Safe Routes to School - Rawlins County USD# 105 – Phase I
DRAFT VISION AND ACTION PLAN PRESENTED TO COMMUNITY ON SEPT. 13th 2010
Planning Consultants from Miller & Associates, Kearney, NE delivered a public
presentation of the Draft Vision and Action Plan for Safe Routes to School for Unified
School District #105 – Phase 1 on Monday, September 13th 2010, at 7.00 P.M. in the
Cafeteria of the Rawlins County Elementary School.
The Draft Vision and Action Plan for Safe Routes to School for the Rawlins County USD
#105 evolved as the outcome of a federally funded year-long collaborative planning
and citizen participatory initiative involving USD #105 school officials and teachers,
elementary and junior high students and parents, public officials representing the City
of Atwood, the Atwood Chamber, Rawlins County Economic Development, Rawlins
County Health Department, Rawlins County Square Deal, interested citizens of Atwood,
the Kansas Department of Transportation, and the team of planning consultants who
made the presentation.
The Vision, illustrated in Figure 1, shows the routes that are proposed as Designated Safe
Routes to the Elementary School and the Junior High School in Atwood, together with
proposed improvements to sidewalks, crosswalks, signage, ADA accessibility, and road
geometrics. Project priorities which represent a phased approach to plan
implementation were recommended and are illustrated in Figure 2.
The Action Plan recommended that proposed physical improvements need to be
complemented with community initiatives to strengthen existing Education and
Encouragement programs which promote walking and bicycling to the two schools,
safe walking, bicycling and driving practices, and practices of healthy lifestyles
involving diet and exercise. Commitment and proactive participation of community
residents, including students, parents, teachers and the driving public was also
recommended to ensure short and long term public safety along the designated safe
routes.
The Action Plan also recommended that proposed physical improvements and
strengthened Education and Encouragement programs be augmented by
strengthening the Law Enforcement initiatives which involve citizens of Atwood working
in partnership with law enforcement officials from the City of Atwood and the County
Sheriff’s department to respect and abide by law enforcement policies which ensure
the safety of pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers who use the designated safe routes to
the Elementary School and the Junior High School. Property owners were also
encouraged to become more familiar with local standards for public safety, and
conform to local statutes and policies for maintaining safe sidewalks on their respective
properties.
FIGURE 1
FIGURE 2