissal time frame when the lot becomes congested.

Similar to the other schools, Lindbergh Elementary policy also provides for only the main entrance to be available for entry upon arrival. Several staff members are outside for both arrival and dismissal, with one member stationed specifically at the on-site crosswalk at the north end of the school property. All entrances on the south side of the building, as well as the main entrance on the north, are opened for dismissal.

Most of the students who engage in active transportation were observed using the schools north pedestrian walkway. This is likely due to most of the student population living either to the north, west, or east of the school. This is not only the safest route, it also provides the best access to the surrounding neighborhoods.

Figure 4 – Lindbergh Elementary Observed Pedestrian Routes to School

15 | P a g e

West Mound Elementary School Overview West Mound Elementary is located on the south side of West Mound Street with houses adjacent to it on both its east and west sides. Rea Avenue runs along the south side of the school property. As with the other schools in this study, it too is a walking school with the same 2-mile radius walking policy and buses only for special needs and distant students. Distribution of students within a 1-mile radius can be seen in Figure 5.

Traffic signage is provided on West Mound Street with 20 MPH school signs with flashing yellow lights located to the east and the west of the school which operate during arrival and dismissal intervals for approximately 45 minutes. 20 MPH school signs with “during restricted hours,� but no flashers are present to both the east and west of the school along Rea Avenue as well.

Crosswalks are provided at Belvidere Avenue which is directly across from the school toward its western edge, and 2 adult crossing guards are staffed at this intersection for a half an hour during both arrival and dismissal. These crossing guards are necessary, as their services are employed by many students at this highly trafficked (both pedestrians and vehicles) intersection. No other crosswalks are provided for the school as the nearest streets to the east and west, along with Rea Avenue are local streets that do not see a high volume of vehicles.

West Mound Elementary chooses not to use its front one-way drive along West Mound Street for any vehicles during arrival or dismissal due to the congestion and large amount of pedestrian and vehicle conflict points created at the intersection of the drive entrance with West Mound Street and Belvidere Avenue. A secondary concern is the excessive speeds that vehicles could reach while utilizing the drive. To prevent it being used, cones are placed across the entrance and exit during these time periods. This policy is ignored by some who choose to use the front drive anyhow, and simply move the cones aside for entry and exit, and others who stop on West Mound Street, and block traffic to drop their children off. While this scenario does not appear to be ideal, it is the most effective solution to date, and school officials are content with its’ operation.

In accordance with this policy, all vehicle traffic is directed to use the rear entrance of the building. The situations that occur with regards to this, while not horrible, are also not ideal. Similar to other schools, where buses and cars use a common drive, there is congestion that occurs; along with this congestion is the associated impatience of vehicle drivers. These observed behaviors can lead to potentially dangerous situations as pedestrian students must cross in front of on-site traffic on their way to and from school.

In comparison with the other schools in this study, West Mound Elementary has an average number of students who engage in active transportation. All of these students were observed using the front entrance with many of them also using the crosswalk across West Mound Street. Aside from the crossing guards, no staff presence was observed in the front or rear of the building in the A.M. The dismissal interval is similar with children primarily using the front entrance.

16 | P a g e

Figure 5 – West Mound Elementary Observed Pedestrian Routes to School

Parent Survey and Travel Tally Results The primary focus of the parent surveys and travel tallies was to determine what methods of travel students use to get to and from school. The travel tallies were administered by teachers who took inventory on each of three consecutive days beginning on Tuesday of the given week. A parent survey was given to every student at all of the schools to take home, and once filled out by their parents, returned to the school.

The travel tallies were a very simple questionnaire that asked, “How did you arrive at school today?” and “How do you plan to leave for home after school?”. The number of students who engaged in each method was recorded by the teachers, and the tally sheets were returned at the end of the week for processing.

The results of the travel tallies are not surprising, as they reflect what was observed, but the numbers really give weight to what is happening. This method of estimating travel type reveals that nearly 60% of the students at these five schools are driven to school on 17 | P a g e

any given day, but that only about 50% are picked-up at the end of the day. Buses are used by 15% of the student population in the morning, but nearly 20% in the afternoon.

The remaining 25% of students in the A.M. engage in active transportation, and just over 30% use this method in the afternoon. These results show that the decrease in students being driven in the afternoon is distributed more heavily to active transportation (6%) than to taking the bus (3%).

Along with the information above, several other questions were asked in the parent surveys that were sent out. These include: estimate of distance and travel time to school, number of children, grade level, gender, child’s interest and parent’s willingness to allow active transportation, concerns and opinions of active transportation, and an open comment section.

The gender and grade level of students can give some insight into the concerns and the willingness of a parent to allow their child to walk or bike to school. Considering the genders of the children whose parents responded to the survey were nearly equal, little gender bias should be expected in the results. The distribution of grade level of children whose parents responded resembles a bell curve centered on third grade (20%) when plotted by percentage. The only notable exception to this is kindergarten parents, who account for 13% of the total respondents. It should also be noted that sixth, seventh, and eighth grade respondents accounted for only 16% of the total. While this is to be expected as the middle school is only one out of the five schools (20%), the results are likely skewed toward the considerations for younger children.

Distance to school and mode of travel are considered both individually and collectively in the results of the parent survey. The results calculated from the parent surveys for method of travel essentially mirrors those of the travel tallies with no notable exceptions.

