Maquoketa Middle School

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Maquoketa Middle and High School Maquoketa, Iowa

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School Location: 200 East Locust Street Maquoketa, Iowa 52060

Maquoketa Middle School Present Conditions Number of students: 375

Student Surveys Student surveys were administered to 6th through 8th graders, at Maquoketa Middle and High School, during the month of November in 2009. During class, students were asked to fill out the survey form about their transportation to school. The survey asked students about the safety of their route to school and what they viewed as impediments to walking or biking to school.

Travel Mode to School 337 students responded to the survey, and this constitutes 89% of the student body.

0.00%

Students responding to the survey travel to school by a family vehicle (30.56%) or by a school bus (39.17%).

0.00% No response

2.37%

Other

30.56%

Carpool Family Vehicle 39.17%

School Bus Transit

0.30%

Bike Walk

0.89% 26.71%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Travel Time to School 47.18% of students responding to the survey stated that they spend less than 10 minutes traveling to school.

0.00%

8.01% No response

21.66%

Don't know More than 20 min

11-20 min

23.15%

5-10 min Less than 5 min

28.78%

18.40%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

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Travel Distance to School 25.81% of students responding to the survey travel less than 1/2 mile to school, while 29.67% travel 2 miles or more to attend school.

0.00% 17.80% No response

18.69%

Don't know Less than 1/4 mile

7.12%

1/4 mile up to 1/2 mile 1/2 mile up to 1 mile

18.99%

1 mile up to 2 miles More than 2 miles

7.72% 29.67%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Incentives/Programs

2.34% 6.25%

Save the environment 9.38%

Extra credit

0.78%

Contest or cause Safety education

20.31%

Reward/gift

17.97%

Money

2.34%

Biking/walking club

4.69%

Nicer weather

4.69%

physical fitness 20.31%

Recreational activities

19.53%

Shorter distance

5.47%

Walking groups

1.56%

Biking/walking paths Stop lights

0.78%

0%

5%

10%

15%

The top student suggestions for increasing walking and biking were: 1. Reward/gift 2. Recreational activities 3. Shorter distance 4. Money

20%

25%

Environmental Factors Impacting Walking/Biking

The streets and intersections cited most often by students as being unsafe included: 1. Highway 64 2. Summit Street and Main Street 3. South 4th Street 4. Platt Street 5. Vermont Street 6. Olive Street 7. 233rd Avenue 8. South 5th Street

The most common changes that would encourage more students to walk or bike to school included more crossing guards, a reduced traďŹƒc speed, less violence, and making driving less convenient. The major issues brought up by students were weather, distance, and school activities.

80.00% 70.00%

60.00% 50.00% 40.00%

yes

30.00%

no

20.00% 10.00% 0.00% Distance Convenience School of Driving Activities

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Traffic Speed

Traffic Amount

Sidewalks

Safety

Crossing Guards

Violence

Weather

School Administrator Input Staff met with Maquoketa Middle School administrators and local officials to discuss problems impacting children who walk or bike to school. During these meetings, both structural and educational solutions were discussed. The following table contains the problems and solutions that were suggested at the meeting.

Problem MMS1 Unsafe intersection at Judson and Main Streets.

Solution Crossing light

MMS2 Unsafe intersection at E Locust and S Main St

Crossing light

MMS3 Traffic in Parking lot south of Middle School

Limit parent pick up/drop off parking in the parking lot.

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Mapping Maquoketa Middle School Project List

250

500

BES1

1,000 Feet

E PLATT ST

! !

E PLEASANT ST

S OLIVE ST

S OTTO ST E MAPLE ST

MMS2

!

MMS3

!

E JUDSON ST

S MAIN ST

!

S MATTESON ST

! !

Maquoketa Middle School

( 9 MMS1

W JUDSON ST

E LOCUST ST

!

S ELIZA ST

W LOCUST ST

S CLARK ST

AUSTIN AVE

S 2ND ST

W PLEASANT ST

W MAPLE ST

S 4TH ST

N MATTESON ST

N 2ND ST

0

S DEARBORN ST

S NIAGRA ST

Safe Routes to School

N DEARBORN ST

Maquoketa Middle School N OTTO ST

N ELIZA ST

N NIAGRA ST

DECKER ST

W PLATT ST

N OLIVE ST

N 2ND ST

JAMES ST

N MAIN ST

Based on the input received during public meetings and input sessions with school administrators, city planning and engineering staff, and the local police department, the following map was created to provide a visual representation of the projects. Each marker on the map corresponds to an issue in the table on page 3.

E SUMMIT ST

W WASHINGTON ST

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Legend ! ! ! !

ALLEN ST

S NIAGRA ST

S 4TH ST

W SUMMIT ST

Limit Parking Signalized Crosswalk

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