R-2014-011 2014-02-10 RESOLUTION NO. R2014-11
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PEARLAND,
TEXAS, APPROVING THE CITY'S SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PLAN-
2014.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PEARLAND, TEXAS:
Section 1. That the City of Pearland's Safe Routes to School Plan-2014, a copy
of which is attached hereto as Exhibit "A" and made a part hereof for all purposes, is
hereby authorized and approved.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this the 10th day of February, A.D., 2014.
_,_____),?_,„ D,x
TOM REID
MAYOR
ATTEST:
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SEC",'TARY ``''• 1\ co
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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DARRIN M. COKER
CITY ATTORNEY
RESOLUTION NO. R2014-11
Exhibit "A"
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction PAGE 1
Safe Routes To School(SRTS)
Pearland, Texas
Local Population
Problem Statement
Policy Statement
2. The Safe Routes to School Team PAGE 4
3. The Public Input Process PAGE 6
4. School Descriptions PAGE 8
Schools Initially Screened but Not Selected
Schools Initially Screened and Deemed in Need of Safe Routes to School
5. Travel Environment PAGE 11
6. Barriers to Active
Transportation PAGE 12
Carleston Elementary School
Challenger Elementary School
Cockrell Elementary School
Harris Elementary School
Lawhon Elementary School
Glenn York Elementary School
Pearland South Junior High School
7. Outreach and Publicity Strategy District-wide and Focus Areas PAGE 60
8. Creating Solutions PAGE 61
9. The Action Plan PAGE 63
Engineering Strategies
Education Strategies
Encouragement Strategies
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
Enforcement Strategies
Evaluation Strategies
11. Evaluation, Coordination, and Support Activities PAGE 65
12. Plan Endorsement PAGE 67
APPENDICES
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
1. Introduction
Safe Routes To School(SRTS)
The term "Safe Routes to School"was first used in Denmark in the late 1970s as part
of a very successful initiative to reduce the number of children killed while walking
and bicycling to school. Safe Routes to School (SRTS) spread internationally, with
programs springing up throughout Europe and in Australia, New Zealand, Canada,
and the United States.
Research on the safety of children walking and bicycling to school began in the U.S.
in the early 1970s and was highlighted by release of the US DOT publication "School
Trip Safety and Urban Play Areas" in 1975. The first modern Safe Routes to School
program in the U.S. began in 1997 in the Bronx, N.Y. In 1998, Congress funded two
pilot SRTS programs through the US DOT. The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) issued $50,000 each for Safe Routes to School pilot
programs in Marin County, California and Arlington, Massachusetts. Within a year
after the launch of the pilot programs, many other grassroots Safe Routes to School
efforts were started throughout the United States.
Efforts to include a larger SRTS program in federal legislation began in earnest in
2002. In 2003, the League of American Bicyclists organized the first meeting of
leaders in pedestrian and bicycle issues to talk about Safe Routes to School and
how a national program might work. At the same time, a number of states were
developing their own SRTS programs, continuing to build momentum for the
movement.
In July 2005, Congress passed federal legislation that established a National Safe
Routes to School program to improve safety on walking and bicycling routes to
school and to encourage children and families to travel between home and school
using these modes. The program, which was signed into law in August 2005,
dedicated a total of $612 million towards SRTS from 2005 to 2009. The Federal
Highway Administration administered the Safe Routes to School program funds and
provided guidance and regulations about SRTS programs. Federal SRTS funds were
distributed to states based on student enrollment, with no state receiving less than
$1 million per year. SRTS funds could be used for both infrastructure projects and
non-infrastructure activities. The legislation also required each state to have a Safe
Routes to School Coordinator to serve as a central point of contact for the state.
Safe Routes to School programs operate in all 50 states and D.C. With legislative
extensions, the Federal Safe Routes to School Program has apportioned nearly
$1.15 billion to states as of September 30, 2012. These funds have benefited or will
benefit more than 14,000 schools. In July 2012, Congress passed a transportation
bill: Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21). Beginning in October
2012, SRTS activities were eligible to compete for funding alongside other programs,
including the Transportation Enhancements program and Recreational Trails
program, as part of a program called Transportation Alternatives (TAP).
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
Pearland, Texas
Pearland, Texas is located immediately south of the southern limits of the city of
Houston along what is known in the area as the "288 Corridor," based on its
adjacency to State Highway 288. Pearland is known primarily for its rapid growth, as
it now resides among the top two fastest growing cities in the State of Texas, and
among the nation's top 15. Its population has more than tripled in the past 13 years,
increasing by 66,360 people since the year 2000. With a current population of just
over 104,000, it has become an important suburban community that supports the
residential needs of citizens throughout the southeast region of the State of Texas.
As Houston's closest suburb, and being located directly south of the city, Texas
Medical Center employees make up a considerable segment of the Pearland
population. Additionally, Pearland is mainly a "bedroom community" and therefore is
mostly comprised of families. As a result, primary and secondary school populations
make up a significant part of the population, with almost 30 percent of Pearland
residents being identified as 18 years of age and younger in the 2010 U.S. Census.
