This is the October issue of the Marin Safe Routes to Schools ENewsletter. This newsletter provides you with monthly updates of the Marin Safe Routes to Schools program, including highlights of the month.
Highlights of the Month
International Walk to School Day the Biggest Ever in Marin
$1.7 Million in Safe Pathways Funding Awarded
Dixie School Rodeo
High School Students Help Organize
Schools Initiate SchoolPool Program
Early Bird Special for First National Conference
on Safe Routes to Schools
OCTOBER'S CALENDAR
Mill Valley Task Force
Tuesday , October 9, 9:15 am
Sewer Agency of Southern Marin Conference room
450 Sycamore Ave., Mill Valley
Novato Task Force Meeting
Thursday October 10, 7 pm
Novato Unified School District
1015 7th Street, Novato
Ross Valley Task Force
Wednesday October 10, 9:30 am
Ross Valley School District Office
110 Shaw Drive, San Anselmo
Dixie Task Force
Thursday, October 18, 7 pm
Miller Creek Library (To be confirmed)
2255 Las Galinas Road, San Rafael
Twin Cities (Corte Madera and Larkspur) Task Force
Tuesday, October 30, 3:30 pm
Larkspur Recreation Dept.
240 Doherty Drive, Larkspur
Sun Valley Task Force Meeting
Wednesday November 7, 8:30–9:30 am
Sun Valley School
75 Happy Lane, San Rafael
Back to the top
International Walk to School Day the Biggest Ever in Marin
The streets were alive with children throughout Marin on International Walk to School Day on October 3rd. At least 40 Marin schools participated in the annual event which is celebrated in 39 countries around the world in addition to every state in the United States. 25-30% of morning traffic is from children being dropped off at school. In recent years that percentage is dropping in schools all over Marin as they participate in the Transportation Authority of Marin’s Safe Routes to Schools program.
At Tam Valley School in Mill Valley, four hundred elementary children and their parents gathered together behind a fire truck to demonstrate their enthusiasm for walking and biking. “Walking to school is great exercise and is starting to be the next fitness trend.“ said Perry King, team leader for the Safe Routes to Schools program at Tam Valley School. .” Just walking 15 minutes to and from school can burn a minimum of 1500 calories a week.”
Manor School in Fairfax had a bike train of over 200 that originated from town hall and stretched for blocks. Out of 340 Manor students, 117 walked, 151 rode their bikes, 19 took scooters or skateboards, and three students carpooled. Over at White Hill Middle School in Fairfax 140 students came to school on foot or pedal power.
San Anselmo had a huge turnout. At least 3/4 of Wade Thomas students met at Creek Park and walked to school. They were joined by 70 kids from St. Anselms along with 10-15 from San Anselmo Pre-School. The line of kids and parents down San Anselmo Avenue stretched from Ross Ave all the way to Creek Park.
Out of 325 students at Coleman School in San Rafael,150 took part in International Walk to School day. “I tried to keep my eye on the circle as cars came in to drop off,” said organizer Lindsay McKenzie. “I never once saw the typical blockage of waiting cars that normally flows out onto Belle Ave.”
A full rundown of this year’s Walk to School Day activities will be featured in next month’s ENews. (Photo by Peter Oppenheimer)
.
$1,762,000 in Safe Pathways Funded
On Thursday, September 27, the Transportation Authority of Marin awarded almost $1.8 million in Measure A Safe Pathways to Schools funding to Marin County cities and towns. Safe Pathways funds safety improvements associated with walking and bicycling trips to and from schools. Additional Safe Pathway projects will be funded by Measure A funds in future years. The following projects were approved for funding.
Brookside Elementary (San Anselmo): Provide sidewalks, curb ramps and high-visibility school crosswalks on the west side of Butterfield Road.
- Edna McGuire and Old Mill Elementary Schools (Mill Valley): Provide curb extension and reconfigure traffic island at Edna McGuire School and provide signs and pavement markings at Old Mill School.
- Hall Middle School (Larkspur): Provide a path along the existing right-of-way between Doherty Drive and Heatherwood Park.
- Hall Middle and Redwood High Schools (Larkspur): Provide signing and striping to improve pedestrian access safety on Doherty Drive at Hall Middle School and Redwood High School.
