the transportation and shared use solution

kp.org/communitybenefit

The Transportation and Shared Use Solution:

Strategies to reduce costs, decrease liability, improve academics, health and the environment.

Susan Motika, J.D., Sandra Hoyt Stenmark, M.D., and Taber Stark Ward


WE BUILD A BRIGHTER FUTURE

together What is the Problem?



together Barriers to Walking-Photovoices



together Schools Located Across Highways or

Multi-Lane High Speed Roadways are

Hazardous for Pedestrians and Bicyclists



together Full Cost Analysis of Locating

Schools at the Edge of Towns

• Busing expenses

• Long term energy costs

• Road expansion

• Water utilities, sewage

• Fiber optics

• Fire and rescue services

• Environmental costs (air and water pollution)

• Economic impact on neighborhood

• Loss of agricultural land



together Walking and Bicycling to School

Falling, Obesity on the Rise



together

7

Driving is a Risk Factor for Obesity

Increase in obesity risk per hour in a car: 6%

Walking and biking reduces obesity and diabetes

7

Driving is a risk factor for obesity

10%

14%

27%

18%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

First Quartile Second Quartile Third Quartile Fourth Quartile

Vehicle Miles Traveled

% o

bese (

BM

I>30)

Source: Lopez-Zetina, Health and Place, 2006



together

8

Environmental Impact: Air Quality

• Traffic emissions have been linked to premature death, cardiac

symptoms, diminished lung function, lung cancer and asthma

• One-third of the population lives in areas where air pollution

levels exceed the U.S. EPA’s health based standards for air

quality

http://www.oar.noaa.gov/weather/t_understanding.html



together

Rabinovitch, Am J Resp Crit Care Med

Vol 173 p1098-1105, 2006

Environmental Benefits: Hourly

Measures of Fine Particulate Levels



together

>75% free/reduced lunch

Above 50% African American

Above 75% Hispanic

50-75% Hispanic

≥ 10% asthma prevalence

≥ 15% asthma prevalence

www.epa.gov/schoolair/basic.html

Asthma Prevalence

http://www.epa.gov/schoolair/basic.html



together Colorado Child Health Survey

2009

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

asthma prevalence

overweight prevalence

does not meet physical activityguidelines 5 days/week

walks to school 5 days/week



together One Year Prevalence of Disorders

for Children 8-15 Years of Age

www.nimh.nih.gov/statistics/images/NHANES-OverallPrevalence-FINAL-

720.jpg



together Traffic Injuries

Motor vehicles are responsible for one of

every five deaths in children 1-14

National Center for Health Statistics

Child pedestrian injury more common if:

• high traffic volumes

• lower income

• younger age

Wazana, Inj Prev 1997;3:295-304



together A Good Solution Solves Many

Problems Active transportation and shared use of

allows schools to achieve a quadruple

bottom line:

1.Academic benefits

2.Benefits to health

3.Environmental benefits

4.Community and parent engagement



together TRAFFIC INJURIES

Studies of safe routes to school demonstrate a 50% decrease in child pedestrian & cyclist accidents

SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL 2009 POLICY REPORT



together Academic Benefits of Physical

Activity

• Improves academic achievement

(including grades and standardized

test scores).

• Impacts cognitive skills.

•Enhances concentration and

attention as well as improved

classroom behavior.

CDC:The association between school based physical activity, including physical

education, and academic performance. U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services; 2010.



together Physical Activity Improves Learning

•Neurotransmitter release improves:

alertness, attention, motivation &mood

•Nerve cells bind more efficiently to

one another

•New nerve cells developed from stem

cells in the hippocampus

•Increase in brain blood vessel growth

John Ratey, Spark: the Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the

Brain



together Physical Activity in Natural Environments

Systematic Review

Outdoor exercise brings more positive effects on

mental wellbeing than exercising indoors

Outdoor exercise associated with revitalization,

decreases in tension, confusion, anger, depression,

and increased energy

Coon JT et al. Environ Sci Technol 2011.



together Nature Reduces Childhood Stress

•Lower levels of stress in the child were noted with increased amount of exposure to natural environments

•The nature exposure effect was especially pronounced for children with the highest levels of stressful events

Wells NM & Evans GW. Environment and Behavior 2003;35:311-330.



together Natural Settings Reduced

Inattentive Symptoms

• Inability to stay focused on unappealing tasks

• Inability to complete tasks

• Inability to listen and follow directions

•Being easily distracted

Taylor AF et al. Environment and Behavior 2001;33:54-77.



together Benefits of Shared Use &

Community Centered Schools

•Efficient use of tax dollars with shared use of facilities

with community & school district: ball fields, gym,

library, theater, kitchen facilities, community garden,

vehicles

•School is connected to learning opportunities:

museums, local businesses, library, universities

•Parental and Community Engagement

www.epa.gov/schools/epaschoolsitingguidelines.pdf

www.nplanonline.org/products/liabilitysurvey

http://www.epa.gov/schools/epaschoolsitingguidelines.pdf



together Community and Parent Engagement

Who: Engaging a broad coalition of

stakeholders:

•“Hard to reach” parents and families

•Community members who do not have

children attending your school

How:

•New partnerships: city agencies, nonprofits,

businesses, law enforcement, neighborhood

associations, faith community groups



together Benefits of Community Use

• Schools across Colorado are already allowing

community members and other partners to use their

facilities and schools are using community resources.

