SOUTH SHORE K-8 WALK/BIKE AUDIT REPORT & FIELD NOTES

APRIL 21, 2015

SEATTLE, WA

REPORT PRODUCED BY

feet firstpromoting walkable communities

FUNDING PROVIDED BY

South Shore K-8 Walk and Bike Audit Participants

OCTOBER 2015

OCTOBER 2015

Table of Contents The Safe Routes to School Program at South Shore K-8 School in Seattle .........................................................................................1

Why Safe Routes to School Matters ......................................................................................................................................................... 1

Who is Involved? ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 1

What is a Walk/Bike Audit? ...................................................................................................................................................................... 1

Overview of South Shore K-8 ....................................................................................................................................................................2

Neighborhood Characteristics ................................................................................................................................................................. 2

School Walk Zone ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 3

Figure 1: South Shore Transportation Boundaries .................................................................................................................................. 3

Walk/Bike Audit Route ...............................................................................................................................................................................3

Top Recommendations .......................................................................................................................................................................... 4-9

Next Steps .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9

South Shore Walking Audit Field Notes .............................................................................................................................................. 10-16

South Shore Biking Audit Field Notes ................................................................................................................................................ 17-22

Contacts and Project Information ............................................................................................................................................................. 23

OCTOBER 2015

1

Safe Routes to School Program at South Shore K-8 in Seattle Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a growing movement to encourage and support active commuting by school children and families. At the intersection of public health, public safety, education, and transportation, SRTS helps communities reclaim walking and biking routes to school. Safe Routes to School programs break barriers and solutions into 5 components: Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, Engineering, and Evaluation. The main goal of the Safe Routes to School program is to encourage more students and families to walk and bike safely to school.

Why SRTS Matters The practice of walking and biking to school has positive effects on fitness, overall activity levels, and students’ readiness to learn. Over the past generation, active school commuting has steadily declined, while childhood obesity rates have increased. The share of students who walk or bike to school has fallen from 48 percent to 13 percent since the 1960s, while childhood obesity rates have tripled in that same time period. In addition to the positive health and educational benefits, SRTS is often credited with strengthening social ties between neighbors and enriching school communities. Walking and biking to school bring together families,

neighbors and school staff who might otherwise be traveling exclusively by car.

What is a Walk/Bike Audit? A walk/bike audit is an opportunity for community members and program partners to gain firsthand knowledge of the walking/biking environment, and to jointly develop improvement strategies where safety issues exist. A group of parents, students, school staff, city staff, and other community members walk the area around the school, discuss problems and possible solutions, and take notes which contribute to this, the final report. This report can be used as a tool to engage city officials, policy makers, and community members in making the school neighborhood a better place for walking and biking. This report will document the progress of the SRTS grant and lay a foundation for further improvements.

OCTOBER 2015

2

Overview of South Shore K-8 South Shore K-8 is an option school that serves about 700 students in Rainier Beach and surrounding neighborhoods in Southeast Seattle. Of those 700, approximately 616, (88%) students live within 2 miles of the school. Approximately 120 (17%) students live within the 1 mile walk boundary of the school. In a mode choice tally given in 2012, students were asked how they got to school. Figure 1 depicts the results of the survey.

Figure 1: Student Travel Choice at South Shore PK-8 2012

Neighborhood Characteristics Rainier Beach is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse places to live in Washington. South Shore K-8 is located on a campus with three adjacent school sites; Dunlap Elementary, Rainier Beach High School, and South Lake High School. There is a high volume of school-related traffic around the campus throughout the day. The school itself is located near both residential and business districts. Sound Transit’s Rainier Beach LINK Light Rail Station is located 0.3 miles west of the campus at S. Henderson St. To the east of the campus lies Beer Sheva Park and the Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands, run by Seattle TILTH. A 4 minute walk south from the school leads students to the Rainier Beach public library.

OCTOBER 2015

3

School Walk Zone The school walk zone as defined by the Seattle Public Schools is outlined in white in Figure 2. In 2014 17% of students lived within the walk zone. Students living outside of the walk zone are eligible for school bus service.

