Chapter 5: Strengths – Barriers – Opportunities Analysis

A strengths, barriers and opportunities analysis of existing policies and programs related to walking and bicycling to school was also performed. This is similar to a SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) but tailored for use in SRTS planning. The comments in the following tables are not listed in any priority order. Recommendations to improve SRTS found in the sub-chapter titled “Action Plan Recommendations” at the beginning of this document have taken into consideration Hawley’s unique strengths, barriers and opportunities.

STRENGTHS

The City of Hawley and the Hawley school campus have many strengths to work with like many other communities in west central Minnesota. Identifying and understanding those strengths are key with regards to any SRTS plan. The strengths listed in detail (see Table 1) below were gathered by the Hawley SRTS team in coordination with WCI staff.

1

2

3

4

Table 1: Community and School District Strengths

Community Strengths

Hawley, while small, has a dense, contiguous suburban form and an active downtown with industrial centers well-positioned at the edges of the city.

The school is well-positioned in the center of Hawley and is well-connected to residential neighborhoods for those who walk and/or bike.

Hawley is compact, with the clear majority of residences in the urbanized area of the city no more than three-fourths of a mile from the school.

Traffic volumes on most roads is very light making it relatively easy for most people to walk and/or bike in existing conditions.

5 Many students already walk and bike to both schools as seen during the walk audit.

BARRIERS

To successfully develop and implement SRTS activities and programs, it was important for the SRTS team to identify and understand the existing barriers within the community that are preventing children from walking and bicycling to school. These barriers, listed in detail in Table 2 below, are an accumulation of information received from the SRTS team.

Table 2: Commuity and School District Barriers

Community Barriers

1 U.S. Highway 10 creates a significant barrier within Hawley.

2 Likewise, the BNSF Railroad creates a barrier for those living on the east side of the tracks from walking / biking downtown and to the school. There are only two crossings: a non-ADA / PROWAG compliant pedestrian crossing near Front & 5th

Streets, and a vehicle underpass at Valley Street that lacks a sidewalk.

3 Many streets in neighborhoods close to the school do not have sidewalks or have sidewalks that are disconnected from the rest of the sidewalk network.

4 The occasional car and overgrown tree was seen blocking the sidewalk.

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OPPORTUNITIES

The SRTS team identified opportunities to improve walking and bicycling to school that are not currently being acted upon. The list of opportunities in Table 3 is not exhaustive but is an accumulation of ideas and action steps to help achieve the overall vision.

Table 3: Community and School District Opportunities

Community Opportunities

1 Wide street rights-of-way provide opportunities for sidewalks and bike lanes.

2 Over 60 percent of students live within city limits, many of which are prime candidates for SRTS programs to get them walking and biking to and from school.

3 There appears to be political momentum in Hawley to improve the conditions for residents, including its children, to be able to safely walk and bike around town.

4 There may be a way to rearrange the buses during after-school departure which could free up much of the space on School Avenue directly in front of the school.