• “Local control” principles allow school districts to

customize community use agreements to match local

needs:

• Recreation- playgrounds, gyms, and other facilities

• Kitchen facilities

• Vehicles- school buses and vans

• Many model policies and practices exist and can be

readily adapted to individual school district’s needs



together Legal Considerations

Crossing Guard Liability: CRS § 13-21-115.6 (2)

General Rule: Crossing guards are granted civil immunity from

tort claims so long they are acting within their scope of duties.

Crossing guards will not be protected if injury is caused by their

act of wanton and/or willful negligence.

School Liability in a “No Car” Zone:

General Rule: Generally, schools will be protected from

premises liability by the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act

(CGIA) and a school will not be liable for injuries occurring on

school grounds. However, if it is found that the school created

a “dangerous condition” that was reasonably foreseeable in its

planning and implementation of a “no car” zone, the school

could face premises liability.



together Collaborative Planning

Arapahoe County/ Cherry Creek Schools

•Joint planning – Cherry Creek School District

Planner with the Arapahoe County

•Connect City and County trails to schools by

locating schools adjacent to drainage corridors

•Shared use agreements: neighborhood parks and

schools share ball fields and recreation facilities

•Plan one elementary school in the center of a

square mile of homes –students do not cross busy

streets



together Collaborative Planning: Aurora

Subdivision Regulations

• Locate schools at the intersection of:

local & collector street for elementary schools

collector & arterial for middle & high schools

• Locate schools centrally for the population to be served

• All subdivisions shall include an interconnected system of

sidewalks and trails that directly connect to all uses

• Open spaces that are used as trail corridors should connect

with other trails whenever possible



together Coordinated Planning Aurora

Bicycle Pedestrian Master Plan

• Develop a bicycle pedestrian master plan

which emphasizes mobility, connectivity

and accessibility

• Develop with police a data base for

bicycle and pedestrian accidents

• Develop with public works a process to

address crosswalk timing to improve safety

• Use CDOT counters to record bicycle and

pedestrian trips



together Safe Routes in Action

•Provide safe walkways separate from vehicles

•Map safer routes by using walking and bicycle audits www.saferoutesinfo.org/guide/engineering/walking_and_bicycling_audits.cfm

• Inform department of public works of unsafe

intersections, lack of sidewalks or safe bicycle lanes

•Slow traffic in neighborhoods and near schools

• Inform police department if speed enforcement needed

•Enforce safe pick up and drop off procedures

http://www.saferoutesinfo.org/guide/engineering/walking_and_bicycling_audits.cfm



together Safe Routes in Action

•At registration organize sign up for walking school

buses, bike trains and car pools

www3.drcog.org/RideArrangers/Page/schoolpool

•Designate remote drop offs for cars and bicycles

along safer routes

•Teach safe walking and bicycling practices to

students and parents

http://www3.drcog.org/RideArrangers/Page/schoolpool

http://www3.drcog.org/RideArrangers/Page/schoolpool



together Safe Routes- Loveland/Thompson

The City of Loveland Engineering Dept partners with Thompson

School District to promote and coordinate SRTS.

A central website includes:

• Safety Tips

• Maps

• Report a Safety Problem

• Request Speed Radar

• Resources

Winner of Tues average trips for 5 months

• BF Kitchen 69% non motorized trips

www.ci.loveland.co.us/publicworks/traffic/SafeRoutes.htm

http://www.ci.loveland.co.us/publicworks/traffic/



together Safe Routes

Bear Creek Elementary- Boulder

• Increase of active transportation from 25% -70%

throughout the year

•36% reduction in traffic congestions

•Principal role modeled active transportations

•Classes participated in Tour de France

•Bike Lessons and Safety Training are taught in PE

•The City of Boulder’s Traffic Engineer & Bicycle

Pedestrian Coordinator address safety concern

www.saferoutesinfo.org/data-central/success-stories/boulder-

colorado-culture-shift-changing-habits-entire-families

http://www.saferoutesinfo.org/data-central/success-stories/boulder-colorado-culture-shift-changing-habits-entire-families





















together Funding for Safe Routes Projects

• Safe Routes to School Grants

www.coloradodot.info/programs/bikeped/safe-routes

Safe routes mini grant to obtain $1000.00 in funding

http://minigrants.saferoutesinfo.org/

• Transportation Improvement Plans

www.drcog.org/index.cfm?page=TransportationImprovementProgram(TIP)

• Community Development Block Grants

• Federal Transportation Enhancement Funds

• Fine based mechanisms (traffic fines in school zones)

• School Safety Grants

• CDOT Safety Grants

• Live Well Colorado

http://www.coloradodot.info/programs/bikeped/safe-routes



http://minigrants.saferoutesinfo.org/

http://www.drcog.org/index.cfm?page=TransportationImprovementProgram(TIP)



together

33

Thank You!

Email: [email protected]

[email protected]

the transportation and shared use solution

Documents

brighter future

asthma prevalence kp

bicyclists kp

photovoices kp

rise kp

obesity risk

taber stark ward kp

obesity increase