Walk and Bike Audit Routes Figure 3 shows the areas reviewed in this report, including the April 21, 2015 walk audit route (orange dashes) and bike route (green dashes).

Figure 3: Walk and Bike Audit Routes taken

Figure 2: This walk route map, produced by the City of Seattle, shows the South Shore K-8 neighborhood with the walk boundary in white.

OCTOBER 2015

4

Top Recommendations for South Shore K-8

Recommendations for built environment improvements:

1. Improve crossing safety for people biking and walking at S Henderson St and 48th Ave S.

2. Improve crossing safety for people biking and walking at Rainier Ave S and S 51st St.

3. Tame traffic on the segment of Rainier Ave S closest to South Shore K-8.

4. Improve crossing safety for people biking and walking at Rainier Ave S and S Cloverdale St.

5. Explore design possibilities for a “living street” (woonerf) on Henderson St between Rainier Ave S and Beer Shiva Park.

Recommendations for non-infrastructure activities:

1. Work with local business and community leaders to activate public spaces.

2. Continue biking and walking safety education and encouragement for students and families.

3. Generate circulation plan for arrival and departure. 4. Retain crossing guards at critical locations along S

Henderson St.

Detailed descriptions of these recommendations are found on the pages that follow.

Figure 4: Top Recommendation Locations

OCTOBER 2015

5

Recommendations for built environment improvements:

1. Improve crossing safety for people biking and walking at S Henderson St and 48th Ave S. This unmarked crossing at a “T” intersection has a wide curb bulb and bicycle lane on the north side of S Henderson St. After school, it is common to see drivers parked or idling in the intersection, blocking the sightlines for students who regularly cross here. Drivers also confuse the bike lane with a parking strip. We recommend installing flexible delineators in the crosswalk zone at 48th Ave S, and/or a green carpet along the bike lane between the crosswalk zone and the school driveway egress to keep the bike lane clear. This will open up sightlines and greatly improve safety here. In addition, school personnel should encourage the students who cross at this intersection to use one of the nearby crosswalks staffed by adult crossing guards instead.

Figure 5: An illustration of the recommended improvements.

Figure 5: The red circle marks two vehicles that are parked in and within 20’ of the crosswalk at 48th Ave S and S Henderson St., they are also parked in a marked bike lane. Students from South Shore K-8 cross here daily.

OCTOBER 2015

6

2. Improve crossing safety for people biking and walking at Rainier Ave S and S 51st St. A sharp bend in Rainier Ave S and an obtuse intersection with S 51st St make this location a difficult and confusing place to walk or bike. The shape of the southwest corner of the intersection lengthens the distances people need to walk to cross Rainier Ave S and S 51st from the southwest. The SRTS grant will address this problem by installing stop bars, a pedestrian refuge island, pedestrian countdown signals, high visibility signal heads and a curb bulb with pedestrian scale lighting. Public art is included in this project thanks to Seattle’s 1% for the Arts program. After extensive community outreach the installation was designed by Peter Reiquam, a former resident of Rainier Beach. The piece will create a defining gateway feature that announces one’s arrival to the heart of the Rainier Beach neighborhood.

.

“Rainier Avenue is unsafe. Commuters rushing to work in the morning are more important to policymakers than my child's

health and safety. SLOW DOWN TRAFFIC ON RAINIER.”

Parent comment, SRTS online survey, Spring 2015

Figure 8: Physical improvements. Courtesy SDOT.

Figure 7: Current crossing at 51st Ave S. and Rainier Ave S.

OCTOBER 2015

7

3. Tame traffic on the segment of Rainier Ave S closest to the school. Rainier Ave S between S Cloverdale St and S 51st St is busy with people driving cars and buses, and walking, during the day and night. Several student and adults cyclists were observed using the sidewalk and bike lane on S. Henderson St. Audit participants observed drivers frequently failing to yield to pedestrians when turning. Despite high volumes of traffic, fast driving is common. Crossing guard Charles Hardy (Figures 9 and 10) is posted at Rainier S. Henderson before and after school. He described frequent failure to yield to people in the crosswalks despite his presence.