Two school districts mainly serve the Pearland population with primary and
secondary schools — Pearland Independent School District and Alvin ISD. In
addition, Pearland ISD provides school administration services for the Brookside
Village community—a small city within the boundaries of the City of Pearland.
Pearland ISD serves the schools of the city of Pearland, with a student population of
approximately 20,000, comprised of a diverse representation of ages. genders,
races, nationalities, and backgrounds. Alvin ISD serves the west side of Pearland
residents in the Shadow Creek Ranch area of town, as the City ultimately grew to
annex portions of unincorporated lands that AISD was already in place to serve.
These overlapping characteristics of local boundaries, diverse citizens, rapid growth,
and a mix of aging and improved infrastructure, have made for an interesting
challenge for our local leaders. However, a mixture of interlocal agreements, mutual
aid policies, regional planning, economic development strategies, responsive growth,
and innovative local management have all played a substantive role in making sure
the City not only grows accordingly, but also improves as it does so.
One challenge that the fast-paced growth of our city contends with relates to the
number of new school and neighborhoods that have come to exist in Pearland. While
roads, bridges and other transportation routes have flourished with the new growth,
pathways for hiking and biking are often part of an aged system of sidewalk and
drainage infrastructure or are non-existent and open ditches or unpaved areas
prevail.
Combine these factors with a culture of transit that is very much "Texan," and the
perfect storm exists for traffic jams, environmental pollution, obesity, and safety
impediments along the routes that parents rely on for their children to get to and from
school each day. Pearland, therefore, has selected to embark on the development of
a viable, research-based, living plan that will ultimately attempt to foster safer, more
available, and continuous routes to schools.
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
Local Population
The City of Pearland boasts as one of the top two fastest growing cities in the State
of Texas, and is ranked 15th nationwide, as it has increased population from 37,640
in 2000 to more than 91,000 as of the 2010 U.S. decennial census. In 2012 U.S.
Census estimates indicated there to be 96,294 people in Pearland, but at the time of
this report, local demographic research shows our population to exist at around
104,000. Conservative estimates suggest that by the year 2025, Pearland will be
home to more than 200,000 citizens.
Diversity is one of the most prolific statistical notations about our city, as minority and
ethnic nationality groups have grown increasingly since the year 2005. Asians have
increased by 252 percent since the year 2000, and Hispanics now make up 20
percent of the Pearland population. Sixteen percent of the city's makeup is Black or
African-American, exceeding the State average by 4.5 percent.
Growth in Texas cities is clearly attributable to the stronger growth in Texas' energy
markets and the petrochemical industry. Lower housing costs, family formation, and
less burdensome costs of living provide the region with the "perfect storm" for
booming increases in residential population.
Problem Statement
Disconnects, trip hazards, and a vehicular culture that prevails throughout the Sun
Belt states negatively affect our ability to foster customs such as walking or biking to
and from school in a significant, community-wide fashion. Cultural and tangible
impediments are the two major elements preventing communities such as ours from
developing social norms that promote environmentally-friendly modes of
transportation.
Pearland is no different. As a rapidly growing city, transit deficiencies, widespread
geography, and a highly residential community, there are significant difficulties
garnering support for the importance of walking or biking to school, as opposed to
vehicle drop-offs and pick-ups.
The impetus for the Safe Routes To School (SRTS) program is highly self-
explanatory— making the roadways, walkways and other pathways children and their
families utilize to get to and from schools accessible, available, and safe. Often
referred to as "alternative" modes of transportation, there is a strong sense that
society must reach a "tipping point" in which driving is actually more of an alternative
than walking and biking to school.
However, there exists a culture, particularly in the State of Texas, where the span of
distances our local landscape requires us to cover in our daily comings and goings is
significant. This is true throughout the "Sun Belt." Therefore, in addition to the need
for improvements in infrastructure, a socio-cultural change in community norms and
beliefs must also occur.
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 2013
This plan emphasizes the important factors that will be considered as Pearland
formally pursues its efforts to make our community safer for those who will walk or
bike to/from school, and as we work together to encourage more people to do so.
Policy Statement
Each of the Elementary, Middle and Junior High schools in our Districts are
committed to providing for, to the extent feasible, and promoting physically active
transportation, such as walking and bicycling, for a safe and enjoyable trip to school.
This Safe Routes to School Plan aims to address the issues that will impede active
transportation and seeks to strategically solve these problems by implementing a
Safe Routes to School program.
While the City of Pearland has taken on the task of commissioning and coordinating
the development of this plan, it is within the guise of a collaborative partnership that
involves leaders and designated official representatives from the respective school
districts involved in the administration of education services to citizens of Pearland.
Our community is motivated to pursue Safe Routes to School because:
• We highly value student physical activity and health.
• We want to improve the air quality and environment around our schools.
• We wish to improve unsafe or insufficient walkways, bikeways, and
crossings.
• We are committed to reducing speeding and reckless driving near schools.
