BACKGROUND IN SEPTEMBER 2016 A GROUP OF BOYERTOWN AREA SCHOOL - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

BACKGROUND

• IN SEPTEMBER 2016 A GROUP OF BOYERTOWN AREA SCHOOL

DISTRICT STAKEHOLDERS WAS FORMED TO EXPLORE SAFETY FOR WALKERS AROUND BOYERTOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND JUNIOR HIGH WEST

Participants

• Chief Barry Leatherman, Boyertown Borough
• Pat Loder, Boyertown Borough
• Chief David Viola, Colebrookdale Township
• Cindy Conrad, Colebrookdale Township
• Chief Barry Templin, Montgomery Township
• Peter Hiryak, Douglass Township
• Greg Burns, Parent
• Rob Scoboria, Boyertown Administration
• Steve Missimer, Boyertown Transportation
• Paul Grenewald, Boyertown Facilities Engineer
• Chris Rada, Junior High West Asst. Principal
• Craig Kehl, Boyertown Elementary Principal
• Rafe Perez, Boyertown School Police Officer

BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND

Team Meeting Dates:

• September 13, 2016
• November 2, 2016
• November 30, 2016
• February 21, 2017

TEAM ACTIONS

• Reviewed current safety measures in place
• Reviewed challenges and concerns for safe

walking

• Reviewed BASD student walker numbers/area
• BASH - 168
• JHW - 133
• BES – 178
• Agreed to complete walkability assessment

individually and to share observations and explore possible solutions

BACKGROUND

Current Safety Measures

• Crossing Guards

BES Crossing - 2nd St. - to JHWest 8:10 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. 3:25 p.m. – 3:50 p.m. Elementary students only BES Crossing – S. Madison & 2nd St. 7:00 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. 2:30 a.m. - 3:45 p.m. Colebrookdale Township Crossing Guard

BACKGROUND

Current Safety Measures

• Crossing Guards

BES Crossing – S. Madison & E. Phila. Ave. Hours – 8:00 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. – Cross Students 2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Cross Busses (Madison & Monroe) 3:25 p.m. – 3:55 p.m. – Cross BES Students No secondary crossing

BACKGROUND

Current Safety Measures

• Signage

East 4th Street in front of BASH East 2nd Street Looking West

BACKGROUND

Current Safety Measures

• Signage
• S. Madison Looking South
• S. Madison Looking North

BACKGROUND

BASH Sidewalks/ Curb improvements– Kehl St. Alley

WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS

• 1. Guide Students / Parents with Recommended Walking Routes

Recommended Action:

• BASD Administration will develop walking guide

recommendations for student/parents for the 2017-18 school year

• BASD Administration will share guide with students and

parents

WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS

• 2. BASD Property Observations
• Path from neighborhood to BES

needs repair Recommended Action:

• BASD will plan to repair this

path in Summer 2017

WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS

• 2. BASD Property Observations – Cont’d.
• Safety improvements for walkers

entering JHW property Recommended Action:

• BASD proposed improvements to

campus as part of renovation efforts

• March 7th, 2017 Board approved

bids for:

• Crosswalk to JHW front door.

Limits traffic in area to only emergency vehicles

WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS

• 2. BASD Property Observations – Cont’d.
• Safety improvements for walkers entering

JHW property Recommended Action - Continued.. BASD Board approved bids for

• Replace path to 2nd street along

baseball field

• Improvement to 2nd Street sidewalk

along baseball field

WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS

• 2. BASD Property Observations – Cont’d.
• Safety improvements for walkers entering

JHW property Recommended Action - Continued.. Additional Considerations:

• Consider designation of 5th grade

safeties who are walkers

• Consider new line painting on streets

around school properties with Colebrookdale Township officials

WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS

• 3. Neighborhood Observations
• Brick sidewalks are noted as a

concern when covered with snow/ice

• Share observations with Borough
• fficials

WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS

• 3. Neighborhood Observations – Cont’d.
• Railroad Bridge railing height – E. Second Street
• Share observation with Borough officials

WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS

• 3. Neighborhood Observations
• No Pedestrian button on SW corner at 2nd & S. Reading
• Share observation with Borough officials

WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS

• 3. Neighborhood Observations – Cont’d.
• No sidewalk, weed growth on East 2nd
• Share observation with Borough officials

WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS

• 3. Neighborhood

Observations - Continued

• No sidewalks on Berks

Street

• Review all assigned

walkers

• Share walking guide with

students and parents

• Share with Colebrookdale

Township officials

WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS

• 3. Neighborhood Observations – Continued
• Additional curb cutting needed for improved handicapped access
• Borough has added some cuts on Philadelphia Avenue

WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS

• 3. Neighborhood Observations - Continued
• Student walking concern from Douglass Gardens and around “S” bend

Recommended Action:

• BASD bus service added for these secondary students in February 2017

(elementary students already receive bus service)

WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS

• 3. Neighborhood

Observations - Continued

• School zone 15 mph sign

ends before reaching the JHW building. Can this sign be moved a few hundred feet so the designated zone includes the entire JHW campus?

• Research approval

documents with PennDot

WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS

• 3. Neighborhood Observations - Continued
• Tripping Hazard – significant concrete elevation between two slabs directly

across from JHW main entrance

• Share with Colebrookdale Township officials

WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS

• 3. Neighborhood Observations - Continued
• Consider addition of a “walk” signal at intersection of 2nd/Route 562
• Consideration addition of “Yield for Pedestrians” sign for crosswalk between JHW

at entrance driveway and park

• Discussion of Police Department efforts to control driver speed on 2nd Street
• Douglass Montgomery considering additional sign as deterrent
• Douglass Montgomery and Colebrookdale Township provide regular traffic

enforcement

WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS

• 3. Neighborhood Observations - Continued
• Do parked cars block view on Second Street?
• Cars dropping students blocking view of pedestrians
• Share questions with Colebrookdale Township officials

WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS

• 3. Neighborhood Observations -

Continued

• Lack of sidewalks on Madison to (300

Block) – from Presidential Estates for walkers

• Share with Colebrookdale Township
• fficials
• Path was designed for walkers out of

Presidential Estates

Presidential Estates JHWest

WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS

• 3. Neighborhood Observations - Continued
• Sidewalk repair on Philadelphia Ave. (600, 500, 400, 300 Blocks)
• Share with Borough officials

300 Block 600 Block

• 3. Neighborhood Observations – Continued
• No sidewalks on Douglass St., no street lights
• BASD review all walking assignments for 2017-18

WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS

• 3. Neighborhood

Observations - Continued

• Lack of sidewalks on N. 2nd

Street

• No plan for addition of

sidewalk

• Walking path guide will

illustrate recommended elementary and secondary walking routes on existing paths and sidewalks

WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS

Boyertown Elementary JHWest

NEXT STEPS

• Results shared with
• BASD Board of School Directors/Administration
• Colebrookdale Township, Douglass Montgomery Township and Boyertown

Borough Supervisors/Management/Police Departments

• District / Borough / Township Discussions