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03.18.13 Citizens Advisory Committee

March 27, 2013

Citizens Advisory Committee

Anna LaForte – Deputy Director for Policy and Programming

– San Francisco Safe Routes to School Program Update

In May 2012, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) adopted the OneBayArea Grant Program (OBAG) framework, which includes $20 million in federal funds for the Cycle 2 Regional Safe Routes to School Program (SR2S) over four years (Fiscal Years 2012/13 through 2015/16). The purpose of MTC’s program is to significantly reduce vehicle emissions stemming from school-related travel. San Francisco’s share of the region's SR2S funds is $1,439,000 based on its proportion of K-12 school enrollment in the nine Bay Area counties. MTC is urging Congestion Management Agencies (CMAs), including the Authority for San Francisco, to take advantage of the significant level of flexibility afforded by the regional program by supporting further expansion of SR2S non-infrastructure programs. In 2010, the Authority programmed $500,000 in Cycle 1 SR2S funds to the Department of Public Health (DPH) as the lead agency for the Safe Routes to School Coalition (Coalition), which is a multi-disciplinary team comprised of the San Francisco Unified School District, City agencies, and non-profits. The Coalition is currently working to develop a proposal for how to enhance existing SR2S efforts and best achieve the objectives for MTC’s SR2S program, including expanding the program to include middle and high schools. We anticipate bringing the draft Cycle 2 SF SR2S project proposal to the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) for approval in May, and the Plans and Programs Committee and the Authority Board in June. MTC requires that the Authority submit the final workscope no later than June 30. This memorandum provides information on San Francisco’s current SR2S program and describes the proposed framework for the expanded program. Ana Validzic, DPH, will provide a presentation on this topic at the March CAC meeting. We are seeking input and guidance from the CAC. This is an information item.

On May 17, 2012, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) adopted the OneBayArea Grant Program (OBAG) framework, which includes $20 million in federal funds for the Cycle 2 Regional Safe Routes to School Program (SR2S) over four years (Fiscal Years 2012/13 through 2015/16). The purpose of MTC’s program is to significantly reduce vehicle emissions stemming from school-related travel.

In 1969, approximately 50% of school children walked or bicycled to school. Today, fewer than 15% of school children walk or bicycle to school. This trend is a contributing factor to today’s children being less active, less independent and less healthy. The goal of the SR2S program is to reverse this trend by incorporating several different types of programs called the five E’s (evaluation, education, encouragement, engineering and enforcement) into a comprehensive program that address the physical and social barriers that prevent children from walking and bicycling to school. A successful SR2S program can improve community and personal health, benefit the environment, increase safety, and help to decrease traffic congestion around schools.

SR2S is a national movement. In 2005, the federal government approved $612 million in funding for all 50 states to establish statewide SR2S programs. This funding was used to fund the construction of new bike lanes, pathways, and sidewalks, as well as to launch SR2S education, promotion and enforcement campaigns in K-8 schools. According to the National Center for Safe Routes to School, there have been

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over 4,500 schools in the United States that have benefitted from a SR2S program or project. In July 2012, Congress passed a new transportation bill, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), which requires SR2S activities to compete for federal funding through the new Transportation Alternatives Program alongside other transportation safety and enhancement programs (i.e. it is no longer a separate stand-alone program). Due to this change, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is currently in the process of determining how to best to implement the new legislation while maintaining a Caltrans-directed SR2S programs for both capital and non-infrastructure (e.g. education and outreach) projects.

As the Congestion Management Agency (CMA) for San Francisco, the Authority administers the regional SR2S funds. The purpose of this memorandum is to provide background information on San Francisco’s current SR2S program and describe the proposed framework for the expanded program. We are seeking input and guidance from the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC).

MTC has designated $20 million in federal funds for Cycle 2 of the Regional SR2S Program, which is administered by CMAs following MTC guidance. MTC has urged CMAs to take advantage of the significant level of flexibility afforded by the regional program by supporting further expansion of the SR2S non-infrastructure programs (e.g. education and outreach), which are typically harder to secure funding for than capital improvements (e.g. bulbouts, crosswalks, signals, bike lanes). The regional SR2S funds have no limitations on grade levels or non-infrastructure uses of funds, as compared to the state and federal programs. San Francisco will receive $1,439,000 in based on its proportion of K-12 school enrollment in the nine Bay Area counties. These federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds will require an 11.47% match of about $186,434. The federal funds must be obligated by March 31, 2015 and should be available for expenditure as soon as early 2014.

We have been working with the San Francisco Safe Routes to School Coalition (Coalition) to develop an approach to enhance the existing SR2S efforts in San Francisco and best achieve the objectives for MTC’s Regional SR2S program using these funds. The Coalition is led by the Department of Public Health (DPH) with support from program partners including the Department of the Environment, the Police Department, the Presidio YMCA, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, the San Francisco Unified School District, and Walk San Francisco. The paragraphs below describe the current program and proposed elements of an expanded program that is anticipated to be funded by San Francisco’s share of the Regional SR2S program.