2. The Safe Routes to School Team
We believe that a diverse Safe Routes to School Team develops the most successful
Safe Routes to School Plan. Our Team is comprised of a variety of stakeholders,
each lending their own unique perspective and expertise in order to make walking
and bicycling to school more safe, accessible, and fun for our students.
The stakeholders on our team include:
• School Board Members and District and School Administrators who
provide leadership on student health and student safety, develop policies to
support safe and active transportation, and oversee implementation and
evaluation of results;
• District Student Transportation Staff who recommend and implement
student transportation programs and conduct the evaluation of results;
• Teachers at each school who observe student behaviors and monitor student
transportation activities on the school grounds
• Crossing Guards who observe student behaviors and monitor student
transportation activities at the transitions between local streets and school
grounds;
• City Parks & Recreation Department personnel that develop and
implement programs, activities, state-of-the-art facilities, and public
infrastructure designed to promote healthy lifestyles through recreation and
athletics;
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
• Law Enforcement Department personnel who educate the public about
school zone traffic regulations, provide enforcement in school zones, and
address crime and traffic dangers around schools;
• City Engineering & Capital Projects Department personnel who provide
infrastructure planning assistance, fund and construct infrastructure
improvements;
• City Public Works Department personnel who provide infrastructure
maintenance, planning assistance, funding, and construction services.
• Parents who are concerned about the safety of their children and make
choices about the transportation of their student;
• Students of our schools who participated in surveys about their journey to
and from school and helped identify issues
• Local and Regional Health Departments who support active transportation
as part of public health for citizens, young and old; and
• Local Businesses which are supportive of the activities and programs of our
schools.
The Champions (primary contact person)for our Safe Routes to School Plan are:
Tom Ried — Mayor, City of Pearland
3519 Liberty Drive
Pearland, Texas 77581
(281)652-1663
www.cityofpearland.com
Dr. John P. Kelly, Superintendant, Pearland ISD
1928 N. Main, Pearland, Texas 77581
(281)485-3203
www.pearlandisd.org
Stakeholder contributions to the development and for execution of this Plan include:
• From Pearland ISD
o School no-bus boundaries and student location maps
o Crossing Guard Locations and Procedures
o Current student trip patterns to/from school
o Facilitate family participation in Student Travel Survey (Survey
Monkey)
o Identification of Current Known Issues (Parents, Teachers, Students)
• From Alvin ISD
o School no-bus boundaries and student location maps
o Crossing Guard Locations and Procedures
o Current student trip patterns to/from school
o Facilitate family participation in Student Travel Survey (Survey
Monkey)
o Identification of Current Known Issues (Parents, Teachers, Students)
• From the City of Pearland
o Sidewalk inventory
o Infrastructure improvement plans (Trail Master Plan, Comprehensive
Plan, etc...)
o Coordination of the plan development process as a whole
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 2013
o What form of transportation is typically taken to and from school (bus, ride
in car, bicycle, walk, or other)
o An open ended question about challenges of walking or bicycling to
school
An on-line version of the survey will be regularly administered in the Fall of
the school year to gage the progress of encouraging active transportation to
school and update the Plan recommendations.
• Interviewed key technical stakeholders
o Pearland City Engineer provided a succinct brief of the sidewalk
construction specifications required by the City of Pearland. According to
Pearland's City Engineer, the City of Pearland requires that sidewalks be
installed upon development of the property. There are different width
requirements for the types of street classifications in accordance with the
City's Thoroughfare Plan; for example, as adopted by the Unified
Development Code, sidewalks at least six feet wide are required along
both sides of Major & Secondary Thoroughfares and Major & Minor
Collectors. Where sidewalks four feet wide are required along both sides
of all other streets.
o Pearland's Parks and Recreation Director provided the effort with key
guidance on the incorporation of important elements of the City's Parks
and Recreation Master Plan into the SRTS Plan.
o Pearland's Engineering and Capital Projects Director provided the effort
with key guidance on the incorporation of important elements of the City's
Comprehensive Plan, planned projects in the City's Capital Improvement
Program (CIP), as well as other anecdotal and practicable aspects of
local transportation modalities that could factor into our SRTS Plan.
o Brazoria County Constable provided law enforcement support for our
need to consider safety and community awareness elements that would
benefit our planning and development activities.
• Input from school administration staff regarding the policies at their schools
and known issues regarding walking and bicycling to school
• School officials were interviewed and provided feedback on site-specific
policies and procedures involving local student school transportation
modalities.
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
o Extensions of general funds for content experts needed to complete
the plan
o Hosting kick-off activities associated with plan development process
o Hosting of a regional training workshop conducted by TxDOT
o Site visits of local schools designed to promote observational
research necessary for the plan development process
o Monitoring of the funding opportunities available to execute various
aspects of the plan
3. The Public Input Process
The City of Pearland incorporates public input into the decisions involving a great
deal of its financial management, community development, and planning activities.
