School Siting and Children’s Travel: How Can We Balance Community and Transportation Goals

Ruth L. Steiner

Outline • Overview of Schools (US and UK) • Impacts of Policies

– Costs – Children’s Health

• Policies/programs impacting school siting and active transport to and from school

• Policy Options

Organization of Schools – US and UK • Public Schools

– School Choice – Magnet Schools – Charter Schools

• Private Schools – Religious – Non-religious

Grade Levels – Primary (5-11) – Middle (11-14) – High (15-18) – Community Colleges/

Universities

• State-funded Schools – Community – Academies – Free Schools

• Independent/public – Voluntary Aided – Non-voluntary aided

• Grade Levels – Primary (4-11) – Secondary (12-18) – 6th Form/FE/

Universities

Number of Students by Type of School Attended - US

Public, assigned

Public, chosen

Private, church-relatedPrivate, not churchrelated

2007

Costs • Rising childhood obesity

– 1 in 3 U.S. kids between 6 and 19 are overweight or obese

– Direct health costs of childhood obesity: $14 billion

• Decline in physical activity – 1969: 48% walk to school – 2009: 13% walked to school Within one mile: – 1969: 89% walked or bicycled – 2009: 35% walked or bicycled

Ongoing Transportation Costs Per Child

• School traffic accounts for between 15% and 25% of peak hour traffic in most communities

• National • Expenditure: $22.9 Billion/£13.7 Billion • Average cost: $868/£521 per student

Factors Affecting Travel Choice for School • Multitude of factors impacting a parent’s

decision about child’s travel to school each day – The location of the school – The location of the residence – The characteristics of the roadway network – The location of major roads and highways – The walking environment, including

perception of safety and risk – Limits on parents’ time

What combination of factors offers the most opportunities for the safe movement of children?

Pasco County School District Chasco Elementary and Middle Schools

Pasco County School District Chasco Elementary School and Chasco Middle School

Apartment complex across the street (SR 54) from the school

• Schools built in 1999 and 2000

• Zero elementary school walkers/bikers and few middle school walkers/bikers

• No crossing guards

Orange County School District

Riverdale Elementary School Barrier

Alachua County School District Meadowbrook Elementary

Policy Areas Influencing School Transportation Three areas of coordinated planning: Multimodal Planning Coordinated School Siting Safe Routes to School

Multimodal Planning Intersection of land use planning and transportation planning

Four guiding principles:

1. Complementary mix of land uses 2. Appropriate density and intensity of development 3. High level of network connectivity 4. Good urban design connecting complementary land uses

Coordinated School Siting Intersection of land use planning and school planning

– Seeks to locate schools near residential areas where

students will live

– School concurrency: Adequate school facilities must be

in place within three years of construction of residential development

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) • 2005: SAFETEA-LU legislation

– Designed to empower communities to make walking and bicycling to school a safe and routine activity

– SRTS programs may consist of building safer street crossings or establishing programs to encourage walking and bicycling

• Initial Funding – $629 million (£360) for SRTS programs across the country – Over $1 billion (£600 million) in federal funding – 10-30% of funds used for non-infrastructure programs

• i.e. walking safety program

– Remaining funds to be used for bike/pedestrian infrastructure improvements

• i.e. sidewalks, overpasses, pedestrian signals

• Now included in Enhancements Program and matching requirements changed

Organizations Involved in School Planning • Federal, State, Regional and Local (US)

vs. Federal and Local (UK) • Responsibility for School Transport

– US (School Districts/Local) – UK (Local Government)

• Responsibility for School Siting – US (School Districts) – UK (Local Government)

Policy Options

Advocate for Better Policies • Decisions of School Board, City Planning

Agencies and Transportation Organizations – Location of schools/School closures – Sprawl development projects – Expenditures of transportation funds – Professional guidance

• Coordination between governments • Rethink the Use of School Buildings • Pay Attention to the Details

Facilities and Safety Enhancements

Seminole County School District • Formal pedestrian paths to schools • Back entrances

Bear Lake Elementary School

Teague Middle School

Walking School Buses and Bicycle Trains

Thank you! • For additional information, please

contact: Ruth Steiner

rsteiner@dcp.ufl.edu

Research was performed with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Active Living Research Program, Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and

Education Center (STRIDE) and the Florida Department of Transportation