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Observation Results
O B S E R V A T I O N R E S U L T S
To gain a better understanding about the current conditions at and around the Glyndon-Felton Elementary School, on Tuesday, October 14, 2014, the SRTS Team conducted field observations of students’ travel behaviors, patterns and mode choices during morning arrival and afternoon departure. Team members were strategically positioned around the school and in the City of Glyndon. They counted the number of pedestrians and bicyclists accessing school grounds and which routes the students took. They also observed whether students were using good techniques when crossing the street and how motorists behaved in relation to pedestrians and bicyclists on the streets and on school grounds.
Morning Observations Weather at Hector International Airport, Fargo ND: 7:53AM – 33 °F. Clear. Wind - Calm.18
Observations began at 7:45AM with school starting at 8:25AM.
Emily Ambrosy– Front of school
Pedestrians: 14. Cyclists: Five. School van parked in crosswalk. Trucks stopped / parked in crosswalk. Vehicles driving up on sidewalk to main entrance as dropped kids off. Second set of RR tracks seem abandoned.
Wayne Hurley– Parke Ave and 4th Street
Pedestrians: 18.
Cyclists: Three. Three parents walking with kids. Buses at 7:55. Lots of unsafe driver behavior - mid-block crossing and double parking. Biker crossed unsafely. Mid-block crossing north of railroad – with parent. No sidewalks, narrow path for pedestrians, in street walking on wrong side (back to traffic). Speeds not excessive.
18
Weather Underground. Weather History for Hector International Airport, Fargo ND: Tuesday, October 14, 2014. Available at http://www.wunderground.com. Accessed on June 2, 2016.
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Need sidewalk on west side of Parke Ave.
Kimberly Savageau – Partridge Ave and 4th Street
Pedestrians: Six.
Cyclists: One. The older students appeared to go to 5th Street to access the high school. The elementary age kids cut through the alley to the north of the church. Kids looked before crossing street. No crosswalk in this area.
Road is narrow and there is just enough room for two cars.
Patrick Hollister – Parke Ave North of Tracks
Pedestrians (total): At least 10 Cyclists: One. Group of five walkers. Three parents walking with kids. Two kids walking on north abandoned tracks. One pedestrian walking alone. No crossing guards.
Jeremy Bladow – U.S. Highway 10 and Parke Ave
Pedestrians (total): At least six. Cyclists: One. Five students from trailer park. U.S. Highway 10 west traffic has high volume. A lot of truck traffic.
Very few pedestrians. Students not using good behaviors when crossing U.S. Highway 10 – only one pushed button for crosswalk.
Five of six used crosswalk.
U.S. Highway 10 traffic is fast.
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Keely Ihry – Parke and 7th Street
Pedestrians: 13. Cyclists: Three. Skateboarder: One. Walked across middle of 7th Street from home. Dropped off by car on north side of street and crossed mid-block. Bus drop off in back of school – turns onto 7th Street and not into student lot. Saw one bus in front of the school.
Most parent make a U-turn after dropping off-some park parallel and some perpendicular. Pedestrians that are walking along the street on south side of Parke Ave, watch for cars turning into parking lot. Some are using crosswalks but parents drop-off in crosswalks and most bikers and walkers are not using crosswalk. School zone light started flashing at 7:42 and speeds did not change after.
Afternoon Observations Weather at Hector International Airport, Fargo ND: 2:53PM - 66 °F. Clear. Wind - West at 4.6 mph.18
Observations began at 3:00 AP and ended at 3:20 with school dismissing at 3:10PM.
Emily Ambrosy – Front of school
Pedestrians: 25. Cyclists: Six. A crossing guard helped a group of two walkers and six bikers cross the street. They let the high school traffic go by 3:17 and then cross. Cross mid-block because current location of crosswalk is in an area of low visibility. A few buses going fast. Student drivers going fairly fast. Majority of students did not use crosswalk.
Wayne Hurley – Parke Ave and 4th Street
Pedestrians: 18.
Cyclists: One. Kids on west side of Parke
Students crossing at mid-block – unsafe.
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Speeds higher in PM than in the AM.
Kimberly Savageau – Partridge Ave and 4th Street
Pedestrians: Five.
Cyclists: Two. Used alley north of the church. No walkers on 4th Street. No sidewalks in this area, narrow road. Kids staying on the edge of the road and walking on the correct side. Traffic from high school turning from Parke Ave onto 4th Street going very fast. Younger drivers were traveling faster.
Patrick Hollister – Parke Ave North of Tracks
Pedestrians: Twenty. Cyclists: One. Student drivers increase speed after get past railroad tracks. Four students cut through fence line to trailer park – walked on tracks. Most walkers and bikers used the west side of the street.
Two students crossed street very slowly – vehicles had to slow down. Road is unsafe on west side of Parke Ave.
Train created build-up of vehicles at time school was dismissed.
Jeremy Bladow – U.S. Highway 10 and Parke Ave
Pedestrians: Eight. Cyclists: One. Five walkers on the East side of Parke – did not cross U.S. Highway 10. One walker on East side of Parke crossed U.S. Highway 10. Two walkers on West side crossed U.S. Highway 10. One biker on west side of street
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Keely Ihry – Parke Ave and 7th Street
Pedestrians: 27. Cyclists: Two. Skateboarder: One.
A lot of buses traveling by- not going too fast and stopped for pedestrian traffic. Cars backed into parking drop off area. Less cars picking up in the afternoon. Mix of students using crosswalks. A lot more congestion after school than before.
Will – Parke Ave and 10th Street
Pedestrians: Eight. Cyclists: One. No crosswalks. Need one before bridge and drainage. High school students driving cars at high speeds.
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