Public hearings, citizen comments during City Council meetings, and residents'
participation in research conducted by the City provide Pearland residents with the
ability to have their opinions, experiences, preferences, and basic needs factored
into how the City operates, builds roads and bridges, acquires property, or serves
citizens.
Expenditures involving projects supported with federal, state, or locally-restricted
funding often requires a public input process, but the City values the involvement of
the families and individuals that ultimately will benefit from, or utilize, the end results
of local government efforts. For this Safe Routes to School Plan, our team worked to
include the key stakeholders and school administrators in developing our Plan.
After an initial effort by City of Pearland staff to design the framework for developing
a plan, stakeholders were identified and provided with training and technical
assistance from the Texas Department of Transportation in September of 2012.
Representatives from throughout the region were invited to Pearland's City Hall and
participated in a full-day training conducted by Michael J. Cynecki of Lee
Engineering. This event provided participants with the opportunity to learn more
about Safe Routes To School program activities and the structural elements required
to successfully complete a plan.
The stakeholder group participated in a break-out session to kick-off the plan's
development process, hosted by the City of Pearland and facilitated by Kevin St.
Jacques of Freese & Nichols Consulting. At the end of the day, the core group of
stakeholders was formed; representative of the local area academic, government
finance, law enforcement, community development, capital improvements, and
parks/recreation. The group's charge for developing a full-scale process for obtaining
public input involved polling parents of students enrolled at the priority schools, for
the purpose of obtaining their opinions and perspectives on the various options for
creating a Safe Routes To School (SRTS) plan for the City of Pearland.
To accomplish this we:
• Administered an on-line survey conducted in the selected Elementary and
Junior High Schools to be completed by parents of students in the 1St grade
and higher, that queried:
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
4. Pearland Elementary and Middle Schools
Our school Safe Route to School Plan addresses the needs of the Elementary and
Middle Schools in the city of Pearland, including those schools in the Pearland ISD
and one school in the Alvin ISD. A map of the schools in Pearland ISD is shown in
Figure 1. Economically disadvantaged student information is included for the
purposes of ensuring that low-moderate income community factors are included in
the plan development and prioritization processes. The priority schools listed in
the plan are in bold, several of which represent higher or moderate levels of low-
moderate income students.
Table 1. Pearland Elementary, Middle and Junior High Schools
School Name Address Grades Total # of Econ. Disadv.
Students # Students,
Carleston ES 3010 Harkey Rd, PK-4 795 382 48%
Pearland 77584
Challenger ES 9434 Hughes Ranch PK-4 705 129 18%
Rd, Pearland 77584
Cockrell ES 3500 McHard Rd, PK-4 787 337 43%
Pearland 77581
C.J. Harris ES 2314 Schleider Dr, PK-4 680 196 29%
Pearland 77581
E.A. Lawhon ES 5810 Brookside Rd., PK-4 615 335 54%
Pearland77581
Magnolia ES 5350 Magnolia, PK-4 775 294 38%
Pearland 77584
Massey Ranch ES Pear land Manvel Rd.,
ear land d 77584
PK-4 737 163 22%
Pear
Rustic Oak ES 1302 Rustic Lane, PK-4 578 119 21%
Pearland 77581
Shadycrest ES 2405 Shadybend, PK-4 575 97 17%
Pearland 77581
Silvercrest ES 3003 Southwych Pky, PK-4 839 61 7%
Pearland 77584
Silverlake ES 2550 County Rd 90, PK-4 773 103 13%
Pearland 77584
Alexander MS 3001 Old Alvin Rd, 5-6 617 142 23%
Pearland 77581
Sam Jamison MS 2506 Woody Rd, 5-6 795 296 37%
Pearland 77581
Rogers MS 3121 Manvel Rd, 5-6 892 99 11%
Pearland 77584
Leon Sablatura MS 2201 N. Galveston 5-6 733 242 33%
Ave, Pearland 77851
Berry Miller JH 3301 Manvel Rd, 7-8 820 147 18%
Pearland 77584
Pearland JH East 2315 Old Alvin Rd, 7-8 647 124 19%
Pearland 77581
Pearland JH South 4719 Bailey Rd, 7-8 748 256 34%
Pearland 77584
Pearland JH West 2337 N. Galveston 7-8 699 258 37%
Rd, Pearland 77581
Glenn York ES 2720 Kingsley Rd, pK-5 701 228 33%
(Alvin ISD) Pearland 77584
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
Schools Initially Screened but Not Selected
Pearland is a suburban city located about 20 miles south of Houston, Texas.
Several of our newer schools are located adjacent to relatively new
subdivisions that have been built according to more recent city standards that
require sidewalks and connectivity to schools has been a focal point. For this
reason, the following schools were considered to have fewer challenges
involving sidewalk connectivity between the school and its adjacent
residential community within the acceptable 1 — 2 mile walking distance:
• Magnolia Elementary School
• Massey Ranch Elementary School
• Shadycrest Elementary School
• Silvercrest Elementary School
• Silverlake Elementary School
• Alexander Middle School
• Rogers Middle School
• Barry Miller Junior High School
• Pearland Junior High School East
• Pearland Junior High School West
One other school, Rustic Oak Elementary School, is in a rural setting that was
not considered viable at this time for further consideration in this Plan.
