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

BACKGROUND 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 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 - 2 nd St. - to JHWest BES Crossing – S. Madison & 2 nd St. 8:10 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. 7:00 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. 3:25 p.m. – 3:50 p.m. 2:30 a.m. - 3:45 p.m. Elementary students only 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 2 nd Street Looking West East 4 th Street in front of BASH

BACKGROUND Current Safety Measures - Signage S. Madison Looking North S. Madison Looking South

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 7 th , 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 2 nd street along • baseball field Improvement to 2 nd 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 • officials

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 2 nd & S. Reading • Share observation with Borough officials •

WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS 3. Neighborhood Observations – Cont’d. No sidewalk, weed growth on East 2 nd • 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 2 nd /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 2 nd 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 - JHWest Continued Lack of sidewalks on Madison to (300 • Block) – from Presidential Estates for walkers Share with Colebrookdale Township • officials Presidential Estates Path was designed for walkers out of • Presidential Estates

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

WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS 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 Boyertown Elementary Observations - Continued Lack of sidewalks on N. 2 nd • Street No plan for addition of • sidewalk Walking path guide will • illustrate recommended elementary and secondary walking routes on existing JHWest paths and sidewalks

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 •