This document summarizes a study conducted by BikeWalkKC on improving safety for elementary school students walking to and from school in northeast Kansas City. Field work was conducted around 6 elementary schools, examining factors such as demographics, public transit access, physical infrastructure like sidewalks and crosswalks, and vacant lots. Significant issues were found, like lack of crosswalk markings, unsafe street conditions, and many vacant lots. The study aims to provide data to help the city improve pedestrian safety around schools.

1. Page 1 of 10
Jamilah Cross
UPD 490
Internship- BikeWalkKC
5/12/16
BikeWalkKC: Safe Routes to School
Sign on street lacking sidewalks near Garfield Elementary. Photo by J. Cross

2. Page 2 of 10
Project Overview
From June to August of 2015, research and field work were carried out for BikeWalkKC’s Safe Routes
to School (SRTS) project, which focuses on making sure that elementary school students (mainly in
northeast Kansas City) can travel to and from school without hindrance due to unsafe neighborhood
conditions. There are streets that are risky for pedestrians in general to navigate, let alone pedestrians
that happen to be unsupervised children. The Kansas City Walkability Plan from 2003 outlines key points
that explain why the maturity level of a child pedestrian puts them at a much higher risk when
travelling:
 Young children believe if they see a driver, a driver can see them.
 They think cars can stop instantly
 They don’t recognize danger or react to it quickly
But before delving into the physical conditions of the built environment, it was necessary to
compile demographics for the study areas, such as population density, the average household income,
and the unemployment rate. Using online databases made available by the U.S. Census, Social Explorer
and other sources, information was found that provided a base understanding of some of the main
factors that relate to and affect the overall layout of the neighborhoods.
The six elementary schools in the study are Crispus Attucks Elementary, Primitivo Garcia Elementary,
Garfield Elementary, Gladstone Elementary, James Elementary, and Whittier School. One of the first
factors focused on was the population and cultural makeup of the neighborhood around each school.
The census tracts that encompass these schools have a combined population of over 20,000, and
consists of mostly poor and working class families. In some of these areas, the ratio of White to minority
residents was less than half, compared to Kansas City as a whole, where Whites make up almost 60% of

3. Page 3 of 10
the entire population. And the neighborhoods have a higher concentration of immigrant and minority
families than I’ve seen in some of the more southern areas of Kansas City. Near Garfield Elementary,
there are a lot of African and Asian immigrants, and around Primitivo Garcia, there is a high percentage
of Latino residents. Also, the concentration of elementary and middle schoolers is higher in this
project’s study areas than it is in Kansas City as a whole, although just slightly.
Buddhist temple on the corner of Bales Ave and E 10th St, near Whittier School. Photo by J. Cross
Aside from the community demographics, knowing what the public transit system is like is also
important for a project that focuses on the activity of children travelling to and from school. Since the
Kansas City Public School system does not have a school bus system that serves all of its students, many
children ride Kansas City’s public buses. Between the six schools in the SRTS boundaries, there are 16
bus routes that are within short walking distance of the schools; however, some areas are more
underserved than others, such as Gladstone Elementary, which only has one bus line within a 5-block
radius of the school.

4. Page 4 of 10
Researching, compiling, and analyzing all of this information were among the first steps to
assessing the school zones, as well as reviewing past observations done during arrival and dismissal
times. These observations were helpful in seeing how human behavior affected students’ safety.
Patterns observed included carelessness of drivers, including parents picking up and dropping off
students, which was a great hindrance to the order of operations. Cars parked in spaces that are
reserved for school buses, speeding cars ignoring ‘Yield’ signs, and drivers idling for students in the
middle of the street were some of the activities seen at the sites. Some parents crossed in the middle of
the street for convenience’s sake, instead of walking to a corner and following traffic rules. But all of the
behavior observed was not solely the fault of the people themselves; it was also circumstantial, due to
poor street planning and design. The second phase of this assignment was fieldwork, wherein numerous
instances of unsafe conditions were found.
Fieldwork at the sites consisted of walking around and noting the conditions (in writing and
photographs) of physical neighborhood features: sidewalks, crosswalks, land use, etc. Starting at
Primitivo Garcia Elementary, and using an aerial map of the site as a guide, information was gathered
square block by square block, starting at the intersection of two streets and then proceeding with each
segment. In addition to the three feature types listed above, features examined were ADA ramp access
at intersections, the conditions at bus stops, parking areas, and instances of graffiti, litter or anything
that may be considered as detracting from the overall upkeep of the area (vacant land or buildings were
counted as liabilities as well). Anything that could be considered as an asset to the community, such as a
garden or decorative street furniture, was noted as well.