Priority Schools in Need of Safe Routes to School
Thus, this Safe Routes to School Plan will focus on the schools in most need
of enhancement and with the greatest potential for encouraging increased
walking and bicycling to and from school. The schools included for
assessment and development of recommendations are:
• H. C. Carleston Elementary School
• Challenger Elementary School
• Barbara Cockrell Elementary School
• C. J. Harris Elementary School
• E. A. Lawhon Elementary School
o Serves Pearland students, but located in the City of Brookside
Village
• Pearland Junior High School South
• Glenn York Elementary School (Alvin ISD, but within city of Pearland)
A map of the schools within the city of Pearland, with the targeted schools for
safe routes assessments and recommendations, is shown in Figure 1.
11
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
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5. Travel Environment
The following table represents a sampling of how our students travel to and from
school, by percentage, based on responses to on-line surveys of parents of students
in the six elementary schools. This survey includes responses from over 400
students from the targeted schools to a survey administered using Survey Monkey,
an on-line surveying tool, during November 2012 through February 2013. A summary
of the overall survey response to mode of transportation is shown in Table 2. Specific
comments received from the survey regarding access to each school can be found in
Section 6 of this report.
Table 2. Summary of Mode Choice among Schools Selected for Evaluation
Survey Responses by School
Name #of Resp.
Carleston ES 58
Challenger ES 92
Cockrell ES 82
Harris ES 74
Lawhon ES 42
Glenn York ES 11
Pearland JH South 117
Name # of Walk Bike School Family Carpool Other
Resp. Bus Vehicle
Overall Survey 452 10% 6% 25% 46% 3% 10%
Results
Over 40% of those responding indicated that they did not qualify for bus service.
And, over 50% of those responding indicated that walking or riding a bike to and from
school is difficult for their child due to missing sidewalks between their house and
school. School specific responses and comments are included in the subsequent
sections on each school's needs and recommendations.
Depending upon the geographic and development nature of each school site, the
proportion of students beyond a 2-mile walking distance for qualification for busing
can be large or small. The 2-mile No-Bus Zone is considered to be the actual walking
passageway along public streets. The school districts provide free school bus service
to those living beyond 2 miles from their assigned school. Families that live closer
than 2 miles to school are able to pay to receive school bus service. Additionally,
Alvin ISD provides free "hazardous route" busing of students who are within the 2-
mile zone but must cross streets with high vehicle speeds and/or volumes, pass by
potentially harmful activities, or cross very active railroad tracks.
13
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
Our schools are already engaged in activities that enhance safe and active student
travel, including:
• Pedestrian crosswalks and ramps at the edges of the school boundary
• School Crossing Guards positioned at the first major street crossing nearest to
the school along the school boundary
• School speed zones on the approach roadway, slowing traffic from 15 — 20 miles
per hour below the posted speed limits
• Some neighborhoods have off-street paths that connect neighborhoods to school
property
The following supports or activities are in place during student travel times:
• Crossing guards
• Staff presence during drop-off/pick-up
• Staff escort of walking students from school building to near street crossing with
crossing guard at most schools
• School traffic safety plan for bus and car pick-up and drop-off
School arrival and dismissal procedures at each targeted school are described in
Section 6 of this report.
The City of Pearland subdivision regulations currently require the provision of
sidewalks along local streets and the provision of sidewalks along each side of
collector streets. However, many neighborhoods were developed before these
requirements were adopted and so many older neighborhoods do not have
continuous sidewalks and many collectors and arterial streets do not have sidewalks.
10.Barriers to Active Transportation:
For each of the 6 Elementary Schools and 1 Junior High School selected for
assessment and development of recommendations, we have compiled the following
information:
• A map depicting the locations of the students during the 2012-13 school year;
• A sidewalk inventory, provided by the City, was compiled in GIS format for all
streets within a one mile radius of the school;
• Barriers to walking and bicycling to school were identified; and
• Potential improvements to encourage walking and bicycling to and from school
are suggested.
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
6.1 Active Transportation Plan for H.C. Carleston Elementary School
Overview
H. C. Carleston Elementary is located at/near the intersection of Fite Road (CR 406) and
Harkey Road, about 3 miles east of SH 288 and 1/2 mile south of Broadway in Pearland,
Texas. The school is situated within a partially developed urbanized area of Pearland,
with a mixture of newer subdivisions with sidewalks and rural single family homes and
small housing clusters along rural roads without sidewalks. Within the two-mile no bus
zone, the majority of the students appear to reside to the northwest, west and southwest,
while a scattered few are located to the northeast and east along various roadways to
which currently there are no pedestrian facilities. Although close to the school, the
students living to the east do not have the proper facilities to enable them to walk to
school safely. The students from the northwest, west and southwest of the school are
adequately accommodated for walking and bicycling to school.
