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Safe Routes to School Project Update Copyrighted August 7, 2023 City of Dubuque Action Items # 09. City Council Meeting ITEM TITLE: Safe Routes to School Project Update SUM MARY: City Manager providing an update on the Safe Routes to School activities that city staff are currently pursuing. SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File DISPOSITION: ATTACHMENTS: Description Type MVM Memo Ordinance Staff Memo Staff Memo E�ibit Supporting Documentation Dubuque THE CITY QF � All-Meriea Ciry DLT B E ; . � . � �� MaSt� Z�C� aYd t�Q Mt55ZSSZ Z zoa�•zoiz•�ai3 YP pp za��*zai� TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager SUBJECT: Safe Routes to School Project Update DATE: August 2, 2023 City Engineer Gus Psihoyos is providing an update on the Safe Routes to School activities that city staff are currently pursuing. The Safe Routes to Schools group held their first meeting on July 20, 2023. Representatives were present from: • lowa Safe Routes to School Coordinator Matt Burkey • Dubuque Community School District o Executive Director of Student Services Shirley Horstman o Transportation Manager Ernie Bolibaugh • Holy Family Catholic Schools Chief Administrator Phillip Bormann • DMATS/ECIA Senior Planner Dan Fox • City Departments o Engineering: Traffic Engineer Justine Hull o Police: Lt. Bruce Deutsch, Head of School Resource Officers o Public Health Director Mary Rose Corrigan o Transportation Services Manager Ryan Knuckey and Operations Supervisor Jodi Johnson o Sustainability: Climate Action Coordinator Amanda Lewis o Planning Services: Assistant Planner Jason Duba The group discussed Safe Routes to School concepts, reviewed the 2009 Dubuque Safe Routes to School Plan, and discussed ways to update the plan and implement programs and improvements at elementary schools. The group is currently determining next steps such as how to focus their efforts, how frequently to meet, and including other partners. Engineering staff were contacted by the principal of Bryant School to address the school crossing on S. Grandview Avenue. Parents at the school are concerned with motorists' behavior where cars would try, and pass stopped vehicles on the right. This behavior is extremely dangerous and has resulted in several near misses. In response to these concerns, engineering staff designed a school crossing that utilizes curb bump outs to help narrow the roadway and prevent cars from passing stopped vehicles at the crosswalk. See attached exhibit. The abutting property owners near the crosswalk have been contacted and informed of the proposed crosswalk change. They are in full support of the proposed change. Engineering staff reviewed with the Bryant School principal and a school parent spokesperson onsite to discuss changes. They are very supportive of the planned crosswalk change. Everyone contacted indicated a desire to have this crosswalk improved by the time school starts for orientation on August 21, 2023. Engineering staff contacted a contractor who is working in the area and hired Top Grade Excavating, of Farley, IA to remove the old crosswalk and construct a new crosswalk. The new crosswalk will be constructed and available for use by August 21, 2023. The contractor was hired using the city-wide contractor pricing, the city solicits bids in the spring of each year. The new crosswalk will be ADA compliant. The existing rapid flasher crossing beacons at the old crosswalk will be moved to the new crosswalk location. The new bump outs at the crosswalk were designed with Public Works plows and sweepers in mind and will accommodate future bike lanes should they be installed on S. Grandview Avenue in the future. � Mic ael C. Van Milligen MCVM:sv Attachment cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer Justine Hull, Traffic Engineer Mary Rose Corrigan, Public Health Director Amanda Lewis, Sustainability Climate Action Coordinator Jason Duba, Assistant Planner Jon Dienst, Civil Engineer II 2 Dubuque THE CITY OF � All•pmerisa Ci$ DuB E ti��r��rtk�.4.F ' � II ��' Ml�ste iece on the MisSiSsi i zoo��zoiz�zois �P pp zoi��zoi� TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager FROM: Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer SUBJECT: Safe Routes to School Project Update DATE: August 1, 2023 INTRODUCTION The purpose of this memo is to provide an update on the Safe Routes to School activities that city staff are currently pursuing. DISCUSSION Planning Services staff are developing a local Safe Routes to School team that would work with the lowa Safe Routes to School Coordinator, who describes the effort this way: "The goal of the lowa Safe Routes to School program is to get more kids walking and bicycling to and from school. To