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ITEM 4 <br />Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) Action Plan OVERVIEW <br />April 17, 2013 <br /> <br /> <br />SRTS PROGRAM BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE <br />The Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program was established in the 2005 Safe, <br />Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users <br />(SAFETEA-LU). It is a federally-funded grant reimbursement program providing an <br />opportunity for communities to improve conditions for bicycling and walking to school. <br />Section 1404 of SAFETEA-LU mandates that the North Carolina Department of <br />Transportation (NCDOT) administer this program within the state, providing financial <br />assistance to state, local, and regional agencies, including non-profit organizations that <br />demonstrate an ability to meet the requirements of the program. <br />The purpose of the SRTS program is to: <br />• Enable and encourage children, including those with disabilities, to walk and <br /> bicycle to school. <br />• Make bicycling and walking to school a safer and more appealing transportation <br /> alternative, thereby encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle from an early age. <br />• Facilitate the planning, development, and implementation of projects and <br /> activities that will improve safety and reduce traffic, fuel consumption, and air <br /> pollution in the vicinity of schools. <br />The NC SRTS Program works with schools, local governments and agencies, advocacy <br />and non-profit organizations, and public health professionals at a grassroots level to <br />identify improvements that can help make bicycling and walking to and from school a <br />safe and healthy transportation alternative. <br />ORANGE COUNTY SRTS ACTION PLAN BACKGROUND <br />Orange County received a Safe Routes to School (SRST) Action Plan Service Award in <br />July 2008 for planning assistance to prepare an Action Plan for Grady A. Brown <br />Elementary School, Cameron Park Elementary School and C.W. Stanford Middle <br />School. <br />In 2009 NCDOT contracted Greenways, Incorporated and Greene Transportation <br />Solutions to work with County staff, local agency representatives, School Team leaders <br />and principals of the three schools to identify non-motorized infrastructure <br />improvements that enhance safety for walking and bicycling. <br />The Plan development process included a visioning and goals session and map working <br />session with the project staff, steering committee, and consultants. This was followed <br />by comprehensive fieldwork and a public workshop that sought input from residents, <br />13 <br />ReturntoAgenda