Current Programs, Policies and Issues for Walking and Bicycling to School
This school is already engaged in activities that enhance safe and active student travel,
including:
• Programs to provide pedestrian crosswalks and ramps at the edges of the school
boundary
• Bike racks at the two bicycling approach passages, one for the south and west
located at the end of the covered walkway and another just beyond the northern end
of the covered walkway at the trail from the neighborhood.
• Walking and Bicycling students are released 5 minutes before the bus students.
• Students are assisted across intersections by crossing guard(s) and supervised by
campus staff.
This school has the following supports or activities in place during student travel times:
• Crossing guards
• Staff presence during drop-off/pick-up
• Student patrol
• Parent patrol
• Law enforcement support
• Neighborhood Watch program
• Walking School Bus
• School traffic safety plan
• other
The arrival and dismissal procedures that address walking and bicycling to and from this
school are described below:
• Students must walk their bicycles on campus grounds. Students living in the West
Oaks subdivision on the north side of our campus will be able to walk home.
Parents are to wait at the end of the sidewalk to receive their child. Kindergarten
and 1St grade students who do not have a parent waiting for them will be brought
back to the school. Students living in West Oaks across Fite may walk home in
the crossing guard walker line. Students will be escorted out of the building down
the sidewalk and across Fite by the crossing guard. Parents must wait across
Fite to receive their child. Kindergarten and 15t grade students who do not have a
parent waiting for them will be brought back to the school.
15
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
Other school travel policies include:
• Bus Policy: During the first week of school the bus driver will give 1st — 4th grade
children a transportation form that must be filled out and returned to the driver. Parents
of Pre-K and Kindergarten students must register their children through the school office
or the transportation office. Contact information for telephone and internet registration
options are made available to the parents of these children.
In the interest of student safety, parents are instructed to discuss proper behavior for
their children while on buses prior to the first day of school. If a student is in grades Pre-
K or Kindergarten, an adult must be present with them at the bus stop with a valid photo
ID to receive the child, or the driver must return the child to the school. Pre-K or
Kindergarten children may get off the bus with an older sibling (1St grade or older) who
rides the same bus.
Daycare
There are a number of daycare facilities that serve the school with aftercare services
and daycare dismissal is located in the gym. Parents are instructed to rehearse with their
child the name of his/her daycare provider. Teachers escort the students to the gym
where they will be placed with other children who attend the same aftercare facility, and
students are then loaded onto the daycare vans as they arrive. Parents must notify the
daycare/aftercare in the event of a child's absence, or if their dismissal routine changes.
Car
The students will be seated by grade level on the sidewalk that faces Harkey. Parents
pull into the school's driveway and drive up to the school's designated "announcer" who
stands along the sidewalk with a bullhorn. Parents hold up a school-sanctioned sign with
the child's name and grade level on it and the child is summoned to the vehicle, upon
which the signage is shown again to the person placing the child in the vehicle. The line
of parents awaiting their child(ren) moves consecutively along the driveway as students
are placed in vehicles.
16
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
Comments from Survey
The following comments were received in response to the online survey from those
indicating they had a student at Carleston Elementary School:
• We walk to school at 2-3 times weekly.
• I would like to see cross guards into the West Oaks Village subdivision. I would love
to have a continuous sidewalk across the school. Currently there is a ditch.
• Next year my child will be at Jamison M.S. and I did not see it on the list. I would like
it to be added because she will be a walker next year & the sidewalk abruptly ends. I
would like for the sidewalk to be continued down Woody so she can walk safely
home and not have to cross the street traffic or get home safely because there was
no access.
• Current zoning does not take advantage of zoning children to schools for which they
could walk or ride. I do not favor any additional money being spent on sidewalks to
schools for kids in neighborhoods who cannot actually attend that school.
• My child would sometimes like to walk or ride to school but we are unable to, due to
no sidewalks. If we would walk or bike to school we would be on the street and we
cross a very busy street.
• Sidewalks along Fite Road to Harkey would be great!
• We will have to drive to the middle school eventually because we are too close for
bus service but there is no safe route (busy streets, no sidewalks).
• There is a gravel patch that could be fixed by the bridge between my house and the
school.
• I have multiple children and therefore have different issues with each. The survey did
not address this. My Carleston student walks almost every day. I have a Jamison
student (which is not included in the survey, but by far the worst situation) who
should have transportation as the route is far (1.95 miles according to PISD) and
totally unsafe (no sidewalks/shoulder, traveling along 518 and crossing 518. South is
a little better and I think we've figured out a bike path, however, the amount of
equipment my daughter drags to school precludes a safe ride.
• We are in bike riding distance but the street has far to much traffic to allow it. There
is a deep ditch next to the street making it even more dangerous.Traffic on Fite Road
and no shoulder or sidewalk.
• We often walk to school and are fortunate that there are sidewalks along the way.
We live in West Oaks Subdivision where sidewalks already and thankfully exist
• Cars parking in the southern section of the West Oaks to drive children home are a
great safety concern for us neighborhood walkers. Cars should not be using our
neighborhood for pick-up but should be waiting in the line at the school as vehicles
departing are not cautious of children who walk or ride their bikes and actually live in
the neighborhood.
