Significant Findings

S I G N I F I C A N T F I N D I N G S

OBSERVATIONS AND WAL KING AUDIT

 Traffic speeds and traffic volumes on U.S. Highway 59 were observed to be high with a high number of trucks and commercial vehicles. These observations are confirmed in the MnDOT

traffic volume data.

 There were at least three students who walk to school and crossed U.S. Highway 59 at County

Highway 18 and 370th (Kolb) Street. None of these three students were observed using the pushbutton-activated, LED-embedded “School Crosswalk Warning” signs.

 There were concerns expressed by some observers about how some of the students walked through the parking lot after being dropped off by parents in family vehicles.

 There was also some confusion as to how parents dropping off students in family vehicles should navigate the parking lot and where they should actually drop off students.

 In the afternoon, a police car was parked on Feather Street near U.S. Highway 59, just north of the school. The vehicle’s presence seemed to have an effect on drivers, as vehicle speeds appeared to be reduced.

 Number of students walking and biking to school in the morning: o 3, possibly 5 Pedestrians o 0 Bicyclists

 Number of students walking and biking to school in the afternoon: o 3 Pedestrians o 0 Bicyclists

 Use of the crosswalk and pushbutton-activated, LED-embedded “School Crosswalk Warning” signs at the intersection of the intersection of U.S. Highway 59, County Highway 18 and 370th (Kolb)

Street was sporadic at best.

 The pushbutton-activated, LED-embedded “School Crosswalk Warning” signs may not be having the desired effect of getting a majority of drivers to yield to pedestrians crossing U.S. Highway 59 when activated.

P a g e 10 | Executive Summary

 The crosswalk at the intersection of U.S. Highway 59, County Highway 18 and 370th (Kolb) Street is placed at an angle across the intersection which creates additional potential conflicts for pedestrians with motorists and increases the time and distance that pedestrians must spend in the highway while crossing.

 The existing sidewalk on U.S. Highway 59 varies from good to extremely poor condition and is covered in sand and debris for much of its length.

 The Ogema School is in close proximity to most residences in Ogema but its location on the west side of U.S. Highway 59 is less than ideal for those living on the east side of the highway.

 Besides Main Street, there are no other sidewalks in Ogema for students to use to walk and bike to and from school.

 There is a well-worn desire path from Eagle Drive to school grounds.

PARENT SURVEY AND STUDENT TRAVEL TALLY RESULTS

 According to the Student Travel Tally, only three percent of students walk to and from school.

None bike.

 Across grades Pre-kindergarten through Fourth, the school bus was the most frequently used mode of travel to and from school, followed by family vehicle.

 Distance was the main reason some parents do not allow their children to walk or bicycle to and from school.

 Roughly one third (33 percent) of children who live within one-half mile of the school walk to school in the morning. This number decreases to one sixth (17%) in the afternoon. However, the extremely small sample size from the parent survey means that these numbers have no statistical significance without knowing the total number of students that live within this distance from the school.

 Safety factors, such as traffic speed and volume were chosen more frequently than crime or violence as barriers to children walking or biking to school.

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