Agenda

Back to Calendar Return

County Administrator's Report 12. 33.

BCC Regular Meeting

Budget & Finance Consent

Meeting Date:	12/08/2016
Issue: Florida's Safe Routes To School (SRTS) Grant Application 2016
From:	Joy D. Blackmon, P.E.
Department:	Public Works
CAO Approval:

RECOMMENDATION:

Recommendation Concerning the Safe Routes To School Grant Application Submissions for 2016 - Joy D. Blackmon, P.E., Public Works Department Director

That the Board take the following action concerning the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Grant Applications for 2016:

A. Authorize the County Administrator, or designee, to submit the Safe Routes To School (SRTS) Grant Applications for Ensley Elementary School, C. A. Weis Elementary, Warrington Elementary, and Longleaf Elementary/Pine Forest High/West Florida High Schools for 2016 (Grant Applications in processing); and

B. Authorize the County Administrator, or designee, to sign all related documents upon legal review.

[No funding is required for the project applications; however, the local agency will be required to maintain the improvements, if constructed. If awarded SRTS funding for the Ensley Elementary School Project, staff plans to fund the design phase for the Ensley Elementary School SRTS Project via the Neighborhood Enhancement Program Fund, estimated at $65,000]

BACKGROUND:

Safe Routes To School (SRTS) is a growing movement that has taken hold in communities throughout the United States. The concept is to increase the number of children who walk or bicycle to school by funding projects that remove the barriers currently preventing them from doing so. Those barriers include lack of infrastructure, unsafe infrastructure and a lack of programs that promote walking and bicycling. Through education/encouragement programs aimed at children, parents, and the community, these barriers can be eliminated. Walking or biking to school gives children a sense of freedom and responsibility, allows them to enjoy the fresh air, and provides opportunities for them to get to know their neighborhoods while arriving at school alert, refreshed and ready to start their day. Communities and community-based organizations are devoting increased attention to pedestrian and bicycle safety issues in an effort to improve the conditions for walking or biking to school.

Florida’s SRTS program can help communities address their school transportation needs and encourage more students to walk or cycle to school. It strives to enable and encourage children in grades Kindergarten through high school, including those with disabilities, to walk and bike to school; to make walking and biking to school safer and more appealing, and to facilitate the planning, development, and implementation of projects that will improve safety and reduce traffic and fuel consumption, and to improve air quality in the vicinity of schools. In addition to encouraging more children to walk or cycle to school, the program also seeks to address the safety needs of children already walking or biking in less than ideal conditions.

A successful program integrates safety, traffic relief, health, environmental awareness, and physical activity and fitness. The program employs safe routes and techniques used to encourage children to walk or cycle to or from school.

Below is a list of the SRTS project requests received from the Escambia County School District (Project Requests letter attached):

1. Ensley Elementary School
501 E. Johnson Avenue
Pensacola, FL 32514

A. Sidewalks on E. Johnson Avenue from the school to Cody Lane
B. Reposition the school zone beacons to the school boundary

C. Raised, reflective school zone roadway markers
D. Pedestrian crossing beacon

2. C. A. Weis Elementary School
2701 N. Q Street
Pensacola, FL 32505

Sidewalks and crosswalks between Truman Arms Apartments (Oakwood Terrace, 700 Truman Avenue, Pensacola, FL 32505) and the school

3. Warrington Elementary School
220 N. Navy Boulevard
Pensacola, FL 32507

A. Crosswalk across Druid Drive at Delray Drive
B. Crosswalk across Manchester Street at Druid Drive

C. Crosswalk across S. Old Corry Field Road at Druid Drive
D. Funding for a crossing guard across Navy Boulevard at the school

4. Longleaf Elementary School
2600 Longleaf Drive
Pensacola, FL 32526

Pine Forest High School
2500 Longleaf Drive
Pensacola, FL 32526

West Florida High School
2400 Longleaf Drive
Pensacola, FL 32526

A. Sidewalks on Longleaf Drive/Kemp Road from Pine Forest Road to Rolling Hills Road
B. Sidewalks on Wymart Road from Hollyhill Road to Longleaf Drive

The four grant applications are currently being generated, and staff fully expects to have them complete and submitted prior to the December 30, 2016 deadline.

BUDGETARY IMPACT:

No funding is required for the project applications; however, the local agency will be required to maintain the improvements, if constructed.

If awarded SRTS funding for the Ensley Elementary School Project, staff plans to fund the design phase for the Ensley Elementary School SRTS Project via the Neighborhood Enhancement Program Fund, estimated at $65,000.

LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS/SIGN-OFF:

Upon completion of the applications, Kristin Hual, Assistant County Attorney, will review and sign-off prior to submittal.

PERSONNEL:

N/A

POLICY/REQUIREMENT FOR BOARD ACTION:

N/A

IMPLEMENTATION/COORDINATION:

Upon approval of the grant applications, Public Works staff will coordinate with School District staff on the submissions to FDOT.

Attachments
SRTS Project Requests_2016
Letters of Support
Blank Application