Waite Park Travel Plan: Goal 1

Goal 1:

Waite Park will build the network of Safe Routes partners within the school and community. /

Safe Routes Focus

Education
Engineering
Enforcement
Encouragement
Evaluation

Background/Purpose:

Strong Safe Routes efforts need a network of support. Waite Park has an awesome Safe Routes Champion and some strong parent involvement in a daily walking bus route, but could use school wide support. The broader Northeast Community has a strong identity and community ties. Waite Park should connect Safe Routes efforts to the larger community. /

Action Steps/Timeline

/ What
Attend PTO meeting and describe future and potential Safe Routes efforts. Consider adding a Safe Routes to School link to the Waite Park Website.
Add one additional staff and one local business to the team (and document).
Connect with the ELL bilingual support with safe routes efforts.
Find a new parent to help with events.
Find a parent to attend District parents’ safe routes workshop.
Add the names of the staff people who bike or walk to school to the Travel Plan Background & Network document. /

Who/When

SRTS Champion—fall
SRTS Champion—December
SRTS Champion—January
SRTS Champion—January
SRTS Champion—January
SRTS Champion--March
/

Additional Resources and Materials

Travel Plan Background Document.
District Parent Walk-to-School Workshop January 14th.
Waite Park Calendar: http://waitepark.mpls.k12.mn.us/calendar.html
Evaluation
Champion will add names and businesses to the Travel Plan document. Walk to school events and other efforts will be supported by a specialist staff. / Inclusion Efforts
YES. Add ELL staff to network.

Waite Park Travel Plan: Goal 2

Goal 2:

Waite Park will participate in school-wide walk to school days in the fall, winter and spring. /

Safe Routes Focus

Education
Engineering
Enforcement
Encouragement
Evaluation

Background/Purpose:

Walk to school events are a great way to grow walk-to-school efforts, conduct pedestrian education and create enthusiasm for walking and biking to school and more. Walking to School one time is so much more than zero. Students feel proud of their efforts. /

Action Steps/Timeline

/ What
Identify dates through the PTO and secure principal’s support.
Identify park and walk sites for families who usually drive children to school.
Connect with school staff to support the event. Possible ideas: music teacher helps find musicians to great walkers, art teacher helps create banners or visuals to promote or reflect on event. Connect with bilingual staff and special education staff.
Promote event through website and newsletter. Invite special guest walkers.
Promote event through flyer. Add walk to school safety tips to back of flyer. Identify press contact and submit press release.
Promote event through school intercom.
Celebrate the arrival to school with banners, coffee for parents, raffles, music or other recognition.
Reflect on event—and use reflections to address pedestrian safety concern and improve the next walk to school event. /

Who/When

Starting one month before event.

One week before event.
Each day three days leading to the event
Day of the event.
Right after the event.
/

Additional Resources and Materials

District Parent Walk-to-School Workshop January 14th.
Top Ten Walk to School Activities:
http://www.saferoutestoschool.ca/oldsite/topactivities.html
Toolkit: Tip Sheets
http://www.saferoutesinfo.org/program-tools/education-tip-sheets
Flyers, press releases, and more. http://www.walktoschool.org/resources/index.cfm
Evaluation
Waite Park will participate in three walk to school events. Walk-to-School events will become part of the school culture and children/families will look forward to them year after year / Inclusion Efforts
Allow all students participate in raffles. Use inclusive language in promotions. Translate communications.

Waite Park Travel Plan: Goal 3

Goal 3:

Waite Park will address safety and traffic concerns at arrival and dismissal on 34th Avenue. /

Safe Routes Focus

Education
Engineering
Enforcement
Encouragement
Evaluation

Background/Purpose:

Neighbors who live adjacent to the school are unable to get their car out during dismissal and believe the street does not look safe for children. The Pedestrian Safety Report from 2007 describes 34h Avenue as “very congested” during arrival and dismissal. The congestion continues despite the school following the report’s recommendation of designating Ulysses at the only parent pick up and drop off area. Midblock crossing were observed on 34th and on Ulysses. /

Action Steps/Timeline

/ What
Observe 34th Avenue at arrival and dismissal.
Bring together a network of people to consider the observations and propose solutions.
Implement solutions.
Enforce parking restrictions.
Communicate to community member.
Communicate to parents, staff, school community arrival and dismissal procedures and pedestrian safety education. /

Who/When

Waite Park Principal. MPS Safe Routes Staff
Principal, MPS Safe Routes Staff, School Resource Officer, MPS Transportation Manager
Public Works. Waite Park Principal, staff, and community.
Community members w/police.
MPS Safe Routes to School Staff.
Waite Park Principal
/

Additional Resources and Materials

School Pedestrian Safety Program (Kuhnau, December 7, 2007).
City of Minneapolis Unsigned Parking Restrictions: http://www.minneapolismn.gov/parking/unsigned-parking-restrictions.asp
Evaluation
See Waite Park Traffic, Arrival, and Dismissal Concerns and Possible Solutions Document. Public works will install no parking signs on north side of street so community member can enter/exit driveway. School is considering clearing buses and making Hayes and 34th a patrolled intersection—may do so in spring. / Inclusion Efforts
These efforts support safety of entire school community.