Insofar as distance to school, the surveys show that an estimated 45% of elementary students, but only 25% of middle school students live within a quarter mile of the school they attend. This is not to be unexpected as the middle school draws students from a much larger area that is composed of these elementary schools. As such, the percentage of elementary students drops consistently with distance from the school, whereas the percentage of middle school students stays relatively steady across the 2-mile radius.

The results obtained when evaluating mode of travel with regards to distance from school are also not surprising. Plotting distance vs. percentage for each mode of travel makes the trends easy to see. The closer a child is to school; the more likely they are to walk.

The further a child is from school, the more likely they are to be driven, up until they are eligible for bussing. The percentage of bussing increases with distance.

Out of the approximately three hundred surveys that were returned, there were about seventy-five written in comments. Of those, the most pressing concern for parents as it pertains to their children walking to school is safety. Safety in general is mentioned several times with no specific danger accredited to it, but when combined with the fears of crime and traffic, this concern accounts for nearly half of all the responses. Other top concerns include the age of the child, the weather, and the distance to school.

18 | P a g e

Sidewalk Maintenance Maintenance of existing sidewalks is addressed by the City of Columbus as a codified ordinance. This ordinance states that it is the responsibility of the property owner to ensure proper clearing of sidewalks, as well as to maintain, and when necessary, replace sidewalks. The City does enforce this ordinance, and notifies residents when sidewalks are unsatisfactory and in need of repair. A copy of the City’s sidewalk ordinance is included in Section 11.

Section 6: Barriers to Active Transportation Count Data Pedestrian and bicycle counts were conducted by WESCG at several locations in the vicinity of the five schools that are part of the study. All of these counts were conducted in May 2011, and their specific locations and times are listed below and shown on Figure 6. Detailed count data is included in Section 11.

1. Eureka Blvd. north of Briggs Rd. • 12 -Arrival, 8:25-8:55 A.M. • 18 (4) - Dismissal, 3:15-3:45 P.M.

5.

W. Mound St. & S. Ogden Ave. • 2 - Arrival, 7:00-7:30 A.M. • 18 - Dismissal, 2:30-3:00 P.M.

2. Binns Blvd. north of Binns Elementary • 9 - Arrival, 8:30-9:00 A.M. • 7 - Dismissal, 3:20-3:50 P.M.

6.

W. Mound St. & S. Wayne Ave. • 22 - Arrival, 7:00-7:30 A.M. • 88 (1) - Dismissal, 2:20-2:50 P.M.

3. W. Mound St. & Binns Blvd.

• 1 - Arrival, 8:30-9:00 A.M.

7.

W. Mound St. & S. Wheatland Ave. • 19 - Arrival, 7:00-7:30 A.M. • 71 (1) - Dismissal, 2:15-2:45 P.M.

4. W. Mound St. & S. Hague Ave. • 7 (3) - Dismissal, 2:30-3:00 P.M.

8.

Sullivant Ave. & S. Richardson Ave. • 81 (1) - Arrival, 8:30-9:00 A.M. • 177 (5) - Dismissal, 3:30-4:00 P.M.

Legend - # (#) = Pedestrian Count (Bicycle Count)

19 | P a g e

8

3

4 5

7 6

2

1

Figure 6 – Pedestrian / Bicycle Count Locations Study School – Binns Elementary Study School – Burroughs Elementary Study School – Lindberg Elementary Study School – Hilltonia Middle Study School – West Mound Elementary

Pedestrian Crashes Pedestrian crash data was downloaded from the Ohio Center for Safe Routes to Schools for 2007, 2008, and 2009. As detailed in the tables below, the crashes are broken down by distance from the school and what type of incident. However, noting that the crash data was provided as distance from each school, it was discovered that there is considerable overlap of incidents, thus skewing the data as presented in the tables below.

A more accurate picture of pedestrian and bicycle crashes could be represented by removing duplicates, which reduces the total number of crashes to about 300. However, the accuracy of the numbers as reported in the tables cannot be increased due to the lack of more specific information, and should be reviewed with this discrepancy in mind.

20 | P a g e

Binns Elementary Radius 0-1 Mile 1-2 Mile Total

Pedestrians 29 95 124

Burroughs Elementary Bikes 9 61 70

Radius 0-1 Mile 1-2 Mile Total

Lindbergh Elementary Radius 0-1 Mile 1-2 Mile Total

Pedestrians 47 82 129

Pedestrians 75 78 153

Bikes 41 43 84

West Mound Elementary

Bikes 25 54 79

Radius 0-1 Mile 1-2 Mile Total

Pedestrians 53 95 148

Bikes 41 56 97

Hilltonia Middle School Radius 0-1 Mile 1-2 Mile Total

Pedestrians 57 89 146

Bikes 37 52 89

Physical Barriers Binns Elementary Binns Elementary is a relatively new school that at first glance appears to be reasonably well planned for active transportation. Despite this however, there is an exceptionally small portion of the children that attend this school who actually walk or ride a bike for their daily transit.

One concern is the lack of sidewalk connectivity in the area. Although sidewalks are provided in the high traffic areas near the school, there is a lack of sidewalk continuity between many of the side streets children must use to get to school. Chief amongst these is Binns Boulevard which does not have sidewalk north of the school, and which would be a primary route for many students.

