Safety around schools, especially as the school day starts and ends, is a concern for faculty, students, families and residents alike. The city wants to know more from the community on areas of concern around schools, and Solano Safe Routes to School will deliver a presentation on a potential call for projects at Tuesday’s Vacaville City Council meeting.
According to a staff report by Tim Burke, assistant Public Works director, said Safe Routes to School’s goal is to get more students walking or biking to school to improve safety and just to make schools’ outer environments safe for all.
“As the stats bear out, kids today have become less active, less independent, and less healthy,” Burke wrote. “In 1969, nearly 50 percent of all children in the United States (and nearly 90 percent of those within a mile of school) walked or bicycled to school. Today, that number has plummeted to fewer than 15 percent. During the morning commute, driving to school represents 10-14 percent of traffic on the road. Studies show that Safe Routes to School programs are effective at increasing rates of bicycling and walking to school and decreasing injuries.”
To that end, the city has partnered with Safe Routes to School and Solano Transportation Authority to consider potential projects. Residents, parents, teachers and school officials are requested to provide locations of traffic concerns for students walking or biking to and/or from school. The information is required to include the name of the requestor, an email and phone number for additional contact, name of the school, location of the issue, day of the week and time of day the issue occurred, and description of the issue. Information must be provided by Jan. 31.
Once the locations and issues are provided, Burke wrote that staff will evaluate and decide if physical improvements, such as enhanced crosswalks or radar feedback signs, can be made to ameliorate these concerns.
“Evaluations of data and conditions such as pedestrian counts, vehicular counts, vehicular speeds, identification of collisions, surrounding improvements, and the feasibility of constructing improvements will be considered in developing physical improvements,” he wrote. “Please note, not all issues can be solved by physical improvements.”
Following Tuesday’s presentation, Burke wrote that a press release would be issued and website rolled out Wednesday, school principals would be emailed and the school public information officer contacted to put on the parent portal the week of Oct. 17, and the school board will receive a presentation in November.
Once the call for projects closes Jan. 31, staff will start collecting data and evaluating each location for potential improvements, Burke wrote. Any identified improvements would be included in STA’s next Safe Routes to School Plan, which is expected to be completed in 2025 and would then be used to obtain future funds. How many projects are ultimately funded will be determined by the total amount of funds allocated by the state and federal governments, Burke wrote.
In other business, the council will receive the public review draft of the 2023-2031 Housing Element.
The council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Council Chamber at City Hall, 650 Merchant St. The meeting may also be viewed online at Ci.vacaville.ca.us/government/agendas-and-minutes and Youtube.com/user/CityofVacaville.
Comments on agenda items can be emailed to City Clerk Michelle Thornbrugh up to 4:30 p.m. at cityclerk@cityofvacaville.com.