We recommend the following improvements to help tame traffic and improve safety: a. Flashing beacons should be installed on Rainier

north of S Cloverdale St so that southbound drivers know to slow down prior to entering the school zone.

b. Stop bars should be marked before all crosswalks at the intersections of Rainier Ave S and S Henderson St.

The SRTS SDOT grant has addressed these problems by installing flashing school zone beacons on Rainier Ave S.

Figure 10: The intersection of Rainier Ave S and S Henderson St

“On Rainier, the cars speed. Cars are not aware of where they’re going.” - Dahir, 7th grade student

Figure 9: Assistant Principal Hendrickson and Crossing Guard Charles Hardy

OCTOBER 2015

8

4. Improve crossing safety for people biking and walking at Rainier Ave S and S Cloverdale St. This crossing is in the walk zone for South Shore High School and abuts the campus of South Lake High School. The irregular intersection created by an angle in S Cloverdale St makes the crossings long for pedestrians and potentially confusing for drivers turning onto Rainier Ave S from S Cloverdale St. Long driveways to the convenience store at the southwest corner of the intersection add to a difficult environment for people on the sidewalk. An engineering study should be conducted at this intersection to explore solutions to enhance walk and bike safety at this location. The crossing guard should be retained here.

5. Explore design possibilities for a “living street” (woonerf) on S. Henderson St between Rainier Ave S and Beer Shiva park. The area east of Rainier Ave S and west of Seward Ave S on S Henderson St is an area with high density of students, including pre-kindergarten students. The traffic in the area could be slowed to below 20mph with a mix of stop signs, speed bumps, diverters and other safety devices. This would prioritize people on foot and bike over cars, creating a safer environment for young people and bolstering community networks.

Figure 11: A student crossing Rainier Ave S at S Cloverdale St

Figure 12: The red oval illustrates the area of the proposed “living street”

OCTOBER 2015

9

Recommendations for non-infrastructure activities:

1. Collaborate from the start with local business and community leaders such as the Rainier Beach Merchants’ Association, Rainier Beach: A Beautiful, Safe Place for Kids, Fathers and Sons Together, Rainier Beach Action Coalition, and the South Beach, South Shore pre-K, and Rainier Beach school communities.

2. Activate public spaces by making the green space east of the Rainier Beach library more youth-friendly, and by managing invasive species and advocating for pedestrian scale lighting on the train between the library and Barton Place housing development.

3. Continue biking and walking safety education and encouragement for students and families. The current SRTS grant will continue in the fall of 2015 with in-class bicycle safety education and a Walk and Roll campaign in October.

4. Generate circulation plan for arrival and departure

Next Steps Many of the top recommendations in this Walk and Bike Audit will be addressed by the current SRTS grant. Flashing beacons have been installed on Rainier Ave S near S Henderson St (recommendations 3). Construction of curb bulbs and a pedestrian island at S 51st St and Rainier Ave S (recommendation #2) is scheduled for fall 2015. The City of Seattle School Traffic Safety committee will be notified of this audit’s recommendation. Education and encouragement efforts will be conducted by Feet First, Cascade Bicycle Club, and other grant partners in cooperation with staff and school families,

“I’d rather go by bicycle. It’s better than sitting in a car with the windows closed.”

– Dahir, 7th grade student

Figure 13: Students arrive at school during Bike to School Week.

OCTOBER 2015

10

Field Notes These field notes include the comments and observations made by participants of the Walk/Bike Audit. The notes document problems, existing assets, and recommendations to improve people’s ability to walk or bike in the area. These field notes are intended both as a tool for advocacy and as a record against which to measure future improvements.

OCTOBER 2015

11

Obs

erva

tion

Pt.

Loca

tion

South Shore Walking Audit Field Notes

Field Observations Recommendation Image

1

S H

ende

rson

St a

nd 4

8th A

ve S

The “T” shaped intersection of 48th Ave S and S Henderson St has a wide curb bulb and a bicycle lane on the north side of S Henderson St. Audit participants noted that the bike lane is often confused for a parking zone after school. Vehicles that park in the intersection block the bike lane forcing people on bikes into moving traffic and seriously impair sightlines for children crossing S Henderson St.