- Laurel Dell Elementary (San Rafael): Improve the walk path on the northern side of Woodland Avenue.
- Manor Elementary (Fairfax): Install a 125’ sidewalk along the east side of Oak Manor Drive beginning at Sir Francis Drake Boulevard.
- Maria Silveira School (Marinwood Unincorporated Marin County: Reduce crosswalk lengths at intersection of Las Gallinas Avenue and Blackstone Drive and install bulbouts.
- Neil Cummins Elementary (Corte Madera): Provide new signs and pavement markings at Pixley Avenue/Redwood Avenue and in vicinity of school entrance on Mohawk Avenue.
- Ross School (Ross): Pave a 3,000-foot path along Shady Lane from Lagunitas Road to Bolinas Avenue.
- Tamalpais High School (Mill Valley): Widen Miller Avenue sidewalk and create a new entrance to the school for on-campus drop off lanes.
- Wade Thomas Elementary and St. Anselms Elementary (San Anselmo): Provide high visibility crosswalks, count down pedestrian signal heads, signage, striping and curb ramps at intersections.
- White Hill Middle School (Fairfax): Install high visibility crosswalk and additional school warning lights on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and provide signage and striping on Glen Drive.
Dixie School Rodeo
Every year, Dixie School kicks off its Safe Routes to Schools program with an all day rodeo for 2nd through 5th graders. Volunteers from the school and police officers joined Safe Routes to Schools staff on September 28 in putting on this year’s rodeo, which included the Safetyville stop sign course, a Turtle Race, Rock Dodge and Slalom Course. Snacks and lunch were provided for the volunteers. The police gave away stick-on police badges and sheriff stars for the kids. Despite a cold, grey day, the kids had a great time learning basic bicycle rules of the road, balance and control, and stopping at stop signs.
(Photo by Peter Oppenheimer)
Back to the top
Redwood High School Students Intern to Help Organize SR2S Events
Four students from Redwood High School will be interning with Safe Routes to Schools this year to help organize events and promote walking and biking to school. Their first project was organizing International Walk to School Day. Other possible projects could include an event borrowed from England called “Beauty and the Bike” to encourage more girls to bike to school The event would include a fashion show and other tips for riding bikes while still staying fashionable. The interns have also discussed organizing a bicycle field trip for themselves to learn more about trip planning. Each student will be expected to complete one project as part of their community service training.
Schools Initiate SchoolPool Program
Edna Maguire School in Mill Valley and Sun Valley school in San Rafael are the first schools to sign up for the new SchoolPool pilot programs. Edna Maguire, working with Deborah Cole, the SchoolPool Specialist, launched and implemented their SchoolPool networking (matching families to walk, ride and carpool to school) in time for International Walk and Roll to School Day and had the largest turnout in six years of the event. Sun Valley school is working with the SchoolPool pilot program to develop a neighborhood directory to assist parents in finding others for SchoolPooling. Both schools have distributed sign up forms and will use their regular Walk and Roll to School Days and Golden Sneaker Award contests to encourage more participation. San Anselmo Preschool is also organizingSchoolPool managed by a parent in the school. There is room for three more schools to participate in this program and a number of school team leaders have expressed an interest.
Back to the top
First National Conference on Safe Routes to Schools
Interested in learning more about Safe Routes to Schools? Sign up for the 1st Safe Routes to School National Conference scheduled for November 5-7 in Dearborn, Michigan. The National Center for Safe Routes to School and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership proudly present this inaugural event. Early registration ends October 10. At $190, this early rate special includes your choice of more than 25 workshops, three inspiring plenary speakers, fabulous meals and three days of valuable networking with Safe Routes to School advocates, champions and leaders from around the country. On October 11, the rate increases to $240 for the full conference, so don’t wait to register.
Safe Routes to Schools
is a program of the
Transportation Authority
of Marin
3501 Civic Center Dr.
San Rafael, CA 94913
www.tam.ca.gov
Project Manager:
David Parisi
415-388-8978
david@
parisi-associates.com
For general
information
on the Safe Routes
program:
Program Director:
Wendi Kallins
415-488-4101
wendi@marinbike.org
For information on
school activities
and classes:
Project Coordinator:
Laura Kelly
415-456-3469 ext. 2#
laura@marinbike.org
