Agenda - 09-06-2016-13-6 - Information Item - Safe Routes to School Plan Update

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INFORMATION ITEM 1 PLANNING & INSPECTIONS DEPARTMENT Craig N. Benedict, AICP, Director Administration 131 W. Margaret Lane (919) 245-2575 Suite 201 (919) 644-3002 (FAX) [ N :„itE" „ w„ VU a P. O. Box 8181 www.orangecountync.gov 1,t i i : �l1 A Hillsborough, NC 27278 lair "lii/r1 k�1��10y1117rifil y a nm � 000II0 � ,, /� „ a � �� G � M rig�ryIIi N i �; luu � � i „d e7,mow no Itr i 1111 , 6„ 114 u` lll�Ih"�M� 1 r r,, f1o0 urrr+r , I10"Of 11 Oo ,rr MEMORANDUM TO: Board of County Commissioners FROM: Craig Benedict, Planning & Inspections Director DATE: August 16, 2016 SUBJECT: INFORMATION ITEM — Safe Routes to School Plan Update The Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Action Plan was adopted by Orange County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), Orange County Schools, and the Town of Hillsborough in 2014. This update includes a review of the Town's adoption of its Community Connectivity Plan, and the shift in funding program criteria over the past several years, resulting in the prioritization of urban settings and highway projects over bicycle and pedestrian projects. However, limited implementation of non-infrastructure projects may be possible with the participation and support of our Plan partners. The SRTS Plan was developed under the NC SRTS Program, with the goal of identifying improvements that make bicycling and walking to and from school a safe and healthy transportation alternative. The three schools included in the SRTS Plan are part of the Orange County school system, and all are located inside or adjacent to the Town of Hillsborough: • Grady A. Brown Elementary School (in the County's jurisdiction) • Cameron Park Elementary School (in the Town's jurisdiction) • C.W. Stanford Middle School (in the Town's jurisdiction) Eligible SRTS projects can be bundled as infrastructure and non-infrastructure. Funding can include training volunteers, building sidewalks, creating cross walks, making safety improvements, constructing bicycle lanes and pedestrian paths, etc. All projects must be within two (2) miles of a K-8 school. Obstacles to Plan Implementation Project Funding: Following adoption, and as recommended by the adopted Plan, a SRTS Action Plan Advisory Committee (APAC) was established that would be responsible for managing plan implementation. However, during this same time period there were some revisions to federal and state funding sources that impacted future funding resources for the Safe Routes to School program. Specifically, the federal Moving Ahead for Progress in