See top recommendation #1 on page 7

2

Gre

ensp

ace

east

of p

ublic

libr

ary

Participants noted that this space could be more youth friendly.

Explore options with Seattle Public Library on ways to activate this space. Participants suggested a skate park.

OCTOBER 2015

12

Obs

erva

tion

pt.

Loca

tion

Field Observations Recommendation Image

3

Trai

l so

uth

of L

ibra

ry a

nd n

orth

of

Bar

ton

Pl S

HA

Trail here has overgrown invasive species of plants that cover the walk way. The east side of the trail has a propensity to flood. Participants noted that there was a lack in any sort of pedestrian scale lighting. They also noted that they knew people who have been mugged here. A high fence that is difficult to see through runs along the entirety of the south side of the trail.

Manage invasive species keeping in mind the potential for flooding in this area. Contact Seattle Housing Authority about adding pedestrian scale lighting and/or removing slats in their fence for better visibility and general sense of safety.

4

Rai

nier

Ave

S &

S 5

1st S

t

At the confluence of multiple lanes this intersection lies in the southern section of the South Shore K-8 walk zone. The intersection’s current angles prioritize vehicle flow over the safety of people walking and biking.

See top recommendation #2 on page 8

OCTOBER 2015

13

Obs

erva

tion

pt.

Loca

tion

Field Observations Recommendation Image

5

52nd

Ave

S M

apes

Cre

ek W

alkw

ay The walkway along Mapes Creek at 52nd

Ave lacks lighting. The vegetation growing along the edge of the walkway is dull and unappealing.

Seed bomb the edges of the walkway with colorful flowers. Replace tall lights with pedestrian-scale lighting.

6

Rai

nier

Bea

ch H

igh

Scho

ol a

t H

ende

rson

Ave

S

Audit participants noted that the fence along Henderson Ave S in front of Rainier Beach High School made the space feel uninviting to walk or bike through.

Work with Seattle Public Schools to open the space by removing unnecessary fencing along Henderson Ave S in front of the school parking lot.

OCTOBER 2015

14

Obs

erva

tion

pt.

Loca

tion

Field Observations Recommendation Image

7

S H

ende

rson

St b

etw

een

Rai

nier

Ave

S

and

Bee

r Sh

iva

Park

Audit participants noted that driveway egresses along S Henderson St between Rainier Ave S and Beer Shiva Park were a major barrier for students walking and biking in the area. Deliveries to the cafeteria of RBHS block the sidewalk, the entrances to RBHS parking lot, and the Payless Shoe Source Driveway. Many parents noted unsafe and unsettling behavior by individuals in this area, which prevents them from allowing their children to walk to school.

See top recommendation #5 on page 8

8

Bee

r Sh

eva

Park

Beer Sheva Park is a small lake front park that looks southeast over Lake Washington.

Neighborhood asset

OCTOBER 2015

15

Obs

erva

tion

pt.

Loca

tion

Field Observations Recommendation Image

9

Inte

rsec

tion

of S

Wab

ash

St a

nd

Sew

ard

Park

Ave

S

Crossing on foot between the corner of the park and the west side of Seward Park Ave S is difficult. The intersection does not meet at a square, traffic moves quickly, and a curve in Seward Park Ave S north of the crossing blocks sightlines. This is a natural place to cross, as trails from the park lead here and there are bus stops on both sides of Seward Park Ave S.

SDOT should explore design options to improve crossing safety at this location.

10

Gre

ensp

ace

on S

Clo

verd

ale

betw

een

Rai

nier

Ave

S a

nd G

ratt

an P

l S

The green space here is potentially a neighborhood asset. However the low level of maintenance adds to a feeling of neglect and has invited litter. A sign has been posted by the Plant Amnesty Tree PAC group saying: “The vacant lot near you is surplus City land which will be sold for development unless the neighbors –that’s you – don’t ask for something else. It’s your land so you should decide….TreePAC.org, Click on TAKE ACTION, on the home page”

Work with the Department of Neighborhoods to incorporate location for a neighborhood clean-up party or MLK Jr Day-of-Caring project.