5. Page 5 of 10
Resident who lives in one of the oldest houses in the neighborhood surrounding Primitivo Garcia. He renovated it, using
stones from the original structure to build a low wall around his property. Photo by J. Cross
Switzer Neighborhood Farm near Primitivo Garcia, where produce is grown and some livestock is raised. The now-closed
Switzer School, which was recently sold for repurposing by Kansas City Public Schools and will now be used for residential
property, is in the background. Photo by J. Cross

6. Page 6 of 10
Crosswalks
Faded but complete crosswalk sections @ intersection of N Topping Ave and Scarritt Ave, near James Elementary.
The lack of complete crosswalk sections is a hazard for all pedestrians. There are many areas
where there are no crosswalks at intersections altogether, and in the areas where there are, several are
scarcely noticeable and in need of repainting, or one or more sides of an intersection is lacking a
crosswalk. Unclear crosswalk designation can increase the likelihood of traffic accidents, especially
during the high-traffic arrival and dismissal times of schools. Conversely, the need to update ADA ramps
at intersections has been recognized by the city, as new ADA ramps can be seen at a number of
intersections, evidenced by the bright white ramps with pink bump pads in contrast to the older, darker
sidewalks they are situated in.
Primitivo Garcia Elementary:
 17 3- and 4-sided intersections examined (60+ crosswalk sections)

7. Page 7 of 10
 ~94% of intersections (16 out of 17) have 1 or more sides where crosswalk lines are non-
existent
Garfield Elementary:
 36 3- and 4-sided intersections examined (130+ crosswalk sections)
 ~ 97% of intersections (35 out of 36) have 1 or more sides where crosswalk lines are non-
existent
Gladstone Elementary:
 22 3- and 4-sided intersections examined (66+ crosswalk sections)
 ~90% of intersections (20 out of 22) have 1 or more sides where crosswalk lines are non-
existent
James Elementary:
 10 3- and 4-sided intersections examined (~40 crosswalk sections)
 70% of intersections (7 out of 10) have 1 or more sides where crosswalk lines are non-existent
Whittier School:
 19 3- and 4-sided intersections examined (70+ crosswalk sections)
 ~ 95% of intersections (18 out of 19) have 1 or more sides where crosswalk lines are non-
existent
Crispus Attucks Elementary:
 16 3- and 4-sided intersections examined (60+ crosswalk sections)
 100% of intersections (16 out of 16) have 1 or more sides where crosswalk lines are non-
existent

8. Page 8 of 10
Vacant Parcels
Vacant parcel on Elma St, near Garfield Elementary.
Overall, there are quite a few vacant lots in the study area, with some vacant lots being well-
kept, and others in various stages of neglect. The surrounding land uses directly correlated with the
condition of the vacant lots in the around the schools. Although there were some exceptions, with neat
lots in uninviting areas, the general pattern demonstrated a similar lack of care among vacant lots and
the blocks that immediately surrounded them. Living across from an overgrown vacant lot near Crispus
Attucks Elementary School, a resident mentioned that she worries about young children who walk
across the lot at night, because of inadequate lighting, and the fact that the area has generally low
traffic aside from wanderers and suspicious activity.
Primitivo Garcia Elementary:

9. Page 9 of 10
 Vacant land: 13 parcels
 Vacant buildings: 1
Garfield Elementary:
 Vacant land: 17 parcels
 Vacant buildings: 5
Gladstone Elementary:
 Vacant land: 3 parcels
 Vacant buildings: 8
James Elementary:
 Vacant land: 4 parcels
 Vacant buildings: 9
Whittier School:
 Vacant land: 24 parcels
 Vacant buildings: 10
Crispus Attucks Elementary:
 Vacant land: 36 parcels
 Vacant buildings: 19

10. Page 10 of 10
Closing Thoughts
The information that was gathered definitely proved that Northeast Kansas City deserves
attention for the state of their school zones. All of the schools need help from the city of Kansas City, in
the form of funding to pay for improved pedestrian pathways. BikeWalkKC has put forth commendable
effort in promoting safe communities, and being an intern on that team is a worthwhile opportunity to
use skills that are taught in the urban planning program at UMKC. Many interns share stories about
doing tasks that were unrelated to the field that they studied, and they feel that they wasted valuable
time as an up-and-coming professional. BikeWalkKC enables interns to utilize researching skills, do
hands-on land use analysis, hear resident’s concerns in person, and use ArcGIS to map land use. Interns
can also witness the daily operations of an office and how the different departments are managed, sit in
on meetings that address issues concerning helping immigrant students and families assimilate into their
neighborhoods and schools, and listen to discussions on how to better organize different departments
of the city to work together more efficiently. During fieldwork, one has the opportunity to interact with
residents who have school-aged children and grandchildren, and who were interested in what
BikeWalkKC is doing for Kansas City Public Schools and for citizens in general. Interns will feel rewarded
knowing that the work they did will directly aid in positively affecting the safety of school children and
pedestrians in Kansas City school zones in the future.