|
It was the first week of school when a student was hit by a car leaving Century High School in Rochester on County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 2 while walking across the street to the entrance of their neighborhood.
Thankfully, the student is OK, but the community realized crossing a 40 mph roadway is challenge even with a crosswalk. The school was originally built on the edge of town next to the county state highway, where hundreds of houses and subdivisions have popped up in the two decades since. This created both increased car traffic and the opportunity for more students to walk and bike to school. After the crash, the school, community partners and parents worked quickly to make safety improvements for students walking across this busy roadway.
 Local partners included Rochester Public Schools Safe Routes to School Coordinator, Olmsted County Public Health, the Century High School principal, the school’s resource officer, Olmsted County’s engineer, and parents from the neighborhood the crosswalk serves. The partnership worked to find both short- and long-term solutions to make walking to and from school safer.
Crossing guards from the school protected the crosswalk after school temporarily until other solutions could be determined. A speed study determined the need for a school speed zone, dropping the speed from 40 mph to 30 mph. Crews added more speed signage and flashing lights to help bring awareness to the school speed limit, along with additional visibility of the school resource officer vehicle near the location for the first few weeks of the new speed. The school district developed a pedestrian safety video and shared it through emails and social media targeting parents and students.
The group didn’t just stop at those changes. They wanted to find a more permanent solution for a safer crossing. Rochester Public Works completed an Intersection Control Evaluation report to analyze, evaluate and determine the appropriate traffic control measures to install at the intersection. Through this study, the next engineering improvement includes installing a roundabout on CSAH 2 at the intersection of Century Hills Drive and Cassidy Drive. Design work for this project should finish this year, with the roundabout built in 2023. This is a joint project between the City of Rochester and Olmsted County.
We commend the quick work of Rochester Public Schools to address safety concerns at this intersection. They pushed beyond temporary solutions for longer-term engineering and speed control designs so youth can safely, confidently and conveniently walk, bike, and roll to school and in daily life.
Upcoming Funding Opportunity: Demonstration Projects
Demonstration projects are short-term, low-cost, temporary roadway projects used to pilot long-term design solutions to improve walking/bicycling and public spaces. MnDOT has tested demonstration projects in communities all over Minnesota. Projects may include bicycle lanes, crosswalk markings, curb extensions and median safety islands. Demonstration projects allow public agencies, community partners, as well as people walking, biking, taking transit, and driving to evaluate potential infrastructure improvements before investing in permanent changes.
Demonstration Project Technical Assistance solicitation will open Feb. 1 for communities interested in testing out a design near their schools from a SRTS plan, engineering study or other identified need. This funding opportunity also supports demonstration projects to other priority destinations. Consultants will assist the school and community through the planning, design, implementation and evaluation of the projects.
Reminder: Winter Walk to School day is Feb. 2.
Dig out your hats and gloves, organize your volunteers and get stepping for Minnesota’s fifth- annual Winter Walk to School Day on Wednesday, Feb. 2,.
Why wouldn’t we throw a Walk (and Bike) to School Day party in the middle of the winter? After all, this is Minnesota, the land of ice fishing, hockey, cross-country skiing, fat biking and sledding. –
Help your school win the “Golden Snow Boot” Award! During each Winter Walk to School Day, our MnSRTS team asks participating schools to submit stories and photos of their event to compete for the Golden Snow Boot Award. Submit your stories and photos to dave.cowan@state.mn.us by Feb. 11 to enter.
See some sample messaging below or check out all the Winter Walk to School Day resources on the recently updated SRTS Resource Center. We’ve got social media posts, flyers, postcards, frequent walker punch cards, and sticker templates for you to use!
Register by Jan. 21 and we’ll support your efforts with materials and incentives to get your school moving.
Safe Routes in the News: Earn-a-bike Program in Rochester
The freedom that comes with having a reliable bicycle can be a game-charger for a person, which is why Pata de Perro has made it its mission to empower community members to get mobile on two wheels.
The community bike club in downtown Rochester offers local youth the opportunity to earn a free bike, along with education on how to maintain and repair it. The club also partners on a number of area events to promote cycling and volunteerism in the community.
Learn more about the program.
Join the Safe Routes National List Serve
There is a Safe Routes National Partnership list serve to ask questions and learn about work from across the country. You can either view the history of discussion in the google group or as emails come in.
If you have a Google account, you can join through this link. If not, you can email Brittany at brittany@saferoutespartnership.org and she can add you.
Bikeable Community Workshops – Applications open
Bikeable Community Workshops train local and regional staff, community leaders, and local bike advocates on strategies to create a more bike-friendly community. Through discussions, presentations, and an on-bike mobile workshop, participants will assess and evaluate their community’s current efforts and bicycle facilities to work together to create a personalized community action plan.
Check out the BikeMN website for more details on the application process and workshop planning.
Applications due are due by 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21.
Upcoming events
Feb. 3, 10-11 a.m. – MN SRTS Network Call
Feb. 2 - Winter Walk to School Day
May 4 - Bike to School Day
Resources
More about MnSRTS
MnDOT invites and encourages participation by all. If you need an ASL, a foreign language interpreter, or other reasonable accommodation, or need documents in an alternative format (such as braille or large print), please email your request to Janet Miller at ADArequest.dot@state.mn.us or call 651-366-4720.
|