Through observation, and accounts from parents and faculty, it is also apparent that pickup/drop-off behaviors are of major concern at all of the schools included in this study, with Binns Elementary being no exception. Student arrival is busy and potentially dangerous, but dismissal is even worse due to the condensed time frame; drop-off occurs over half an hour while pick-up is experienced in about ten minutes. School officials have done, and are doing everything they can to alleviate the associated dangers of car, bus, and student interaction, but the common discrepancy is enforcement.

21 | P a g e

At Binns Elementary in particular, the two most prevalent problems are congestion and the tendency of some parents to promote behaviors which have been identified as problematic. Congestion here is relatively avoidable, but many seem to insist on stopping right at the front entrance which creates both congestion and the need for children to walk amongst the vehicles and in their travel paths. Conversely, speeding is not a considerable issue, likely due in part to the congestion.

Burroughs Elementary The school travel environment at Burroughs Elementary school is unique in comparison with the other elementary schools in this study. This is evident by the location and layout of the school as described in Section 5, but is also evidenced by the comparatively large number of students that walk to school.

The most significant barrier to transportation at Burroughs Elementary is Sullivant Avenue. It is a busy four lane road that makes it necessary for a crossing guard to be on duty during both arrival and dismissal. Unfortunately however, some opt to cross midblock, outside of the crosswalks at the intersection where the guard operates.

Although buses are separated from vehicles and students, there is still a concern here of the interaction between students and vehicles. Aside from the many students crossing Sullivant Avenue as detailed in the pedestrian counts, there is also the issue of pick-up and drop-off activity at the east entrance. The potential for problems here is most prevalent during dismissal when cars are lined up and congestion occurs along Richardson Avenue with students crossing traffic.

Hilltonia Middle School For Hilltonia Middle school, the most prominent barrier to travel is West Mound Street.

At this location, West Mound Street is four lanes, there is only one crosswalk that is adjacent to the school, and sidewalks are non-existent for several blocks to the west of the school.

The lack of sidewalks in and of itself is an issue; however, the condition of the areas without sidewalks makes this shortcoming an area of exceptional concern. Along this stretch, there are many places where the footing is uneven, making tripping and stumbling a valid concern; especially when considering that the roadway is decidedly narrow. There are also locations where trees and shrubbery are very difficult to get past without having to step into the roadway. The photographs included in Section 11 illustrate this problem vividly.

Conversely, the interaction between cars, buses, and students was well planned for, and is well managed by Hilltonia Middle School staff. There is still concern however that the one crosswalk provided at the school is not enough, as many students were observed crossing at places other than the designated crosswalk.

22 | P a g e

Lindbergh Elementary The travel environment at Lindbergh Elementary school differs from that of the other four schools in this study, in that it is not located directly adjacent to a major road. This alleviates some issues, but excessive speed and student/vehicle interaction is still a concern here.

At Lindbergh Elementary, buses are kept separate from the vehicle pick-up/drop-off area.

This helps with the concerns of student/vehicle interaction, but the system still has room for improvement. Concerns about speed on Spaatz Avenue to the north of the school were also mentioned, but not observed. Lack of sidewalk connectivity is also an issue at Lindbergh Elementary, as there are no sidewalks on Eureka Avenue, or on many of the surrounding streets.

West Mound Elementary West Mound Elementary is a newer school that appears to be well set-up to support active transportation. Similar to Hilltonia Middle School, West Mound Street is the most significant barrier to transportation for this school, with its lack of sidewalk connectivity, narrow lanes, high traffic volumes, and high traffic speeds.

Although the school is laid out well for active transportation, vehicle, bus, and student interaction is still a problem. Vehicle access to the school from West Mound Street is blocked during arrival and dismissal hours, and all traffic is supposed to use the rear drive. While this alleviates some problems in the front, the rear becomes slightly congested which can cause potentially dangerous situations.

Social Barriers One common barrier shared amongst all the schools included in this travel plan is crime.

Parents fear for the safety of their children. At Binns Elementary especially, this concern seems almost palpable with sexual predation being the most prevalent of apprehensions.

Quite understandably, many parents simply will not allow their children to travel unsupervised in an area of the map that is dotted with several known sexual predators.

Weather, traffic, and convenience are also prominent reasons for parents opting to drive their children to school.

Stakeholder Concerns Among those who have an interest in this effort, the safety of children in transit to and from school is of the highest priority. Several problems were voiced and subsequently discussed at the steering committee meeting. Of these, traffic and traffic control are the chief concerns, but crime was also noted as a problem in the area.

Lack of connectivity of sidewalks poses a definitive threat to students who do not have the option of taking a bus to school. This barrier is exceptionally concerning along the busy, narrow road that is West Mound Street. In fact, this stretch of roadway was identified in the Hilltop Community Mobility Plan as one of its top 3 priorities. While other top priorities of that plan have been implemented, improvements have yet to be made along West Mound Street.

23 | P a g e

There was a general consensus amongst the principals attending the meeting that student/vehicle interaction is a primary concern. Specifically, on-site pick-up and dropoff of students by parents and guardians is a potentially hazardous situation. Measures have been taken to off-set and minimize the risks of this daily operation, but the nonethe-less, the risks still exist. Traffic, in general, was also cited as a barrier in-so-far as speeding, illegal vehicle movements, and lack of regard for crosswalks, traffic signals and crossing guards.