Waite Park Travel Plan: Goal 4

Goal 4:

Waite Park will create a primary walk routes map. /

Safe Routes Focus

Education
Engineering
Enforcement
Encouragement
Evaluation

Background/Purpose:

A primary route map is a Safe Routes to School tool. The map communicates the ways in which a community walks and bikes to school. MPS Safe Routes shares these maps with MPS transportation, Safety and Security, City of Minneapolis Public Works, and the Minneapolis police department. The map also shows the public works infrastructure and can be useful for families in mapping other routes in the neighborhood. /

Action Steps/Timeline

/ What
Obtain shell map for Waite Park Community School with streets, walk zone, and public works infrastructure.
Identify primary routes for the Waite Park Community.
Share primary routes with MPS Transportation, Safety and Security, City of Minneapolis Public Works and City of Minneapolis Police.
Add routes to map.
Share map with community
Revise map /

Who/When

MPS Safe Routes/ September
Safe Routes Parent Champion+/ January
MPS Safe Routes/ February
MPS Safe Routes/ March
SRTS Champion, Principal/ At least yearly
Yearly. Contact http://sss.mpls.k12.mn.us/hkfs.html with revisions to your map.
/

Additional Resources and Materials

Waite Park Shell Map
Other great maps from the City of Minneapolis http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/bicycles/bikemap2/
Bike Route Mapping:
http://cyclopath.org/
http://www.ridethecity.com/
Walk tab feature: http://maps.google.com/ (estimate times)
Evaluation
Shell map and primary routes map are included in the Waite Park Travel Plan. The map is shared with the community and revised as needed. / Inclusion Efforts
Add Spanish or bilingual staff contact info to map.

Waite Park Travel Plan: Goal 5

Goal 5:

Waite Park will increase the percentage of children who live in the walk zone and attend Waite Park School. /

Safe Routes Focus

Education
Engineering
Enforcement
Encouragement
Evaluation

Background/Purpose:

Currently the percentage of children living in the walk zone who attend Waite Park is lower than the District average of 17%. Waite Park faces competition from many public, charter and private schools outside the walk zone—schools to which students will rely on school buses and or rides from parents. Waite Park will encourage prospective families to consider the benefits of walking to school as they make their school choices. /

Action Steps/Timeline

/ What
Attend Public Education Northeast School Showcase Choice event
Attend the MPS School Choice fair.
Include Primary Route Map Materials given to prospective families.
Create a “Benefits of Walking and Biking to School”online and paper marketing tool.
Promote the walking bus and walking to school on the Waite Park website. /

Who/When

MPS Safe Routes, SRTS Champion, November
MPS Safe Routes, January
SRTS Champion
MPS Safe Routes, December
SRTS Champion, December
/

Additional Resources and Materials

MPS Safe Routes invites families to consider walking and biking to school:
http://prezi.com/stfnbd5j5d3j/mps-safe-routes-to-school/
Talking Points: http://www.walktoschool.org/downloads/WTS-talking-points-2011.pdf
Evaluation
Currently the percentage of children living in the walk zone is 12% and the total number is 53. Next year the numbers should be higher. / Inclusion Efforts
YES. Add ELL staff to network.

Waite Park Travel Plan: Goal 6

Goal 6:

Waite Park will add a yearly bike safety event to its school calendar. /

Safe Routes Focus

Education
Engineering
Enforcement
Encouragement
Evaluation

Background/Purpose:

Both the school principal and the Safe Routes Champion identified a bike safety event as a Safe Routes goal. /

Action Steps/Timeline

/ What
Examine calendar and look for possible PTA places for the event. Gain principal and PTA support.
Work with PTA to secure spring date for event and recruit volunteers to lead and plan the event.
Connect with Bike Walk Ambassador, bike shops and more for assistance with event. Connect with staff who regularly bike to work.
Connect with Kenny School for assistance and guidance. Contact Edison for help at event.
Reflect on event, make notes for next year. /

Who/When

Champion/ December, January
Champion/ January, February
Event Leader, Team/ February
Event Leader, MPS Safe Routes/ Kenny SRTS Champion, Edison Green Council, February
Event Team May
/

Additional Resources and Materials

Bike Safety—Spanish: http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/bike/kidsandbikesafetyspan/index.htm
Bike Safety—English: http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/bike/kidsandbikesafetyweb/
Living Green Expo, May 5-6, 2012: http://www.livinggreenexpo.mn/the-expo/
National Bike Week, May 14-18, 2012http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bikemonth/events.php
Evaluation
Waite Park will hold an annual bike safety event. / Inclusion Efforts
Whole school benefits from this event.

MPS Safe Routes to School, 2011-2012, http://sss.mpls.k12.mn.us/hkfs.html