• I would support safe sidewalks to encourage and promote healthy habits of walking
or biking to school.
• Besides no sidewalks, there aren't bike lanes.
18
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
• Thank you for adding the sidewalk last year between Centennial Park and Magnolia.
It made a big difference
19
Pearland Safe Routes to School I 2013
Recommendations
The following recommended improvements are listed in relative priority, based on a
combination of factors including ease of implementation and number of students served.
1. Enhance Intersection Traffic Control, Fite Road at W. Oaks Boulevard. This
improvement will improve the safety for students from the West Oaks Village
subdivision and those that walk along Fite Road to and from areas to the
southwest of the school.
2. Provide Missing Sidewalk Connection along south side of Old Oaks
Boulevard. This improvement will eliminate unnecessary street crossings by
students in the West Oaks Village subdivision, between Keithwood and Autumn
Forest Drive.
3. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along the south side of Fite Road, from Neches
River Drive to Harkey Road. This improvement will allow students that live to
the east of the school to walk or ride bikes to school. It will also facilitate
community access to the park along McLean Road.
4. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along the north side of Fite Road, from McLean
Road to Harkey Road. This improvement will allow students that live to the east
of the school to walk or ride bikes to school, and eliminate the need for students
living north of Fite Road to cross Fite Road to get to school. It will also facilitate
community access to the park along McLean Road.
5. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along the east side of Harkey Road, from Fite Road
and extending to the existing sidewalk just north of Josephine Street This
improvement will allow students that live to the east of the school along Harkey
Road and along Josephine Street to walk or ride bikes to school.
6. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along on side of Josephine Street. This improvement
will provide for enhanced safety of students walking along Josephine Street to
access the proposed sidewalk along Harkey Road.
7. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along Livingston Street to Fite Road. This
improvement will provide for enhanced safety of students walking along their
neighborhood street to access the proposed sidewalk along Fite Road.
8. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along Apple Springs Drive and Neches River Drive
to Fite Road. This improvement will provide for enhanced safety of students
walking along their neighborhood streets to access the proposed sidewalk along
Fite Road.
9. Provide a Pedestrian Bridge to cross the ditch on Apple Springs Drive. This
improvement will connect the Parks at Walnut Bend subdivision to the
neighborhood to its west and allow students from this neighborhood to walk or
ride bicycle to the school. Consideration may be given to establishing a street
connection as well.
10. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along west side of Harkey Road from Patridge
Drive to Magnolia Street. This improvement fills the sidewalk gap between two
subdivisions, allowing students in the further subdivision to walk or ride bicycle to
school. This sidewalk connects to the hike and bike trail along Magnolia Street.
20
Pearland Safe Routes to School I 2013
11. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along east side of Harkey Road from Patridge Drive
to Magnolia Street. This improvement allows students living to the east of
Harkey Road access to the pedestrian crossing signals at the intersection of
Harkey and Manolia. This sidewalk also connects to the hike and bike trail along
Magnolia Street.
12. Install a traffic signal at the intersection of Fite Road and Harkey Road. If
warranted, a traffic signal will facilitate the increased pedestrian crossing activity
and enhance the safety for pedestrians at the intersection.
13. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along the south side of Broadway from Morenci
Street to W. Oaks Boulevard. This improvement connects the small subdivision
to the existing sidewalk network, allowing students to walk of bicycle to school.
Coordination, Outreach and Publicity Strategy
The walking and bicycling to and from school could be encouraged by the following
activities:
• Student patrol to raise student awareness of importance of proper behaviors
• Walking School Bus routes for each neighborhood
• School traffic safety plan for parent packets tied to school code of conduct
21
Pear land Safe Routes to School I 2013
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
6.2 Active 6.2 Active Transportation Plan for Challenger Elementary School
Overview
Challenger Elementary is located amid old and new subdivisions, about one mile east of
SH 288 and 1/2 mile north of Broadway in Pearland, Texas. The school is situated within
a mostly developed urbanized area of Pearland, with a mixture of newer subdivisions
with sidewalks and rural single family homes and small housing clusters along rural
roads without sidewalks. Within the two-mile no bus zone, the majority of the students
appear to reside to the north, northwest and west, while a scattered few are located to
the east, south and southwest along various roadways. Although close to the school,
the students living to the east, south and southwest do not have the proper facilities to
enable them to walk to school safely. The students from the north, northwest, and west
of the school are basically accommodated for walking and bicycling to school.
Current Programs, Policies and Issues for Walking and Bicycling to School
This school is already engaged in activities that enhance safe and active student travel,
including:
• Pedestrian crosswalks and ramps at the edges of the school zone
This school has the following supports or activities in place during student travel times:
• Crossing guards
• Staff presence during drop-off/pick-up
• Student patrol
• School traffic safety plan
The arrival and dismissal procedures that address walking and bicycling to and from this
school are described below:
• Students are dismissed in a precise order so as to promote safety in the process of
dismissing walkers and bikers, in the following order: bus riders, car riders,
daycare/aftercare students, bridge bikers, bridge walkers, regular bikers and
regular walkers.