In 2010, the Authority programmed $500,000 in Cycle 1 SR2S funds to DPH as the lead agency for the Coalition. Attachment 1 includes an overview of the existing San Francisco SR2S Program. The overall purpose of the program is to promote safe and active walking and biking to and from schools in San Francisco. Since the 2009/10 school year, the San Francisco SR2S program has been delivering an integrated set of services based on the five Es (Education, Encouragement, Engineering, Enforcement and Evaluation) to elementary schools in San Francisco, while also building capacity at the school-site and district levels to provide ongoing services that promote safe walking and biking to school. The San Francisco SR2S currently operates at 15 elementary schools that are spread throughout the city, as shown in Attachment 2. The program is focused on providing students in kindergarten, first grade, second grade, and fourth grade with lessons on walking and bicycling to school. The program also includes conducting outreach to and training parents and caregivers on school commuting options. In addition, the program organizes annual and regular walking and bicycling to school events. Throughout the 2011/12 school year, the program reached 50 kindergarten classrooms and 1,039 students, 48 second grade classrooms and 973 students, and 40

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fourth grade classrooms and 1,069 students. In 2012, the program reached more than 8,500 participants through Walk to School Day, approximately 1,700 participants throughout Bike to School Week, and countless students through regular walking school buses and bike trains. Overall the program has resulted in a 1% increase in walking, 0.5% increase in biking, and 1% decrease in single family vehicle driving. For individual schools, 12 out of 15 participating schools increased rates of walking and biking and 3 schools decreased rates of single family vehicle driving. The program has secured funding to continue to its work through the 2013/14 school year, using a combination of MTC Climate Initiative, federal SR2S, and local funds.

We have been working with the Coalition to develop an enhanced education and outreach program, which builds off of lessons learned. The Coalition’s draft proposal includes expanding the SF SR2S program from 15 schools to a total of 40 schools, including 35 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 2 high schools. To expand the program, the Coalition plans to develop an application process inviting all elementary schools to apply for participation. The Coalition may consider the following factors when selecting elementary schools for participation in the program: the percentage of students living within 1 mile of the school; the percentage of students eligible for free and reduced lunch; the walk mode share; and the number of pedestrian injuries. Depending on school interest in participating in the program, the Coalition will aim to work with two or three elementary schools within each supervisorial district in order to ensure geographic distribution of SR2S resources. For middle and high schools, the Coalition intends to make every effort to replicate the selection process used for elementary schools.

The proposed program would include providing targeted outreach and community organizing using bilingual outreach workers and parent/guardians as champions; expanding the focus on underserved communities including those in the southeastern area of the city; teaching elementary school kids how to walk and bike safely to school using in-school assemblies and after-school program classes; establishing bike clubs for middle schools and high schools; providing curriculum for teachers in the classroom; organizing encouragement events; and providing tailored information to individual schools. Attachment 1 includes an outline of the proposed program. The program would begin in the 2014/15 school year and continue through the 2016/17 school year. DPH anticipates that local match funds will be covered through the City’s general fund and in-kind contributions from Coalition members.

We are continuing to work with the Coalition to refine the scope, schedule, budget and deliverables for the enhanced program and plan to present a final proposal to the CAC in May. We have until June 30 to provide MTC with our recommendation for the regional SR2S funds to meet a deadline for programming the funds in the region’s Transportation Improvement Program. This would enable the Coalition to seek obligation of funds in advance of the 2014/15 school year when it will need funds to initiate the expanded program.

We are seeking input and guidance from the CAC. This is an information item.

Not applicable – This is an information item.

Not applicable – This is an information item.

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Not applicable – This is an information item. Attachments:

1. San Francisco Safe Routes to School Program 2. Map of 2012-2013 Program Schools

Enclosure: San Francisco Safe Routes to School Program Presentation

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Program Partners

San Francisco Department of Public Health (lead) Presidio YMCA San Francisco Bicycle Coalition San Francisco Environment San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency San Francisco Police Department San Francisco Unified School District Walk San Francisco Program Coordinator: Ana Validzic, MPH 30 Van Ness Ave, Suite 2300 San Francisco, CA 94102 415-581-2478 ana.validzic@sfdph.org