Similarly, crosswalks, signals, and signage were all mentioned as areas that could stand improvement. Additional and more visible crosswalks and signs would be preferred in several locations, as well as, other related site specific improvements. This also includes the logistical shortcoming of the 45 minute limit on school flashers, as the A.M. arrival window can extend well beyond 45 minutes at some of these schools.

Finally, crime is a very real concern in the Hilltop area. Ranging in severity from bicycle theft to living in the midst of numerous registered sex offenders, many parents are simply scared for the welfare of their children. The following is a detailed list from school staff collected during interviews.

1. Rhonda Rice, Principal at Binns Elementary School • Limited sidewalks in the area (none on Binns Boulevard) • Only one crosswalk area, which is at the corner of Binns Boulevard and Stephen Drive (probably because of the lack of sidewalks elsewhere) • Speeding traffic.

2. Steve Holland, Principal at Burroughs Elementary • Anyone standing at the corner of Richardson Avenue and Sullivant Avenue is at risk due to high speeds of traffic and ignorance of traffic signal.

• Enforcement of cars in no parking/stopping zone on Richardson Avenue needs to be enforced.

• No left turn during school hours should be installed at intersection of Sullivant Avenue and Richardson Avenue.

• Some students and many parents and older teens with our students are observed crossing against traffic outside of the crosswalk. Some teens do so against the light at Richardson Avenue and Sullivant Avenue.

• Speed is an issue, especially at opening and dismissal of school on Sullivant Avenue.

• High traffic congestion on Richardson Avenue during dismissal.

• Students cross against traffic in school lot and Richardson to get across the street or to waiting cars.

• Intersection of the Alley south of school and Richardson Avenue does not afford safe view for cars exiting the alley due to shrubs and cars parked by alley.

• Police response time for parking enforcement request or requests for student disturbance resolution is currently lacking. Students gang up intimidating other students and school staff require quicker response time and speedier resolution.

24 | P a g e

3. Donna LeBeau, Principal at Hilltonia Middle School • The school signal at West Mound and South Wheatland Avenue, a State Law – Yield to Pedestrian symbolic reboundable post in the centerline in advance of the crosswalk would be a helpful.

• The same thing at the west crosswalk at West Mound Street and Wayne Avenue would be helpful. This location needs high visibility crosswalk pavement markings as well.

• School students at the Middle school generally travel during predawn conditions for most of the year and street lighting is not available throughout the school boundaries. Can we consider lighting improvements?

4. Jeni Quesenberry, Principal at Lindbergh Elementary • Eureka Boulevard and Briggs Road is a problem intersection. Briggs Road does not have sidewalks and some of our students do walk through there.

• Eureka Boulevard and Eakin Road is an unsignalized intersection. Mainline traffic is busy making it difficult for students to cross and vehicles to enter the mainline from the side streets. This intersection encompasses both Lindbergh Elementary and Hilltonia Middle School students.

5. Karla Case, (2010-2011 Principal at West Mound Elementary) • Speeding in front of the school on West Mound Street is a problem during arrival and dismissal times • The West Mound Street signal on the west side of the campus is regularly ignored during arrival and dismissal times.

• School dismissal time is rather chaotic especially at the west signalized drive.

This timeframe is compressed in comparison to the arrival time in the mornings.

Public Comment Concerns Public comments were solicited through the Public Meeting and from residents that live directly on the West Mound Street corridor. We received a total of nine comments from the public input process. The following is a summary of comments received: •

•

Parent is concerned about noncompliance with crossing guard and traffic signal at the signalized crosswalk on West Mound Street at West Mound Elementary.

Parent requests security cameras for this area, similar to those recently installed at the intersection of Sullivant Avenue and Clarendon Avenue Resident comments that traveling West Mound Street on foot and by bike in the winter is difficult and the street is the only option for both modes of travel after the roads are recently plowed. Resident also comments that speeding is an issue at West Mound Street and South Wayne Avenue and suggests red light running cameras as a proposed improvement.

25 | P a g e

• • • • • • •

Resident supports new sidewalks for Hilltonia Middle School students. Notes that some intersections have new curb ramps but no sidewalks.

Resident supports sidewalks along West Mound Street where there are currently none. Notes that children should not have to walk in the streets.

Community resident states that her neighborhood of Wilshire Heights is supportive of the Binns-Hilltonia area School Travel Plan.

Person wants sidewalks on Whitehead Road between Hilltonia Middle and West Mound Elementary schools.

Resident states that sidewalks are needed on Whitethorn Avenue from Whitehead Road to Eakin Road. Resident requests that all existing sidewalk on West Mound Street from Hilltonia Middle School to South Central Avenue be repaired.

Resident thinks there needs to be sidewalks on side streets for kids. The (existing) sidewalk is all messed up really bad.

Resident is concerned with the lack of sidewalk on South Eureka Avenue between Eakin Road and Briggs Road. Students are observed walking in the middle of the road and it’s unsafe for both students and drivers.

Other Concerns Bikeways According to the Columbus Bicentennial Bikeways Plan of January 2008, the City of Columbus has proposed adding more than 500 miles of new bikeways in and around the City. This is significant to the Hilltop area as the bike network charted therein included the addition of some new bikeways and signage in the area. These improvements would be welcome additions in the eyes of area cyclists and parents as the current biking environment has plenty of room for improvement. The combination of narrow lanes and heavy traffic cause safety concerns that prevent some students from biking who otherwise would.

