An Iowa Safe Routes to School Project

Funding provided by

National Safe Routes to School ProgramImproving Health, Safety and Transportation

Hull, IA- Students assisting adults with I-WALK walkability assessment. April 2011

Fewer kids are biking and walking. More parents are driving.

2009: 13% walked

1969: 48% walked

(National Center for Safe

Routes to School, 2011)

School siting issues: a generation ago

A generation ago: Small schools, located in community centers (EPA, 2003)

Today: Mega-schools, built on edges of towns and cities

School consolidation has lengthened the trip between home and school

It’s not just distanceStudents who live within 1 mile and walk or bike:

2009: 35% 1969: 89%

(National Center for Safe

Routes to School, 2011)

Most common barriers to walking and bicycling to schoolLong distances 62%

Traffic danger 30%

Adverse weather 19%

Fear of crime danger 12%

Note: Sum of percentages is more than 100% because respondents could identify more than one barrier.

(CDC, 2005)

Unintended Consequences: Physical inactivity

Most kids aren’t getting the physical activity they need

Recommended 60 minutes on most, preferably all, days of the week

(US Depts. of Health and Human Services and Agriculture, 2005)

Overweight children have an increased risk of…Lower academic success

Type 2 Diabetes

Low self esteem

Decreased physical functioning

Obesity in adulthood

Negative emotional & physical effects

Safe Routes to School programs are part of the solution…

Safe Routes to School goalsWhere it’s safe, get children walking and biking

Where it’s not safe, make changes

Winston-Salem, NC

An Iowa Safe Routes to School Project

Funding provided by

I-WALK Partnership & Goal

To develop a sustainable model for community coalitions to continuously

update, implement, and evaluate the local Safe Routes to School (SRTS)

plan.

I-WALK Components1. Community coalition

2. Evaluationa) Teacher Tallyb) Parent/Child Online Surveyc) GPS Walkability Assessment

3. Presentation of data results to community

Hull, IA- Students assisting adults with I-WALK walkability assessment. April 2011

1. Community Coalition

Atlantic, IA- I-WALK GIS/GPS training in preparation for walkability assessment. March 2011

2a. Evaluation: Teacher Tally

Determines how students get to and from school

2b. Evaluation: Parent & Student Online Survey

Identifies current routes students take to/from school with mapping feature

Identifies barriers to walking or biking to school

2c. Evaluation: GPS Walkability Assessment

Coalition and community members walk routes identified by the parent & student survey

iPhone with GPS capabilities are used to collect data and sent back to ISU Extension for analysis

GPS: Sidewalk & Intersection Assessment

Intersectionassessment.

Paper map showing Assessment area assigned.

Checking for sidewalks on both sides.

3. Presentation to Community

Presentation of final report

Next steps for SRTS

*2010-11 SY: 2 communities in each of the 6 PH Regions

*2012 Spring: 4 communities

*2012-12 SY: 12 TBD additional communities

Reach*2700 in 3rd-5th grade*5,000 students in buildings*35,000 students in district* 220,000 students/adults in districtSpring 2012 Grantees

2010-11 Grantees

I-WALK GPS Walkability Assessment Welcome & Introductions I-WALK OverviewData Collection – What you are collecting today

Hands on GPS TrainingGPS CollectionReview Data & Wrap up 

Questions?

i-walk.org

What you are collecting today.

Midpoints(Diamonds)

Intersections(+Circles)

Random(Iconic)

Groups assigned to collection zones. Volunteers assigned to zone A collected data at every midblock and intersection that was within the zone A boundary.

When in doubt on a zone boundary, collect the data!! Others will see that the point has been collected.

Remember, you only need to locate one symbol at each location. For the midblock it references the sidewalks on both sides of the street.

AB

C D

Midblocks

Midblocks

Intersections

Intersections

Intersections

Intersections

Random Features:

Random features can be located at any time.

The only form item is an optional comment

Riceville, IA (April, 2011)

Kalona, IA (May, 2011)

Riceville, IA (April 2011)

Riceville, IA (April, 2011)

Atlantic, IA (March, 2011)

Note – this is a photo from GPS workshop in Riceville! The iPhone CameraWorks very well!

Riceville, IA (April, 2011)

Note – You do not have to photograph everybroken/cracked sidewalk.Just the major ones that are in major need of repair!

Tabor, IA (April, 2011)

Tabor, IA (April, 2011)

Note – You do not have to photograph everybroken/cracked sidewalk.Just the major ones that are in major need of repair!

Tabor, IA (April, 2011)

Tabor, IA (April, 2011)

Riceville, IA (April, 2011)

Hands on TrainingHand out devicesRecord Device Numbers

Walk through demoTest GPS locator

If you have questions when in the field you can call

515-509-0651