OCTOBER 2015

16

Obs

erva

tion

pt.

Loca

tion

Field Observations Recommendation Image

11

Rai

nier

Ave

S a

nd S

Clo

verd

ale

St The irregular intersection created by an

angle in S Cloverdale St makes the crossings dangerously long for people walking and potentially confusing for drivers turning onto Rainier Ave S from S Cloverdale St. Long driveways to the convenience store at the southwest corner of the intersection add to a difficult environment for people on the sidewalk. It was also questioned whether or not this intersection is still being served by a crossing guard as participants hadn’t seen the guard in some time.

See Top Recommendation #4 on page 8.

12

Pede

stri

an w

alkw

ay b

etw

een

Dun

lap

and

Sout

h Sh

ore

scho

ol g

roun

ds

This path runs north to south between S Henderson St and S Cloverdale St. Lined with trees and free from vehicles, this area was pleasant and safe to walk through especially after school when we were greeted by some folks from the Rainier Beach Campus Safety Team. The team is associated with the Rainier Beach: A Beautiful Space Safe Place for Youth initiative.

Neighborhood Asset.

OCTOBER 2015

17

Obs

erva

tion

Loca

tion

Field Observations Recommendation Image

13

Rai

nier

Ave

S B

etw

een

S C

love

rdal

e St

and

S 5

1st S

t

Rainier Ave S between S Cloverdale St and S 51st St is an arterial road that, according to SDOT (source: http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/rainieraves.htm), 19,700 to 26,600 vehicles travel through per weekday. This segment is also busy with people walking and biking.

See Top Recommendation #3 on page 7.

Rainier Ave S. between Cloverdale and S. 51st

OCTOBER 2015

18

Obs

erva

tion

Pt Lo

catio

n

South Shore K-8 Biking Audit Field Notes

Field Observations Recommendation Image

14.

Rai

nier

Ave

S s

igna

ls a

t 51

st

and

at K

enyo

n

Signal timing on Rainier Ave S. Crossing Rainier is necessary for students who live east of the campus. The signal at S Henderson & Rainier is monitored by a school crossing guard and is sufficiently long. The signals at both Rainier and 51st and Rainier and Kenyon are not timed correctly to allow a reasonable crossing rate.

Retime signals at Rainier and 51st and Rainier and Kenyon to allow sufficient crossing time.

15

S K

enyo

n St

North of South Shore K-8 and within the school Walk Zone, S Kenyon Street acts as an important east-west connector between densely populated neighborhoods. S Kenyon St has signals on Rainier Ave S and Renton Ave S and speed bumps between Rainier Ave S and Seward Park Ave S. However, observers noted cars speeding on S. Kenyon between Seward Park Ave S and MLK Way S.

Students riding bicycles along S Kenyon St. are recommended to travel with an adult and use caution. Recommend adding safety controls, including additional speed bumps and stop signs, prioritize people who walk and bike along S Kenyon St in the school walk zone between Seward Park Ave S and MLK Way S.

OCTOBER 2015

19

Obs

erva

tion

pt.

Loca

tion

Field Observations Recommendation Image

16

Side

wal

ks

Sidewalk riding. According to Seattle Traffic Code Section 11.44.120 it is legal to ride bicycles on the sidewalk in Seattle. Many areas around South Shore Elementary have wide sidewalks that can easily accommodate people on bikes.

Students should be encouraged to ride on the sidewalk along many Rainier Beach streets including S Henderson, Rainier Ave S, Seward Park Ave S, and Renton Ave S. Biking education should focus on remaining cautious at street and driveway crossings, and yielding to people walking.

17

Sign

s to

Chi

ef S

ealth

Tra

il

Rainier Beach is less hilly than other parts of the Rainier Valley. The land elevates quickly as streets move west and away from Lake Washington.

For students riding bicycles, the grade change moving to the west, south of Henderson, is best accomplished along the Chief Sealth Trail. Provide signage directing people walking and riding bikes to the Chief Sealth trail system. Include the Chief Sealth Trail in school bicycle training exercises.

OCTOBER 2015

20

Obs

erva

tion

pt.