Distance to school Even though these schools are designated as walking schools, with most of the students living within 2 miles of their respective schools, distance to school is still an issue for many. As would be expected, this concern increases as the distance a child lives from their school increases; this concern also increases as the age of the child being considered decreases. Withstanding age, the following graphs reflect this concern as the percentage of students being driven, bused, and using active transportation is plotted versus distance from school.

26 | P a g e

Distance vs. mode of travel (A.M.) 90

80

70

Percentage

60

50

40

30

20

10

0 < 1/4 mile

1/4 - 1/2 mile

1/2 - 1 mile

1 - 2 mile

> 2 mile

1 - 2 mile

> 2 mile

Distance Bussed

Active

Driven

Distance vs. mode of travel (P.M.) 90

80

70

Percentage

60

50

40

30

20

10

0 < 1/4 mile

1/4 - 1/2 mile

1/2 - 1 mile Distance Bussed

Active

Driven

27 | P a g e

Section 7: Creating Solutions A comprehensive solutions strategy was developed consisting of general solutions for each of the 5 E’s (Engineering, Encouragement, Education, Enforcement, and Evaluation). Each one of the 5 E’s has a stated goal which the solutions would individually or in combination address. Each solution is described in detail below.

Engineering Provide operational and physical improvements that establish safer and fully accessible crossings, walkways, trails, and bikeways as well as planning activities.

For locations that have new sidewalks proposed, a minimum of width of 5 feet to 8 feet, depending on location is recommended where compliant with local City code. A 5 foot width for residential areas and a wider 8 foot width for commercial areas or locations adjacent to schools are target goals realizing there are right-of-way and cost constraints that must be brought into balance. Wider sidewalks help to support people walking together because they can comfortably walk side by side – and would help to foster an active lifestyle around these areas.

Solution: Pedestrian Enhancements along Mound Street (Sidewalk) Install a sidewalk along the north and south sides of West Mound Street from South Wayne Avenue west to Binns Boulevard, for a length of approximately 4,500 feet. West Mound Street has four 9 foot lanes within this segment, so any sidewalk improvements would include revision of the roadway cross section. Preliminary studies under the Hilltop Community Mobility Plan analyzed a three lane section with sidewalks on the north and south sides of Mound Street. The City has already started design of the new West Mound Street sidewalk section between South Brinker Avenue and Binns Boulevard as a Phase 1 of the project. Phase 2 is anticipated to consist of new sidewalk between Binns Boulevard and South Hague Avenue. Phase 3 is anticipated to consist of new sidewalk between South Hague Avenue and South Wayne Street. Phase 3 is also anticipated to include narrowing the existing 4-lane roadway section on West Mound Street to a 3-lane section east of South Wayne Street.

Solution: Pedestrian Enhancements along Binns Boulevard (Sidewalk) Install a sidewalk along east side of Binns Boulevard from the north property line of the school to Eakin Road, for a length of approximately 2,100 feet. Sidewalk improvements to include upgrading the ADA curb ramps at the intersection of Binns Boulevard and Eakin Roads. Making these improvements will provide a consistent travel path from Binns Elementary to West Mound Street. Binns Boulevard currently has a 50 foot public right-of-way so there should be adequate space for improvements without additional land acquisition.

28 | P a g e

Solution: Traffic Calming Enhancements on Binns Boulevard at Binns Elementary School (Raised Intersection Tables) Install a raised intersection table at the intersection of Binns Boulevard and Stephen Drive just south of the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main front entrance drive. The table design and construction shall follow current City standards. This location is an existing pedestrian crosswalk manned with student crossing guards. The Hilltop Community Mobility Plan identified this location for recommended traffic calming improvements.

Solution: Pedestrian Enhancements along Eureka Boulevard (Sidewalk) Install a sidewalk along east side of Eureka Boulevard from Briggs Road to just north of Lindberg Drive, for a length of approximately 2,100 feet. The new sidewalk is anticipated to connect with existing sidewalk on Eureka Boulevard intersecting with existing sidewalk on Spaatz Avenue leading to the school sidewalk connector. Lindberg Drive is intended solely for vehicular traffic and school students are made to use the Spaatz Avenue sidewalk connector to enter the Lindberg Campus. Eureka Boulevard currently appears to have a 50 foot public right-of-way so there should be adequate space for improvements without additional land acquisition.

Solution: Pedestrian Enhancements at Eakin Road and S. Eureka Avenue (Crosswalks Upgrades) Install a new pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Eakin Road and S. Eureka Avenue. Students cross Eakin Road at this intersection to walk to school and Lindberg Elementary school staff have complained that this intersection is too busy for vehicles to turn onto Eakin Road from S. Eureka Avenue let alone have students cross the road unassisted. Improvements should include high visibility ladder crosswalk pavement markings with proper crosswalk warning signing.

Improvements would be made within the existing right-of-way. (City of Columbus completed this project late summer 2011.)

Solution: Pedestrian Enhancements along Mound Street at Hilltonia Middle School (Signalized Crosswalks Upgrades) Install improved and more visible crosswalk facilities at the West Mound Street and South Wheatland Avenue intersection and at the West Mound Street and South Wayne Street intersection. The South Wheatland Avenue crossing should include new school zone and ladder crosswalk pavement markings along with new 12-inch signal heads with reflective backplates for the West Mound Street approaches.

