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5 <br /> 1. Introduction <br /> Background <br /> The North Carolina Department of Transportation's (NCDOT) Integrated Mobility Division <br /> (IMD) has a long history of promoting active travel to and around schools.The IMD continues to <br /> work with numerous communities across the state to develop pedestrian and bicycle plans.This <br /> is the first step in improving non-motorized transportation infrastructure within a municipality. <br /> IMD provides a number of other services, including safety education, bicycle use training, crossing <br /> guard training, and helmet promotions throughout the state. NCDOT first identified safe routes <br /> to school as a safety priority in 2000.The North Carolina Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program <br /> was established in 2005 to coordinate with the federal program.The program works with schools, <br /> local governments and agencies, advocacy and non-profit organizations, and public health <br /> professionals at a grassroots level to identify improvements that can help make bicycling and <br /> walking to and from school a safe and healthy transportation alternative. <br /> The Orange County Safe Routes to School Update analyzes the existing traffic conditions, <br /> pedestrian infrastructure, strengths, and deficiencies of 13 public schools in Orange County.The <br /> plan then recommends project and program recommendations to address the deficiencies at <br /> each school that are preventing active transportation.This report addresses 13 schools in Orange <br /> County: <br /> ♦ AL Stanback Middle, <br /> ♦ New Hope Elementary, <br /> ♦ Cedar Ridge High, <br /> ♦ Grady Brown Elementary, <br /> ♦ Central Elementary, <br /> ♦ Hillsborough Elementary, <br /> ♦ Orange Middle, <br /> ♦ Orange High, <br /> ♦ Efland Cheeks Global Elementary, <br /> ♦ Gravelly Hill Middle, <br /> ♦ River Park Elementary, <br /> ♦ Partnership Academy, and <br /> ♦ Pathways Elementary. <br /> The Orange County Safe Routes to School Update acts as a resource to further engage <br /> schools and identify how travel to and from schools can be made safer, and how to provide safe <br /> opportunities for the students to walk or bike to school.There are a multitude of reasons for the <br /> lack of active travel to school.A few of these reasons include valid concerns about traffic safety <br /> surrounding the schools, the absence of sufficient non-motorized transportation, land use policies, <br /> and school consolidation. As a result, more parents are driving their children to school, morning <br /> traffic congestion is worsening, and children are getting less exercise. Residents in Orange County <br /> can change this cycle,just as those in other communities across the country have done. <br /> Safe Routes to School <br /> Orange County,North Carolina 3 <br />