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Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute all necessary agreements with California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), and any required subsequent amendments, to receive and expend $500,000 in Safe Routes to School (SR2S) funding to provide bicycle and pedestrian safety education programs to sixty (60) elementary and middle schools in Long Beach; to execute all necessary documents with co-applicant Safe Moves; and increase appropriations by $500,000 in the General Grant Fund (SR 120) in the Department of Public Works (PW). (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The Department of Public Works, Transportation Programs Division, collaborated with Safe Moves in responding to Caltrans' solicitation for Safe Routes to School (SR2S) grant funding to educate elementary and middle school students and parents about bicycle and pedestrian safety. This project was awarded full funding through SR2S at $500,000, and does not require the City to provide any local match.
Safe Moves is a non-profit organization that is recognized as the leading authority in traffic safety education in the country. Since 1996, they have developed an effective, multifaceted program to reach out and educate elementary and middle school students and parents about pedestrian and bicycle safety. The program will also communicate the need for children to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle by safely walking and biking to school.
Workshops will be conducted for students in each grade level in forty-five (45) elementary schools and fifteen (15) middle schools throughout the City over a two-year period. Students will participate in demonstrations that include how bicycling and walking are effective modes of travel, decrease air pollution, make the community safer and will get them physically fit.
School Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Rodeos will be conducted to allow students to learn about safety by walking and bicycling through a miniature city, consisting of streets, sidewalks, intersections, crosswalks, traffic signals, traffic signs, residential areas, business districts, cars, trucks, buses, and a railroad track with signals, crossing gate and train. The miniature city is designed to simulate the diverse traffic environments in the City of Long Beach and to create "problem solving" experiences for each grade level. Treadmills and rock climbing walls will also be used to reinforce learning. Treadmills will be set up for elementary students so they can see how far they can walk or ride in a given amount of time. To convey the physical impact of collisions, middle school students will have the opportunity to climb a mobile rock wall while wearing a safety harness, under the supervision of professional staff. The program is designed to demonstrate that a fall from the 20-foot rock wall would have the same impact on their bodies as being struck by a vehicle traveling 20 miles per hour. Many more activities are included for families, children and teens.
Professional cyclist Antonio Cruz, through Cruz & Associates (Cruz), is partnering with Safe Moves to encourage and promote safe bicycling. Cruz will expand on the importance of bicycle safety and broaden participation in the elementary, middle school and family safety programs. Cruz will also work with selected middle schools to create racing clubs that compete with each other to encourage active living in a fun and friendly competitive environment that will continue beyond the life of the grant.
Safe Moves has been conducting bike safety education programs for more than ten (10) years, and has served over a million students throughout Los Angeles County. They have received numerous awards and honors for its work in the field of traffic and bicycle safety.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Linda Trang on October 1, 2009 and by Budget and Performance Management Bureau Manager David Wodynski on September 30,2009.
SUST AI NABLITY
This bicycle and pedestrian safety program will reach 50,000 students and their parents, teaching and encouraging them to walk or ride their bikes to school. Many parents currently drive their children to school, even if it's only a few blocks away, increasing traffic, congestion and emissions. If the program results in even half of these students walking or riding their bike to school only one day per week, a reduction of over 1.2 million pounds of C02 emissions per year would result to improve the environment and the health of our students.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on October 20, 2009 in order to facilitate processing of required documents to initiate the bicycle and pedestrian safety education program.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding is for a period of two years in the amount of $500,000. Funding will be made available through the Caltrans Safe Routes to School Program and will be expended through the General Grant Fund (SR 120) in the Department of Public Works (PW). Current appropriations do not exist to expend these grant funds; therefore, an appropriations increase of $500,000 is included in the recommendation. No local matching funds are required and there will be no impact to the General Fund.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
MICHAEL P. CONWAY
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
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PATRICK H. WEST |
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CITY MANAGER |