The South Wayne Avenue crossing should be improved in a phased approach. Initially, new ladder crosswalk pavement markings should be installed along with new 12-inch signal heads with reflective backplates for West Mound Street approaches. In a 29 | P a g e

subsequent phase, the intersection is anticipated to be reconfigured and improved as part of the West Mound Street sidewalk improvements. West Mound Street would be converted from a 4-lane section without sidewalks to a 3-lane section with sidewalks requiring the reconfiguration of this intersection along with the east approach. At this time, the intersection could receive signal upgrades like actuated operation, new pedestrian signal heads and a solid state signal controller. Intersection ADA curb ramps should be anticipated to be improved at this time.

Solution: Pedestrian Enhancements on Sullivant Avenue at Burroughs Elementary School (Signalized Crosswalks Upgrades) Install improved and more visible crosswalk facilities at the Sullivant Avenue and Richardson Avenue intersection. Improvements should include new ladder crosswalks and school zone pavement markings. New 12-inch signal heads should be installed with reflective backplates to counter the surrounding visual clutter at an elevation of 20 feet from ground level on all three approaches. Signal operation improvements should include the prohibition of eastbound left turns during A.M. and P.M. arrival/dismissal times.

Solution: Traffic Calming Enhancements on S. Richardson Avenue and Burgess Avenue at Burroughs Elementary School (Raised Intersection Tables) Install raised intersection tables at the intersections of S. Richardson Avenue & Springmont Avenue and Burgess Avenue & Burroughs Avenue. These locations are on the east and west sides of the Burroughs Elementary campus. The table design and construction shall follow current City standards. The S. Richardson Avenue location at the parking lot exit drive. Both locations will lower travel speeds around the school campus.

The Hilltop Community Mobility Plan identified these locations for recommended traffic calming improvements.

Solution: School Arrival / Dismissal Plan at Burroughs Elementary School Conduct an Arrival / Dismissal assessment and prepare a new Arrival / Dismissal Plan for the Burroughs Elementary school. The new plan should better utilize the current infrastructure on and surrounding school grounds to move and evenly distribute students and their associated means of motorized transportation methods. Burroughs Elementary school has a large circular drive, adjacent city streets and signalized crosswalks that can be better utilized to disperse traffic and students during the busy and compressed arrival / dismissal timeframes.

Binns and Lindberg Elementary schools have implemented new travel plans for the 20102011 school year that separate grades during arrival and dismissal time helping to diffuse congestion. The first of which is separated drop off/pickup areas for the kindergartners at Binns Elementary. This select group of students is dismissed separately in the back of the building where parents must park in the adjacent lot and walk up to the playground to retrieve their awaiting child(ren). This helps to alleviate some congestion in the front of 30 | P a g e

the building, and keeps this very young group safer as they are away from traffic and more easily monitored. Binns Elementary also dismisses their bus riding students through the back of the school, separate from the kindergarten dismissal area, to alleviate bus / parent vehicle interaction at the front of the school. Both schools conduct staggered dismissals for walkers, bus riders and parent pickups. Ms. Rice and her staff at Binns Elementary along with Ms. Quesenberry and her staff at Lindberg Elementary have a forward presence in the front of their buildings during dismissal. They attempt to keep the entrance clear by insisting that parents in vehicles move further up along the front drive instead of clogging the narrow entrance. At Lindberg Elementary, the front of the building is reserved for buses only and the side lot is for parent pickup only. Walkers at both schools have designated routes separating them from cars and buses.

Enforcement Prevent unsafe behaviors of drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists while reinforcing active travel behaviors to/from Binns-Hilltonia area Elementary and Middle Schools.

Solution: School Zone Enforcement and Education – Columbus Police Department The City of Columbus Police Department (CPD), Traffic Bureau would like to promote safe school zones by deterring unsafe behaviors of drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists through an increased police presence during school travel periods (arrivals/dismissals).

The enforcement solution would potentially include the following measures: • • • • • •

Provide visible presence for enhanced behavior of drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists to deter dangerous activities.

Monitor the speeds of vehicles and enforce the 20 mph limits.

Provide guidance/education to pedestrians and motorists on traffic laws and necessary safety measures.

Deploy speed trailers to further assist in the education and enforcement of the speed limits in the vicinity of the schools.

Provide classroom education on the “rules of the road” and safely getting to and from school.

Develop crossing guard training whose benefits will be twofold: the police will get engaged in pedestrian issues while at the same time educating crossing guards and the general public.

The school zone enforcement and education is a solution that is anticipated to be combined with other enforcement, education, engineering, and encouragement strategies that are a part of the overall school travel plan. Most of these measures are currently in place throughout the Columbus City School district. Additional inclusion of some of these measures may be included under SRTS grants to increase the priority or increase the CPD presence.

31 | P a g e

Solution: City of Columbus “311” Call Center/Traffic Complaint Hotline The existing City of Columbus “311” Call Center provides a way for individuals to submit a request for City Services. The Call Center is the single point of contact for requesting all non-emergency City services and is available to residents, businesses, and visitors. The Columbus Call Center’s mission is to provide access to City services and City information with the highest possible levels of customer service. The "311" initiative strives to help City agencies provide efficient service delivery by allowing them to focus on their core missions, manage workloads efficiently, provide insight into the needs of residents, and measure how well services are delivered. Individuals can submit requests through a phone call/message or the call center website (www.311.columbus.gov).