Attachment 1 San Francisco Safe Routes to School Program

Program Background The purpose of the San Francisco Safe Routes to School (SF SRTS) Program is to promote safe and active walking and biking to and from school in San Francisco. Specifically, SF SRTS has been delivering an integrated set of services at elementary schools in San Francisco beginning in fiscal year 09-10, while also building capacity—at the school-site and district levels—to provide ongoing services that promote safe walking and biking to school. SF SRTS addresses the internationally accepted five Es of the SRTS model – Education, Encouragement, Engineering, Enforcement and Evaluation. In addition, the SF SRTS team has put into place an interagency system for prioritizing schools for future SRTS programs and infrastructure projects, thus building the long-term capacity of San Francisco schools to promote walking and biking to school. Since the program’s inception in 2009, the SF SRTS team has: • Successfully worked together to build strong partnerships with school communities; • Expanded the program from 5 pilot schools in year one to 15 schools in subsequent years; Education • Delivered curricula to kindergarten and 1st grade classrooms on the benefits of walking and biking to and from school; • Delivered curricula to 2nd grade classrooms on pedestrian safety; • Delivered curricula to 4th grade classrooms on bicycle safety, including a skills-based bike rodeo; • Conducted a car idling reduction campaign focused on morning drop off; Encouragement • Conducted intensive parent/caregiver outreach on school commute; especially at kindergarten orientations and back-to-school nights; • Trained and supported parents/caregivers on how to establish regular, ongoing walking school buses and bike trains; • Organized an annual Walk to School Day held on the first Wednesday in October; • Organized an annual Bike to School Day held late in the spring semester; • Created maps suggesting walking and bicycling routes for schoolchildren and their families; Engineering • Conducted walk audits at 15 participating schools to gather school community’s input on traffic issues and needed infrastructure improvements;

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Enforcement • Conducted traffic enforcement at all 15 schools, including enforcement of new 15 mph school zones; Evaluation • Gathered essential data on school commute and parent perceptions of school travel; • Created a data-driven priority-setting process for future SRTS grant opportunities; and • Began seeing positive change from travel tallies conducted at all participating schools. Plans for the 5th year of the program (2013-2014) currently include: • Implementing services to 15 schools across SF serving approximately 6,000 students; • Services include the 4 E’s--Education, Encouragement, Enforcement and Evaluation (SRTS Cycle 3

funding excluded Engineering); • More intensive parent/caregiver outreach at school festivals and weekend events; and • In response to changes to school needs and emerging best practices, some additional focus and services

provided to school communities to create 1-2 weekly parent/guardian led walking school buses and bike trains at each of the 15 schools.

MTC Regional Safe Routes to School – Cycle 2 funding cycle: Proposed Program Elements for 2014-2017 Changes to General Program • Expand from 15 schools to 40 schools located in all areas of San Francisco

• 35 elementary schools • 3 middle schools and 2 high schools

• Provide targeted outreach and community organizing

• Hire a team of bilingual (Spanish/Chinese), culturally competent outreach workers housed at one SRTS team agency to implement targeted, culturally specific approaches and messaging.

• Recruit and support parent/guardians as champions who understand the particular commute challenges of the school community. Recruiting parents to champion walking and biking to school is modeled after a successful program in Alameda and is an effective way to change norms.

• Expand focus on underserved communities

• Target outreach in the schools in Southeastern sector of the City. Prioritize school communities where the majority of students qualify for free and reduced lunch.

• School selection

• Develop an application process inviting all elementary schools to apply. Schools will be selected based on ranking in non-infrastructure prioritization system (including % of students living within 1 mile; % free and reduced lunch; % walk mode share; and # of pedestrian injuries). Two or three elementary schools in each supervisorial district will be selected to participate in order to ensure geographic distribution of SRTS resources. For middle and high schools, we will make every effort to replicate the selection process used for elementary schools by creating similar prioritization system.

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Education Deliverables • Teach elementary school kids how to walk and bike safely to school utilizing in-school

assemblies and classes in after-school programs • Pressures for in-class time---especially at underperforming schools-- have shifted our focus to

afterschool and assemblies. This approach has been effective in other regional Safe Routes Programs and we will utilize lessons learned and curriculum from others.

• Establish bike clubs for middle school and high schools

• Teach kids how to repair bikes, build bikes and safely ride on city streets. Focus on underserved communities especially schools in the southeastern sector of the City, who may not have access to bikes or information about bike repair. Connect biking and walking to transit, emphasizing free Muni.

• Provide curriculum for teachers in the classroom

• For classroom teachers, purchase copies of the Alameda County SRTS Educators Guide curriculum to provide guidance and lessons plans.

Encouragement Deliverables • Continue to hold regular walking and roll events

• Train and support parents/guardians to lead groups of kids to walk/bike to school (“walking/biking school buses”) on a regular basis.

• Continue to organize walk and bike to school days

• Hold annual events to encourage walking, biking and rolling to school. Special days to promote walking/biking help give parents the information, support, and practice they need to try walking and biking on a regular basis.

• Provide tailored information to individual schools

• Create transportation demand management toolkits to schools outlining walking, biking, transit (highlight free Muni), and carpool options for each school. Provide tailored resources to staff at the school, parent champions, PTAs, and others working to promote active transportation.

Evaluation Deliverables • Travel tallies

• Continue to conduct in-class assessments of how students get to school. • Parent surveys

• Continue to distribute and analyze surveys measuring knowledge and attitudes of school commute to parents at beginning and end of the program.

2012-2013 Program Schools