KLK575 Safety Analysis of School Zones along Two-Way, Two-Lane Highways

ITD Research Project 254; Task Order Number UI-16-05

Principal Investigators

• Kevin Chang

ITD Project Manager

• Margaret Goertz

FHWA Project Advisor

• Lance Johnson

Student Researchers

• —

Research Problem Statement

The purpose of this research is to determine the safety and effectiveness of school zones sited on two-way, two-lane highways throughout the state of Idaho.

Many rural communities in Idaho have schools that are sited adjacent to or in the immediate vicinity of a high-volume, high-speed state highway. This roadway environment introduces a number of motorized and non-motorized safety challenges for school-aged children, parents, the local community, and commuters, particularly during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal periods when pedestrian and vehicular traffic and pedestrian-vehicle interaction are at its highest. Throughout the state, with over 180 communities having a population of less than 5,000, identifying, logging, and evaluating current school safety practices is needed to ensure that pedestrian and bicycle safety needs are being met while providing efficient and effective travel for the motoring public. Given the rural and isolated location of many of these schools, the opportunity to share best practices and lessons learned is ever-present.

Providing the necessary infrastructure for local school children is paramount to developing and encouraging safe pedestrian and bicycle travel to and from school. National research has shown that in the span of one generation, the percentage of children walking or bicycling to school has dropped precipitously, from approximately 50 percent in 1969 to just 13 percent in 2009. There are a number of factors that have contributed to this decline, including: an increase in the number of working parents, concerns associated with stranger abductions, and the remote siting of new schools that are simply not in close proximity to the student population that it serves and minimize opportunities for students to walk or bike to school. This decrease in walking and bicycling has resulted in American families driving thirty billion miles and making 6.5 billion vehicle trips to take their children to and from schools, contributing to an increase of traffic congestion levels near schools and approximately fourteen percent of traffic on the road during the morning commute.

Project Objectives

The primary objective of this research is to evaluate from the effectiveness of safety measures currently in place within school zones on state highways. This research project will perform a comprehensive safety analysis of school zones and the safety implications throughout Idaho along its two-way, two-lane highways. Existing practices related to speed zone implementation, signage, crosswalk installation, enforcement, and the use of technology to enhance the school zone environment will be examined in detail. Statewide accident information within these school zones will also be analyzed.

This analysis will estimate and report on potential road safety issues and identify opportunities for improvements in safety for all road users, including school-aged children and drivers, and particularly during the morning arrival and afternoon dismissal time periods.

Project Tasks

The proposed project will be completed over a period of fifteen months. The tasks for this project will include, but not be limited to: conducting a literature review of current practices both statewide and regionally; administering a survey to all school principals who oversee a school located along a two-way, two-lane highway; completing field inspections and reviews of case-study sites; establishing a statewide database of safety practices and treatments, and developing outreach materials for Idaho schools so that the results of this research can be widely disseminated.

• Task 1: Complete Literature Review. A literature review will be conducted to identify tangential studies and work products related to this research project.
• Task 2: Identify all Subject Locations. A database consisting of all K-12 schools that meet the project criteria will be developed and compiled. Categorical data including, but not limited to: school type (elementary / middle / high or public / private), proximity of the school to a highway, presence of a school crosswalk crossing the highway, student population, and highway characteristics (speed, volume, walkways, etc.) will be collected.
• Task 3: Analysis of Site-Specific Crash Data and Safety Treatments. Crash data will be analyzed to assess the extent of school-related crashes in the vicinity of each school. Existing applications such as WebCARS and the ITD video log will be reviewed as part of this effort.
• Task 4: Develop School Principal Survey. A school principal survey will be developed to identify the perspectives of school principals with regard to the walk and bike to school trip.
• Task 5: Administer Survey. Upon compiling a distribution list of school principals, an online survey (developed as part of Task 4) will be sent out for review and response.
• Task 6: Analyze Survey Results. The results from the survey will be compiled and submitted as part of the final report.
• Task 7: Conduct Site Visits and Collect Field Data. At least five in-person site visits will be conducted as part of this study. The intent of these site visits is to identify and capture best practices that can be highlighted and showcased for use as part of Task 8.
• Task 8: Develop Outreach Materials to Showcase Best Practices and Lessons Learned. The sharing of information is a central piece of this project. Downloadable materials are to be developed so that schools and school districts can reproduce and share information with students and parents.
• Task 9: Submit Final Report. A final report, describing the full extent of this project, will be completed and submitted for ITD review and approval.

As part of this safety analysis, signage currently in the field will be reviewed to ensure compliance with current Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices standards.

Project Communication Schedule

Regular and frequent communication between all parties, beginning with the project kick-off meeting, will occur to ensure that the project is on schedule and on budget. Quarterly progress reports will be completed and meetings with the project's technical oversight committee will be scheduled as required.

Development of the final project report will commence at least four months prior to the end of the project to ensure that there is adequate time for both authorship of the final document and comprehensive review of all prepared materials.

Needs and Requirements

The specific needs and requirements for this project include the following aspects:

- Work with ITD and school district staff to document the current state-of-the-practice with regard to school zone safety

- In conjunction with ITD staff, determine the methods of communicating project data and results with department staff, school district and school transportation partners, and community leaders

- Work with ITD staff to identify and develop a clearinghouse where research results could be provided to all parties.

Required Outputs/Deliverables

The required outputs and deliverables for this project will include: written quarterly progress reports, a literature review summary, a Powerpoint presentation summarizing study findings and recommendations from the study, draft articles and publications suitable for publication in the ITD electronic newsletter, and a final report.

Implementation

The outcomes of this project will provide ITD with the background and data needed to make better decisions on the implementation of school zone safety treatments and identify locations where enhancements or updates need to be made or would be most effective.

Expected Outcomes/Savings to ITD

ITD is committed to providing high-quality, cost-effective transportation systems that are safe, reliable, and responsive for the economical and efficient movement of people and products. This project specifically addresses ITD’s goals to “continue to develop and implement the Safe Routes to School program” and “increase collaboration between local communities and decision-makers on speed-zoning decisions”. (Strategic Highway Safety Plan Update, April 2013)

This project will highlight the actions taken across all six highway districts to ensure that best practices and lessons learned can be shared across all state partners.

Monthly Progress Reports (ITD 771) and Task Progress Charts

Project status: Active

Draft report: Due Sept. 30, 2017.

Final report: Due Oct. 31, 2017.

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