Gear Up for Bike to School Day!
Bike to School Day builds on the popularity of International Walk to School Day, whish is celebrated across the country - and the world - each October, and encourages a bike-focused celebration in the month of May. The National Center, which serves as the information clearinghouse for the federal Safe Routes to School program is planning the inaugural event in partnership with the League of American Bicyclists. Visit http://www.walkbiketoschool.org/ for more information and planning tips.
If you need help with ideas and/or organizing a Bike to School Day event at your school, please contact Nadji Kirby, SRTS Coordinator. She can be reached at nadji.kirby@montgomerycountymd.gov or 240-777-7169.
WHAT IS SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL?
Montgomery County’s Safe Routes to Schools Program
Montgomery County is committed to providing safe pathways to County schools for all our children. Following the State of Maryland’s improved standards for road signage in 2000, Montgomery County initiated a full assessment of all schools in the County, identifying where safety improvements were most needed to afford students a safe route to their schools. The first study with corrective actions was completed in 2005 at Veirs Mill Elementary School. To date over 50 schools have been improved; there are 199 public schools in Montgomery County.
To improve access to schools, MCDOT staff meets with the schools administrators, principals, teachers, and Parent Teacher Association (PTA) representatives. Critical needs are identified in these meetings. Then a series of field observations are made during school operations to define potential conflicts between pedestrian and vehicular movements that pose potential risks. Existing pedestrian connectivity - - sidewalks and crosswalks - - are also evaluated and improved where needed. Changes to traffic patterns and traffic signage and signals are also implemented to improve safety. To date, the results are promising. Most schools where assessments and corrective actions have been implemented have had a reduction in the number of pedestrian collisions occurring in proximity to the school.
The program is being augmented with grant funds from the Maryland Highway Safety Office. Funding has been used to assist identified schools with implementing SRTS activities. These schools include:
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Cannon Road Elementary School |
Rock View Elementary School |
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Clearspring Elementary School |
Westbrook Elementary School |
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Flower Hill Elementary School |
Earle B. Wood Middle School |
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Georgian Forest Elementary School |
Woodlin Elementary School |
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Greenwood Elementary School |
Viers Mill Elementary School |
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Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School |
Judith Resnick Elementary School |
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Kingsview Middle School |
Montgomery Village Middle School |
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Thurgood Marshall Elementary School |
Little Bennett Elementary School |
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Olney Elementary School |
William Gibbs Elementary School |
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Rosa Parks Middle School |
Glenallen Elementary School |
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Stone Mill Elementary |
Kensington-Parkwood Elementary School |
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Argyle Middle School |
Captain James Daly Elementary School |
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Jackson Road Elementary |
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The MCDOT will eventually evaluate needed improvements at all Montgomery County schools.
Become a Safe Routes to School Ambassador
Safe Routes to School needs teachers, staff, parents, and others to help champion walking and bicycling! There are several ways you can get involved in your community and at your school and make a real difference. Whether you want to volunteer in a classroom setting or lead a fun ride or walk. Volunteers lead campaigns, organize bike and walk events, attend fairs and back to school nights, and assist with various other activities.
Check out these great volunteer opportunities:
• Special Events: Lead the annual International Walk and Bike to School Day (October) event at your school, help organize and become trained in conducting bike rodeos, be a smiling face greeting parents and students as they arrive on special Walking and Wheeling Wednesdays, etc. These events often include extra opportunities for volunteers.
• Data Collection: Volunteer to conduct a site audit of a school's walking and biking environment. These site audits inform Safe Routes to School of the traffic dangers and safety hazards around schools which stand as barriers to safe commuting. This will enable the Safe Routes program to respond more effectively.
• Education Outreach: Help teach children the valuable skills and necessary information needed to be safe while walking and biking to school. Assist with pedestrian and bicycle education programs, lead a walking school bus or bike train at your school, write an article in the school newsletter on the benefits of walking and biking, guide families on community walks, etc.
For more information and to Volunteer with the Montgomery County Safe Routes to School program, please contact Nadji Kirby, 240-777-7169 or nadji.kirby@montgomerycountymd.gov.
Spring Student Surveys To Be Sent to Schools
Student surveys are used in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the Safe Routes to School programs at schools. As a stipulation of the grant funding, the Maryland Highway Safety Office requires that the surveys are conducted at grant schools twice a year (at the beginning and end of the school year).
Student surveys are conducted by classroom teachers on two days in one week (Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday only – not Monday or Friday). By a show of hands, the teacher will count the number of students in his/her class that walked/biked/carpooled, etc. to class for that day.
Parent surveys are also distributed. Parent surveys can be completed on paper or online. The Parent survey is a quick 5 to 10 minute questionnaire that helps us gather information about factors that affect whether parents allow their children to walk/bike to school, the presence of safety-related conditions along routes to school, and other background school travel data. Results can help determine how to improve opportunities for students to walk and bike to school.
The surveys are then collected and returned to the National Center for Safe Routes to School . Forms are scanned and data is entered into the National SRTS Program Tracking Database. Data collected from the schools is given to the schools after it is compiled.
Wilson Lane Sidewalk Project
The county has completed a sidewalk project that will have a large impact on parents and students walking to and from Bethesda Elementary. The project was for a short segment of sidewalk on Wilson Lane near the intersection of Wilson Ln./Arlington Rd./Old Georgetown Rd. on the same side of the street as Bethesda Elementary. There was concern raised about the proximity of the sidewalk to the right turn lane on Wilson, which is a 7-ft wide lane and has a mountable curb. That sidewalk was adjacent to the road with no buffer which was a hazard to pedestrians, especially students and parents walking to school. With the assistance from the State Highway Administration (Wilson Ln. is a state road) and Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), the county has made the following changes:
- Widened the right lane approximately 1-ft, along with added curb-and-gutter.
- Inserted a 4-ft. grass buffer in place of the relocated sidewalk
- Constructed a new segment of sidewalk that is separated away from the road, providing safer pedestrian movement
The new sidewalk required a portion of a fence on Bethesda ES’s property to be replaced and moved in approximately 3-ft. to allow for adequate room for the 5-ft. sidewalk. MCPS agreed to provide an easement to the county since part of the sidewalk is located on school property. The county will remain responsible for
Sidewalk Before Construction
   
