Texas Safe Routes to School Program

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TexasSafe Routes to School Program
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Childrens Health Risks

• Related to Physical Inactivity, Pedestrian
  Safety, Air Quality
• Prevalence of overweight children has
  tripled-Nationally there are 25 million obese or
  overweight children!
• Sharp increase in cases of Type 2 Diabetes in
  children
• Pedestrian injuries are the 3rd leading cause of
  unintentional injury-related death among
  children.
• Asthma rates have increased 160 in the past 15
  years in children.

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Barriers to walking and bicycling to school
CommunityDesign
Safety
Time and Convenience
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Reasons to do a Safe Routes to School Program
Increased physical activity
Improved pedestrian skills
Increased independence
More social interaction
Many reasons to do a Walk and Bicycle to School
program
Community design
Reduced fear of crime
Less reliance on automobile
Decreased neighborhood/ school traffic
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Trends in School Travel (cont.)

• Reasons for decrease in children walking
  bicycling to school
• Distance to school
• Traffic-related danger
• Weather
• Crime danger
• Opposing school policy
• Other

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Chances of a Child Being Harmed in a Given Year
in the US
Victim of a stereotypical kidnapping .00016 St
ruck by lightning .00025 Killed in a
motor vehicle crash .0125
Credit Bob Chauncey National Center for
Bicycling Walking
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How can SRTS Improve Traffic?

• As much as 26 of morning traffic can be
  school-related
• Less children driven less traffic less
  stress (road rage)

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Environment Air Quality

• What is the environmental impact of SRTS?
• Reduced air pollution from automobile emissions

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Safe Routes to School Programsa Key to the
Solution

• Start by developing a Safe Routes to School Plan

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What is a SRTS Plan?

• Describes existing conditions
• Identifies existing problems
• Proposes solutions
• Describes coordination efforts
• Details evaluation methods

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Example of SRTS Activities

• Walkability bikeability audits of safety around
  the schools
• Programs to improve sidewalk conditions near
  schools
• Use of traffic calming devices to slow traffic
• Programs to educate children on safely walking
  bicycling

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SRTS Activities (cont.)

• Develop walking school buses
• Increase traffic enforcement around schools
• Enhance cooperation among school officials, law
  enforcement, transportation planners

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Texas SRTS Funding

• FY 04-07 Committed 24,139,123 in Federal
  SAFETY-LU State funds for total of 244 projects
• God Bless America and God Bless Texas license
  plates, 32 per plate is used for the SRTS
  Program.

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2007 Funds Approved in the H-GAC Area

• Infrastructure
• City of Houston-Carrillo Elementary
• Sidewalks, crosswalks, signs, traffic calming
  bike racks
• City of Houston-Briscoe Elementary
• Sidewalks, crosswalks, signs, traffic calming
  bike racks
• City of Houston-Burnet Elementary
• Sidewalks, crosswalks, signs, traffic calming
  bike racks
• City of Houston-Franklin Tijerina Elementary
• Sidewalks, crosswalks, signs, traffic calming
  bike racks
• City of Houston-DeZavala Elementary
• Sidewalks, crosswalks, signs, traffic calming
  bike racks

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Non-Infrastructure Projects from the H-GAC Area

• 1 application received-not funded

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Next SRTS Program Call

• Probably in the Fall of 2008
• If considering a Infrastructure or a
  Non-Infrastructure application, start now to
  develop SRTS Plan
• Conduct a SRTS Planning Conference
• Submit Plan to State SRTS Program Coordinator for
  review

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Internet Resources

• Texas Safe Routes to School website
• www.dot.state.tx.us/services/traffic_operations/
• safe_routes_to_school/default.htm
• National Center for Safe Routes to School
  Clearinghouse
• www.saferoutesinfo.org
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• www.nhtsa.gov

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Contact Information

• Texas SRTS Coordinator
• Tonna Marcyes
• 512/416-3207
• tmarcye_at_dot.state.tx.us

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Questions?