The traffic complaint hotline allows community members to report traffic problems directly to law enforcement. It is used to identify the worst traffic problem areas and the most frequent traffic complaints. Law enforcement follows up with enforcement in the identified area and schedules additional enforcement if needed. It is also a responsive method to report traffic signal problems such as broken pedestrian push buttons, light outages, damaged equipment, etc. which is most important for walking students.

Encouragement Provide safe and effective methods to promote active transportation to/from BinnsHilltonia area Elementary and Middle Schools.

Solution: Walking School Bus The walking school bus is an informal way to get more children to walk to school safely.

The walking school bus is a group of children walking to school with one or more adults.

The walking school bus can also take the form of a bicycle train with adults supervising children riding their bicycles to school. Walking school buses can be started by neighborhood parents and can grow to accommodate more students as interest grows.

Adult supervision ensures a safer walk or bicycle ride to school for students while students benefit from exercise and fun with friends.

In order to identify possible volunteers, parents can sign their consent on maps placed in their child’s school buildings. The volunteers can then be identified and linked together by a Columbus Public School or City of Columbus coordinator. For safety precautions, the Columbus Police Department can provide background checks and fingerprint all volunteers. Volunteers are provided with vests that identify them as “drivers” and utilize walkie-talkies or cell phones so they can coordinate with other volunteers or police officers. The volunteers can either go door to door to pick up children or stand at designated stations. To keep the “drivers” motivated and involved, they can receive small incentives throughout the year which could include gift certificates or other items donated by local businesses. The volunteers increase the “eyes on the street” and can quickly identify problem intersections and criminal activity.

32 | P a g e

Solution: Walk to School “Days” Walk to School Day, where students are encouraged to walk or ride a bike to school, is observed on the first Wednesday in October each year throughout the nation and the world. Locally, Safe Kids Central Ohio coordinates Walk to School Day activities. This program is funded through a grant from Safe Kids USA which is funded nationally by FedEx. This program has been active and serving the Central Ohio community for the past 10 years. Last year, Eakin Elementary held a Walk to School Day. Prior to that, Stevenson and Dana Elementary participated from the Columbus Public Schools. Several other Central Ohio suburban schools have participated including Granville, Hilliard, Powell, Upper Arlington and Marysville. The next walk to school day is October 3, 2012. While the event lasts only one day, communities are using “Walk to School Day” as a first step to create a walkable community that is safe for all residents. Walk to School Days promote child health awareness and safer routes for walking and bicycling to schools.

Typical programs that start from this one day event are generally about 8 weeks long and held in the fall and spring. One day a week is chosen for the Walk to School Day and administered and coordinated by the sponsoring agency. Prior to the start of these programs, a Walk-About is held so program coordinators, volunteers and students can assess traffic safety and infrastructure around the school site to best plan the route for the year.

Although walk to school events cannot guarantee that students will continue to walk, they are a positive first step. With the large number of people walking, parents and children feel safer and have fun. Walk to school day may help skeptical parents or school personnel to see the value of walking, so that they support ongoing activities.

Solution: Walking/Biking “Day of the Week” The program organizers select a consistent “day of the week” that kids can walk to school with adult supervision. Orange cones can be set up along the route to increase awareness to motor vehicle drivers that more kids will be walking this day and to highlight the path the students will be walking. Parents can be involved by volunteering to be assigned to a hazard area (street corner, street crossing, or slippery spot) or they can walk with their children to school. This is a great weekly walking event for kids to spend more time with their parents.

Solution: Bike Ambassador or Student Mentoring Program High school students are recruited to serve as mentors to younger students delivering bicycle safety messages. Typically, these high school bike ambassadors are available during the school year to meet students after school and educate them about pedestrian and bicycle safety as they walk and ride home from school together. Bike ambassadors also visit summer camps and programs in the local community during the summer to educate students about pedestrian and bicycle safety.

33 | P a g e

Education Raise public awareness of safe non-motorized travel to and from school and promote positive prevention measures.

Solution: Walking Program A walking program could be established to educate children on safe walking habits. This program should be developed around school curriculum and rewards could be provided for completing the program. School “Walk-Smart” routes have been produced that establish recommended travel routes in order to encourage walking to school by providing a safe and efficient route to school. School crossing guard locations, crosswalk locations, and existing intersection controls are provided to inform students and parents of area conditions. “Walk-Smart” route maps will be distributed to each student at each school in order to educate students and parents on the appropriate route to/from their school.

Solution: Bike Rodeo A Bike Rodeo is usually a bicycle safety clinic featuring bike safety inspections and a short, safety lecture about the rules of the road. This is followed by a ride on a miniature "chalk street" course set up in a parking lot where young cyclists are shown where and how to apply the rules. Optional activities include helmet fitting, prizes and drawings, and in some cases commercial activities such as booths set up by bike shops. The main focus of a bike rodeo is cycling safety for young cyclists from kindergarten to eighth grade.

Rodeos are usually held a week or two after school is out for the summer. They are usually held on a Saturday in a large parking lot where a fairly large chalk course can be laid out with simulated streets, intersections, crosswalks and stop signs. Community recreation centers are ideal venues for these events. The participants are usually escorted through the course by knowledgeable adult cyclists who point out hazards, safety tips, and explain how to apply the rules of the road that were mentioned in the lecture. This initial lecture is best handled by knowledgeable adult cyclists that are typically certified by accredited organizations such as the League of American Cyclists. Local Police officers assigned or volunteers, who are familiar with bicycle safety issues and who are cyclists themselves, play a supporting role to encourage perceived safety and re-enforce the safety messages. These officers are frequently interested in participating in such events, because they see accidents resulting from uneducated cyclists.

