SDOT Director Scott Kubly joined Mayor Ed Murray, Seattle Public Schools and community members to discuss Seattle’s Safe Routes to School Action Plan.
Here is a brief video of the announcement:
The announcement was made at Sacajawea Elementary School in north Seattle, one of 12 locations where SDOT completed Safe Routes to School projects in 2015, which include new sidewalks and crossing improvements. The Mayor’s proposed 2016 budget allocates $5.8 million to support Safe Route to School projects at another 9 schools.
Over the past ten years, more elementary students have been walking and biking to school, growing from 15 percent in 2005 to 24 percent in 2015.
As part of the action plan announced today, every third, fourth and fifth grade Seattle public elementary school student will receive walking and biking safety education through their physical education class. A new partnership between SDOT, Seattle Public Schools and Cascade Bicycle Club will deliver that opportunity beginning next year. Only half of Seattle public elementary schools receive bike safety education, and no formal pedestrian safety education program exists.
Safe Routes to School is funded by fines from the school speed zone camera program, state and federal grants, and the Bridging the Gap transportation levy, which expires this year. Seattle’s school zone speed camera program has generated $16 million for the Safe Routes to School program since 2012.
To protect more children walking and biking to and from school, SDOT and the Seattle Police Department recently installed school zone speed cameras near six additional schools, bringing the total number of Seattle school zones covered by cameras to 14.
Drivers are becoming more aware of new cameras. Over the last two years, the average number of traffic violations per camera per day has dropped 64 percent and those drivers don’t get repeat citations; in addition the average speeds in these zones have decreased by four percent.
Safe Routes to School is a core component of Seattle’s Vision Zero plan to end traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030.
Download the full Safe Routes to School Action Plan.
For more information about Vision Zero, visit www.seattle.gov/visionzero.