How our Program Works - Ten Steps to Safer Routes to School

1. Identify Prospective Schools
   Nomination forms are sent to school districts, police precincts, and community groups, the project manager consults with city governments and ConnDOT. A sliding scale will be used evaluate participants for funding. Schools in census tracts 30% below the median MSA income will receive full support, while those at higher levels will be required to commit partial or full funding for participation.

2. Select Schools
   After nominating forms are reviewed, the schools which appear to be good candidates are matched with pedestrian crash data. Crashes involving children 5-14 during the morning and afternoon are plotted around nominated schools.
   

3. Initial Contact with Schools
   The project coordinator meets with stakeholders, explains the project and enlists their help in organizing a committee. Meeting notices are sent home with children or mailed to parents.
   

4. School Outreach
   At future meetings, the project coordinator explains the program and asks for help in identifying problem spots and in completing survey forms.
   

5. Distribute Surveys / Parents Identify Walking Routes
   The coordinator distributes survey forms and maps of the area. Parents use maps to indicate their usual walking route and potential hazards.
   

6. Surveys Collected / Routes Matched With Crashes
   After determining the pedestrian desired paths, the walking routes from the surveys are drawn on a master map to determine the most popular routes.
   

7. Proposal
   At the conclusion of the site tour, the project coordinator collects briefing books and solution sketches in a master proposal. This proposal is submitted to ConnDOT and the local MPO for comments.
   

8. Site Tour
   Bring in ConnDOT and the MPO for a tour of the school site. Work with the city, state and MPO to develop engineering specifications for federal grant proposal for construction monies.

9. Installation
   The municipal DPW begins installation of selected traffic calming devices. (Within one year anniversary of plan completion)
   

10. Follow up
    Three to six months after the installation of the traffic calming devices the project coordinator will return to the schools and follow up with principals and parents. (Following construction)

 

EVALUATION

Three to six months after the installation of the traffic calming devices the project coordinator will return to the schools and follow up with principals and parents. At the one-year anniversary of the project, available data on accidents, injuries and vehicle speed will be collected for each location and compared with pre-project data.

We hope that each school and neighborhood we work with will: create a permanent "Safe Routes" committee; develop and update maps indicating hazards and preferred walking/bicycling routes.

Evaluation results will be used to promote the program and to determine the "measure of effectiveness" for traffic calming treatments in promoting neighborhood walking/bicycling and reducing accidents and injuries. The results will be published one year after the first round of improvements is completed.