Solution: “Street Smarts” Street Smarts is an informal educational program that educates students about street safety. The Columbus Police Department administers this program by giving presentations in elementary and middle schools to students throughout the year. Topics of discussion include walking and bicycling safety topics and Stranger Danger. This program is popular at the end of the school year as the Columbus Police Department receives many requests for its services at this time.

34 | P a g e

Evaluation Provide annual evaluation of program effectiveness and improve partnerships between the school district (including the individual schools) and local agencies.

Solution: Pedestrian/Bicycle Counts Original pedestrian/bicycle counts were conducted in May 2011 to provide a baseline and understanding of the overall numbers and pathways. The relative effectiveness of any solutions can be evaluated based upon periodic pedestrian/bicycle counts conducted by the City of Columbus or Columbus City Schools.

Solution: Speed Data and Traffic Infractions The effectiveness of infrastructure solutions will be evaluated, in part, by the collection of speed data and traffic infractions. Speed counts will be conducted at or near locations where solution countermeasures have been implemented and possibly where there is previous speed data, if available. Before and after data will be compared to determine possible benefits, such as lower traffic speeds and/or traffic volumes.

Solution: Parent/Teacher Follow-Up Surveys One of the first steps of the School Travel Plan was to understand students’ existing school travel patterns for the Binns-Hilltonia area schools. Therefore, SRTS Parent and Teacher Surveys were conducted in early 2011 to provide a baseline. To determine the effectiveness of any solution(s), follow-up surveys should be conducted periodically. The results of the evaluation, combined with the 2011 surveys, can identify which existing programs and/or designs require modification to address unmet needs. Specific focus should be placed on the type of measures that will increase a parent’s perception of safety so they will allow or encourage their child to walk or bike to school.

City Legislation The City will draft and process legislation through City Council that will allow the City to accept and use any Safe Routes to School money prior to the time of the application submission in early 2012. Sample legislation from past Safe Routes to School – School Travel Plans is included in Section 11.

35 | P a g e

Section 8: Mapping

3 9

9 7 5 4

1

2

8

6

Figure 7 – STP Improvements Mapping 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Mound Street Sidewalk Improvements Binns Boulevard Sidewalk Improvements Sullivant Avenue and Richardson Avenue Crosswalk Enhancements Mound Street Crosswalk Enhancements at S. Wayne Avenue and Wheatland Avenue Mound Street and Belvidere Avenue Crosswalk Enhancements Eureka Boulevard Sidewalk Improvements (Briggs Road to Lindbergh Elementary) Burroughs Elementary Arrival/Dismissal Plan Binns Boulevard Traffic Calming Improvements S. Richardson Avenue / Burgess Avenue Traffic Calming Improvements New Sidewalk – Both Sides of Street New Sidewalk – One Side of Street Study School – Binns Elementary Study School – Burroughs Elementary Study School – Lindberg Elementary Study School – Hilltonia Middle Study School – West Mound Elementary 36 | P a g e

Section 9: The Action Plan

37 | P a g e

Section 10: Plan Endorsements

School/Education/Encouragement

Steve Simmons: _____________________________________ Transportation Director - Columbus City Schools (CCS)

Steve Holland: ______________________________________ Principal, Burroughs Elementary School – CCS

Donna LeBeau: ______________________________________ Principal, Hilltonia Middle School - CCS

Rhonda Rice: _______________________________________ Principal, Binns Elementary School – CCS

Karla Case: _________________________________________ Former Principal, West Mound Elementary School – CCS

Angela Moore-Tyler: _________________________________ Principal, West Mound Elementary School – CCS

Jeni Quesenberry: ____________________________________ Principal, Lindbergh Elementary School - CCS

38 | P a g e

Community/Evaluation

Justin Boggs: _______________________________________ Greater Hilltop Area Commission

Lisa Boggs: ________________________________________ South Ogden Block Watch

Health/Education

Jamie Turner: _______________________________________ Columbus Public Health

Betsy Pandora: ______________________________________ Columbus Public Health

Sandy Gill: _________________________________________ Columbus Public Health

Linda Tvorik: _______________________________________ Columbus Public Health

Public Safety/Enforcement

Mark Browning: _____________________________________ 19th District Columbus Police Department Liaison

39 | P a g e

Local Government/Evaluation

Terry Stewart, P.E.: __________________________________ City of Columbus, Division of Mobility Options

Jody Stefanik, P.E.:___________________________________ City of Columbus, Division of Mobility Options

Engineering

Scott Seaman, P.E.: __________________________________ W.E. Stilson Consulting Group, LLC

Alan Haines, E.I.: ____________________________________ W.E. Stilson Consulting Group, LLC

40 | P a g e

Section 11: Supporting Material / Appendix

•

Hilltop Community Mobility Plan – Executive Summary

•

Photo Log

•

Pedestrian Counts

•

Survey and Tally Results

•

Public Comments

•

Meeting Minutes / Notes

•

Public Meeting Handouts and Exhibits

•

City Ordinances and Sample Legislation

•

Miscellaneous Data

41 | P a g e