Loca

tion

Field Observations Recommendation Image

18

Scho

ol b

us d

rop-

off a

rea

sout

h of

ent

ranc

e Bike Racks. South Shore K-8 has racks sufficient for up to 10 bicycles southeast near the front entrance to the school. This is a convenient and safe storage location.

Additional racks are not needed at this time. When racks are needed, place them alongside existing racks or to the west of building entrance in another visible, safe convenient location.

19

S H

ende

rson

St &

50th

Ave

S

Crossing South Henderson is necessary for students who live south of the campus. School crossing guards are stationed at S Henderson and 50th Ave S and at S Henderson and Rainier Ave S. The crossing at 50th Ave S does not have a signal. Despite this, it has few vehicular conflicts

Students who live south of the school should be encouraged to utilize this crossing, particularly when traveling by bike along 50th Ave S.

OCTOBER 2015

21

Obs

erva

tion

pt.

Loca

tion

Field Observations Recommendation Image

20

50th

Ave

S b

etw

een

S H

ende

rson

50th Ave S leads to a convenient entrance of the Rainier Beach Public Library for people walking and biking,

Younger bike riders and people riding bikes alone should be encouraged to ride their bicycles on sidewalks to the library.

21

45th

Ave

S

Seattle’s only “Shared Street” is just a few blocks from South Shore K-8. The Shared Street connects an Ethiopian Community Center and Dunlap Elementary. 45th Ave S between S Trenton and S Cloverdale.

Shared Streets are an example of how a street can be safer for people who walk and bike without using sidewalks. While this street does not provide a significant part of the Safe Routes to School network, we recommend including it as a model street for field trips to future “streets without sidewalks” development.

OCTOBER 2015

22

Obs

erva

tion

pt.

Loca

tion

Field Observations Recommendation Image

22

46th

Ave

S

46th Ave S is being developed as a Neighborhood Greenway with traffic speed and safety controls. Neighborhood Greenway will be within the South Shore Walk Zone. Construction is expected to be completed in 2016.

When completed, the 46th Ave S Neighborhood Greenway will provide an ideal north-south corridor for children who bike to school. Children should be encouraged to utilize this Neighborhood Greenway corridor.

23

S H

ende

rson

St

S Henderson St provides an ideal and direct connection between South Shore K-8, Rainier Beach Light Rail, Chief Sealth Trail, Rainier Beach Community Center, Mapes Creek Walkway, Rainier Beach High School, and Lake Washington Beaches.

Children who bike should only travel along the sidewalks of S Henderson St. The sidewalks are sufficiently wide to allow easy sidewalk riding. Consider protected bike lanes along S Henderson St.

OCTOBER 2015

23

Obs

erva

tion

pt.

Loca

tion

Field Observations Recommendation Image

24

S C

love

rdal

e St

S Cloverdale St between Rainier Ave S and Seward Park Ave S provides a good connection to students who live in the northeast section of the South Shore School Walk Zone.

S Cloverdale St has sidewalks on both sides of the street. Recommend children bike along sidewalks on S Cloverdale St, paying particular attention at street crossings and driveways.

25

Map

es C

reek

Wal

kway

Mapes Creek Walkway between S Henderson St and Rainier Ave S is part multi-use trail, part low traffic volume street. When clear of overgrown vegetation, this is a protected connector.

Recommend this short segment to link children who bike to South Shore Elementary from south and east of the school.

OCTOBER 2015

24

Contacts & Project Information

For more information please contact: Teresa Frizell, Safe Routes to School Program Director Tel: 206.652.2310 ext 1 teresa@feetfirst.org Lisa Quinn, Executive Director Tel: 206.652.2310 x 6 lisa@feetfirst.org Feet First 314 1st Ave S Seattle, WA 98104 Feet First is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization promoting walkable communities through advocacy, community organizing, research, and education.

This document was reviewed by: Brian Daughtery, SDOT; Lisa Quinn, Feet First; Teresa Frizell, Feet First

Report completed October 6, 2015.

This audit report is a product of a larger grant made possible by the Seattle Safe Routes To School Partnership: