10-29-07 Item 4H, Safe Route to School Grant

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Line 27: Provide a detailed description of the current conditions for the students walking and biking to and from school. Include descriptions of any infrastructure deficiencies and policy barriers. If appropriate provide an attachment of captioned photos Valentine Hills Elementary is a neighborhood school with no trail or sidewalk connections. The school is surrounded by very busy roads with posted speed limits of 40 mph on County Road E2 and 45 mph on Old Snelling. There is a school zone in front of Valentine Hills that reduces the speed to 30 mph when children are present. The lack of off-road pathway connections and high-speed traffic has resulted in few school children biking or walking to school. Currently, County Road E2 has an eight (8) foot shoulder or parking lane on both sides of the road, but no sidewalks or trails. The shoulder and parking lanes are often used for parking during school hours and evening hours when there are special events or activities at the school (Attachment B: photos 2,3,4). If a walker or biker decided to utilize the shoulder during those times, parked cars force the biker or walker to walk around the car, into traffic. In particular, during the winter months, this situation becomes very dangerous as the shoulder lanes are often covered in snow with no protection between the cars and the pedestrian. The hazard increases before and after school during twilight. Parents who pick up their children often line up along County Road E2. Often when the students are dismissed, they run down the steep hill toward County Road E2. School officials fear that the children will lose their balance and fall or slip into the traffic on County Road E2. If a trail existed in that area, the children would have a safe path that is not on a steep decline to meet their rides. In addition, road shoulders are not designated as bike or pedestrian lanes. It is rare to see youth walking on the shoulder of this road. These unsafe walking and biking conditions prompt parents to drive their students to the school, thus increasing automobile traffic at or near the school. The Ramsey County Arden Hills Library (identified on Attachment A: Project Map & Attachment B: photos 5,6) is located on the north side of County Road E2 at New Brighton Road. Currently, there is no trail or sidewalk to safely allow for students and residents to walk or bike from school or the neighborhood to this location. This prevents school classrooms from visiting the library for field trips. The neighborhoods (Attachment A: project map) north of the elementary school have very little trail access to the school. Neighborhood children cutting through Ramsey County Open Space have developed an informal route to school. This foot path is not maintained therefore, is vulnerable to weather and other variables. During the winter and spring months, it is often not usable. This foot path links the northern Valentine Hills neighborhood from Venus Avenue, consisting of 325 households. However, it is not safe as a pedestrian or bike path and is not ADA compliant. The school recognizes the current use of this community connection, however, is very concerned that there are no crosswalks at any of the trail heads, making crossing the road from the north very unsafe. The foot path is also very popular with recreational walkers. Minnesota Safe Routes to School 2008 Grant Application Instructions