SRTS_ABE workshop 8-27-16ABE Safe Routes To Schools Project
Safe Routes To Schools
•FHWA / FDOT Sponsored Program
–To improve the bicycle and pedestrian safety of Kindergarten through eighth grade school children,
–To enable and encourage children, including those with disabilities, to walk and bicycle to school,
–To make bicycling and walking to school a safer and more appealing transportation alternative, thereby encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle from an early age, and
–To facilitate the planning, development, and implementation of projects and activities that will improve safety and reduce traffic, fuel consumption, and air pollution in the vicinity of schools.
Desired outcomes of the Safe
Routes to School Program include:
•Increased bicycle,
pedestrian, and traffic
safety
•More children walking
and bicycling to and from
schools
•Decreased traffic
congestion
•Improved childhood
health
•Reduced childhood
obesity
•Encouragement of healthy
and active lifestyles
•Improved air quality
•Improved community
safety
•Reduced fuel
consumption
•Increased community
security
•Enhanced community
accessibility
Desired outcomes of the Safe
Routes to School Program include:
(Continued)
•Increased community involvement
•Improvements to the physical environment
that increase the ability to walk and bicycle to
and from schools
•Increased interest in bicycle and pedestrian
accommodations throughout a community
•Improved partnerships among schools, local
municipalities, parents, and other community
groups, including non-profit organizations
Original grant
request was
for path to
extend to
meet existing
path at
Seminole and
Garden Lane.
Project length
was reduced
because of
funding
limitations.
Atlantic
Beach
Elementary
School
and
City of
Atlantic
Beach
Safe Routes
to School
Project
Safe Routes to Schools Route Options
Original Route – East Side Sherry and Seminole – Ahern to 17th St.
•Pros:
–Minimizes main route crossings of high traffic volume streets (crosses Plaza Drive at a five way Stop controlled intersection)
–Route already field verified as having no significant obstacles and requiring minimal tree removal
–Design already at 30% level, no additional survey required
•Cons:
–Funding limitations dictate construction stops at 17th St. (instead of tying into the existing path at Garden Lane that was requested in the initial grant application)
–Constructs new concrete walkway where there is no existing path (east side of Seminole, Plaza to 15th St), while there is an existing path and sidewalk on the west side of Seminole
Safe Routes to Schools Route Options
Alternate Route – West Side Seminole – Plaza to 15th St.
•Pros:
–Uses existing path from Plaza to Selva Marina Dr. and replaces
existing sidewalk from Selva Marina Dr. to 15th St.
–Reduces number of driveway crossings because one block is along
south edge of Johansen Park
•Cons:
–Requires two additional main route crossings of high traffic volume
streets (Seminole at 15th and Seminole at Plaza Dr.). 15th St crossing
is not Stop controlled. Because of heavy traffic volume, Seminole at
Plaza may require a Crossing Guard.
–Crossing at 15th St is also on a curve in Seminole Road.
–Additional survey required, est. cost $5,250 from Plaza to 15th St.
which may be at City expense.
Plaza Drive Bikepath
Timeline
•Grant Application approved – 2013
–Funds 100% of Design and Construction Costs
•Survey & Engineering Design – On Hold
•Town Hall meeting held May 7th, 2016
•City Approved MOA with JTA to move forward with the project on May 23rd, 2016
•Workshop held June 27th, 2016 to discuss the selection of a path for the SRTS
•Town Hall Meeting Scheduled for August 27th, 2016 for final decision input
•Construction – FY 2017 - 2018
This is the “Scatter Plot”
of where the students
live who attend the
Atlantic Beach
Elementary School.
Our Proposed Safe Route to
School (a Multi-purpose
Path) is shown in green. It
goes does the east side of
Seminole Road from 17th
Street to the five points
intersection at Plaza and
then follows Sherry Drive to
Atlantic Blvd.
This is a proposed alternative
to the City Staff’s proposed
path. It goes down Seminole
Road from 17th Street to
Atlantic Blvd. and had a side
route down Seaspray Avenue
to the back entrance to the
school.
Plaza (shown in blue)
is also a multi-purpose
path that feeds into
the proposed Safe
Route to School.
We believe most of
the students north
of Plaza in this area
will ride their bikes
to Plaza and then
down Sherry Drive
to the School.
We believe many of the
students in this area
will also be inclined to
ride their bikes to Plaza
and then down Sherry
Drive to the School.
FDOT letter reminds
us to make a decision
by September 26th or
they will cancel this
project.
Conclusion
Public Works staff recommends approval of
the original path selected and approved in
concept by the FDOT, i.e., to have the Multi-
Purpose Safe Routes to School Path go down
Seminole Road from 17th Street along its east
side to the five points intersection where it
will follow along Sherry Drive to the School.