This presentation describes how to host a walkability audit/assessment and develop an implementable School Action Plan. It covers who to invite, what information to cover, which checklists or data collection forms to use, how to get stakeholders involved, and how to assign next steps to make infrastructure improvements happen.

1. 2016 Oregon SRTS Conference
Walk Audit & School Action plan Training
Hannah Day-Kapell, Alta Planning + Design
LeeAnne Fergason, Bicycle Transportation Alliance
Liz Hormann, Tigard SRTS
Brian Potwin, ODOT Commute Options

2. Today’s Agenda
How to host a walk audit
Hannah Day-Kapell, Alta
What is an Action Plan?
LeeAnne Fergason, BTA
Action Plans in Tigard
Liz Hormann, Tigard SRTS
Oregon Action Plan Resources
Brian Potwin, Commute
Options

3. A comprehensive program to make
school communities safer by
combining engineering tools and
enforcement with education about
safety and activities to enable and
encourage students to walk and
bicycle to school.
What is Safe Routes to School?

4. What is a Walk Audit?
A practical “on-the-ground” exercise to
observe:
– Bike/ped circulation around the school
– Safety issues
– Motor vehicle interaction
– Barriers
– Opportunities

5. Focus Areas: Routes
How are students walking and biking
to/from school?

6. Focus Areas: Circulation
How do families walking, biking, and driving
interact on the school campus and in the
neighborhood?

7. Focus Areas:
Sidewalk Obstructions
Are sidewalks obstructed by
vegetation, signs, poles, etc?

8. Focus Areas: Sidewalk Conditions
Are the sidewalks near the school even?

9. Focus Areas: Crossings
Do crosswalks have curb ramps? Are
pavement markings fresh and visible?

10. Focus Areas: Signs
Are signs clear and visible? Are traffic
warnings appropriately marked?

11. Products
Written summary & map of conditions
Recommendations:
– Infrastructure improvements
– Marketing programs for
targeted audiences
– Educational programs
– Enforcement actions/programs

12. Action Plan 101!
Template Example

13. ODOT template available online

14. Template Highlights
School info
Forming the school team
Assessing student travel
– Walk audits, student tally, survey parents
Summarize findings
Identifying solutions, creating plan
Submit the plan

15. Example: Linwood Elementary
• School team: Jessica, Ane, and Nicole
from the PTA
• Gathered information through surveys
and a walk audit with Mayor Gamba
• Presented on their findings at a City
Council meeting
• No improvements yet, but city and
county are seeking SRTS funding.

16. SRTS Action Plans –
City of Tigard
Liz Hormann,
SRTS Coordinator

17. Tigard SRTS Action Plan Process
Mapping
Identify Barriers
 Parent Survey
 Online tool
 Observation/ Walk Audit
Strategy Development
 Programmatic
 Engineering

20. Identify the barriers to walking and biking
Collect information via parent surveys.
Developed an online survey and mapping tool:

21. Walk Audits/ Observations
• Walk Audits – walk routes in the
surrounding area.
• Observations – observe on-site behavior
during drop-off and pick-up.
• On-site surveys – talk to parents and
kids on their walk to or from school.

22. Select Strategies for the Action Plan
Programmatic: Engineering:

23. Set Priorities and Implement!

24. Oregon Action Plan
Resources
Brian Potwin, ODOT
Commute Options

25. Questions?
Hannah Day-Kapell, Alta
LeeAnne Fergason, BTA
Liz Hormann, Tigard SRTS
Brian Potwin, Commute Options