1 / 19

Texas Safe Routes to School Program

Texas Safe Routes to School Program. Children’s 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!

justise
Download Presentation

Texas Safe Routes to School Program

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. TexasSafe Routes to School Program

  2. Children’s 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.

  3. Barriers to walking and bicycling to school CommunityDesign Safety Time and Convenience

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. Chances of a Child Being Harmed in a Given Year in the US Victim of a “stereotypical kidnapping”: .00016% Struck by lightning: .00025% Killed in a motor vehicle crash: .0125% Credit: Bob Chauncey National Center for Bicycling & Walking

  7. 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)

  8. Environment & Air Quality • What is the environmental impact of SRTS? • Reduced air pollution from automobile emissions

  9. Safe Routes to School Programsa Key to the Solution • Start by developing a Safe Routes to School Plan

  10. Whatis a SRTS Plan? • Describes existing conditions • Identifies existing problems • Proposes solutions • Describes coordination efforts • Details evaluation methods

  11. 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

  12. SRTS Activities (cont.) • Develop walking school buses • Increase traffic enforcement around schools • Enhance cooperation among school officials, law enforcement, & transportation planners

  13. 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.

  14. 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

  15. Non-Infrastructure Projects from the H-GAC Area • 1 application received-not funded

  16. 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

  17. 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

  18. Contact Information Texas SRTS Coordinator Tonna Marcyes 512/416-3207 tmarcye@dot.state.tx.us

  19. Questions?

More Related