achieve this goal, communities need safe walking and bicycling infrastructure, activities that encourage students to choose bicycling and walking, and education programs that teach kids how to walk and bicycle safely. The lowa Bicycle Coalition seeks to scale up its current programs to educate a generation of students each year. Our 5-year vision is to reach every 4th grader in the state. "In order for the program to reach its potential, we need to involve more community leaders who have the occupational abilities, connections, and opportunities to implement the program. We need to find champions who can get the entire district involved instead of just one classroom at a time. A Dubuque SRTS team can help evaluate the needs of the schools in the area and where we should focus our time on education, training, or grants for infrastructure." The group held their first meeting on July 20, 2023. Representatives were present from: • lowa Safe Routes to School Coordinator Matt Burkey • Dubuque Community School District o Executive Director of Student Services Shirley Horstman o Transportation Manager Ernie Bolibaugh • Holy Family Catholic Schools Chief Administrator Phillip Bormann • DMATS/ECIA Senior Planner Dan Fox • City Departments o Engineering: Traffic Engineer Justine Hull o Police: Lt. Bruce Deutsch, Head of School Resource Officers o Public Health Director Mary Rose Corrigan o Transportation Services Manager Ryan Knuckey and Operations Supervisor Jodi Johnson o Sustainability: Climate Action Coordinator Amanda Lewis o Planning Services: Assistant Planner Jason Duba The group discussed Safe Routes to School concepts, reviewed the 2009 Dubuque Safe Routes to School Plan, and discussed ways to update the plan and implement programs and improvements at elementary schools. The group is currently determining next steps such as how to focus their efforts, how frequently to meet, and including other partners. � Safe Routes National Partnership: https://www.saferoutespartnership.orq/ • lowa Safe Routes to School: https://iowasaferoutes.org/ The link to interactive map of the projects recommended by the plan and their status: https://dubuque.maps.arcqis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html?webmap=7bfc984bb8514c3 6aed20787e4dc1bc3 CURRENT PROJECT Engineering staff were contacted by the principal of Bryant School to address the school crossing on S. Grandview Avenue. Parents at the school are concerned with motorists' behavior where cars would try, and pass stopped vehicles on the right. This behavior is extremely dangerous and has resulted in several near misses. In response to these concerns, engineering staff designed a school crossing that utilizes curb bump outs to help narrow the roadway and prevent cars from passing stopped vehicles at the crosswalk. See attached exhibit. The abutting property owners near the crosswalk have been contacted and informed of the proposed crosswalk change. They are in full support of the proposed change. Engineering staff reviewed with the Bryant School principal and a school parent spokesperson onsite to discuss changes. They are very supportive of the planned crosswalk change. Everyone contacted indicated a desire to have this crosswalk improved by the time school starts for orientation on August 21, 2023. Engineering staff contacted a contractor who is working in the area and hired Top Grade Excavating, of Farley, IA to remove the old crosswalk and construct a new crosswalk. The new crosswalk will be constructed and available for use by August 21, 2023. The contractor was hired using the city-wide contractor pricing, the city solicits bids in the spring of each year. The new crosswalk will be ADA compliant. The existing rapid flasher crossing beacons at the old crosswalk will be moved to the new crosswalk location. The new bump outs at the crosswalk were designed with Public Works plows and sweepers in mind and will accommodate future bike lanes should they be installed on S. Grandview Avenue in the future. ACTION TO BE TAKEN This memo is for informational purposes. Attach. Prepared by Jon Dienst, P.E. and Jason Duba cc: Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager Justine Hull, Traffic Engineer Mary Rose Corrigan, Public Health Director Amanda Lewis, Sustainability Climate Action Coordinator Jason Duba, Assistant Planner i � � � � � , i � , i � , i � i i � � ' � I I I I i—�-- - - II � � � �� q ;� i / � � � I I � II II ',, il I I � � � ,, , II � � I II I / � � � I I / � '� i , � I I II � �` � �'. II � � ` " I ,� �I I � I II I I II II l � I � � I � � i 'i i � � �� ; �oe I I I �� e � I �r$o I� - � I / I II �°°� I D � i I ° � o°oe � I i I � � e°n°,e I I �� / i �II � ,ve° � I ,� , �� o I - - — � � ! 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