Sidewalk During Construction
   
Sidewalk After Construction (coming soon)
   
Safe Kids Walk This Way Exhibit
We had the fortunate privilege of having four schools and the Rockville Library host the Safe Kids Walk This Way Display exhibit during the months of March and April.
To better understand pedestrian safety in major cities across the globe, the Safe Kids Walk This Way program worked with 1,676 students to capture on film the environments children face while walking. Students ages 9-14 took part in education sessions about pedestrian safety and photography before digital cameras were provided to capture 4,300 photographs of the pedestrian environments in Brazil, Canada, China, India, South Korea, Philippines and the United States. Children, parents, teachers, and community members were invited to identify pedestrian-related issues in their community and explore solutions. You can also get more information at their website: http://www.safekids.org/walk/
The schools that hosted the display include Bethesda ES, Gaithersburg ES, Oak View ES, and Thurgood Marshall ES, along with the Rockville Library. A HUGE thank you to all the schools that participated and to the Safe Kids Organization!
 
Gaithersburg ES Thurgood Marshall ES
Traffic Engineering Work Underway
All 11 schools under Grant B have been assessed for traffic deficiencies by our traffic engineering team. Schools are currently having signs placed/replaced on streets throughout the surrounding neighborhoods to the school property. Road markings (crosswalks, stop bars, etc) will be placed/replaced when the weather permits.
Stone Mill ES
Stone Mill ES
Thurgood Marshall ES
Back to School Safety Reminders
Please review these advisories for tips on Back to School Safety!
Montgomery County Fire Rescue Service
Montgomery County Police
For more information on how to get a Safe Routes to School program at your child's school please contact Nadji Kirby, Safe Routes to School Coordinator, by email or at 240.777.7169.
 
OTHER RESOURCES
National Center for Safe Routes to School
Maryland Highway Safety Office
Safe Routes to School National Partnership
Montgomery County Public Schools
Safe Kids Worldwide
Washington Area Bicycle Association
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