• Teachers cross the bridge and street with the students to ensure safety.
• Teachers that do walker/biker duty have walkie talkies to communicate with the
school's main office as needed.
Other school travel policies include:
• No parent walk-ups are allowed. Parents must either wait across the bridge or across
the street to get their child if they are a walker or biker.
• No Kindergarten students are released until a parent is positively identified on the
other side of the bridge waiting for them.
• Students will not be released if it is raining heavily, lightening is present, or other
weather impediments exists. In these cases all students become subject to "parent pick-
up."
23
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
Comments from Survey
Numerous comments were offered by respondents to the on-line survey that was
conducted for this Safe Routes to School Plan. The following comments were received
from those indicating they had a student at Challenger Elementary School.
• We need sidewalks. I don't feel it is fair I have pay for bus service when the city
doesn't provide sidewalks.
• My daughter has ridden her bike, but only if I have the time to watch her all the way:
few missing sidewalks; but bigger issue is no crossing guards further down the road.
• There is a deep ditch along Hughes Ranch that children often fall into on their bikes
and on foot. Sometimes they need help getting out of the ditch. I also worry about the
kids that walk home to our neighborhood from Dawson High School - there is no
sidewalk along Hughes Ranch for them and only a partial sidewalk along Hawk Road
(which is a much longer route for some kids.)
• Some sections of the sidewalk along Hughes Ranch Road are broken.
• I really believe it is necessary for the safety of the Dawson High School students to
build a sidewalk along Hughes Ranch Rd. connecting Dawson to the neighborhoods.
I believe it is foolish and unwise to expect that High School students will always
choose the safe route down Hawk Rd. Thanks for including us in your survey!
• Several houses on E Hampton and others streets have tree branches and bushes
that are to low (not following CIA) guide lines therefore parents have to walk in the
street.
• County Road 403 (Hughes Ranch Road) is not safe, because of the expansion of the
road. The ditch has been cut deeper and made less room for the kids to walk. They
have to walk too close to the road and it is not good.
• I'm afraid either a child or the crossing guard will get hit by a car across from
Challenger Elementary School if Hughes Ranch Rd is not fixed. Due to the recent
road construction on Hughes Ranch Rd across from Challenger Elementary School,
a child safety issue has come about. I understand a turn lane was added to help the
flow of traffic for parent drop-off and pick-up which is good. But now cars that are not
dropping off their kids (they are on the main lane of Hughes Ranch Rd) are speeding
way over the 20 mile speed limit in the morning and I'm afraid the crossing guard or
kids will get hit. The police won't do anything about it. In addition, part of the new
road that goes from the edge of the school to the entrance of "The Meadows of
Southdown Subdivision" was carved out of the backside of the subdivision where
kids bike and walk to school and home which is not good. The carve-out removed
the majority of the safe space between the sidewalk and what used to be the ditch
which is now part of the new road. In addition, I believe the new road from the edge
of the school (Bryan St) to the entrance of Southdown (North Hampton Dr.) did not
have to be done and contains dead zones which was not needed and is now
endangering our kids. There are yellow striped and white striped areas called dead
zones that were put into the new road to help with traffic flow but these dead zones
took away the backside of the subdivision and now there is not enough room for the
walkers and bikers to get to the end of the subdivision.
25
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
• The area across from the school is fine. However, after the kids cross the street via
the cross-walk, the area between the school and the entrance to "The Meadows of
Southdown Subdivision" dwindles sharply on where they can walk and ride as they
go toward North Hampton Dr. to the stop sign and into the subdivison. The carve out
has caused a major safey concern for parents of walkers and bikers. One side of the
sidewalk has bushes for several yards. The other side that was grass (where the
kids biked and walked) is now a ditch full of rocks. I have watch several bikers fall off
their bikes from the sidewalk into the rocky ditch when they lose their balance. Also,
other bikers and walkers are using the ditch to get to the stop sign because there is
not enough room with just the sidewalk and a foot of grass next to it. Kids are
walking along the shoulder as well to get to the entrance of the subdivision. I am
also concerned about what happens when it rains and the ditch is full of water and
mud. I am not alone. All the parents of the walkers and bikers are very concerned
about this issue.
• The sidewalks are on our side of the street. In the Spring he will start riding bike to
school.
• The lack of sidewalks between our subdivision and Challenger Elementary is
extremely unfortunate for us as there is no safe way to walk or bike to school. We
would often utilize this means if an adequate route existed. Unfortunately it would
mean crossing a fairly busy street and walking through fields and ditches alonside
the road.
• But if sidewalk was available, there would need to be police slowing traffic past the
school. It is late to now be thinking of adding safe/walking for kids.
• I would prefer take my child to school.
• I think this survey is so important. I would love more sidewalks so my kids can
bike/walk to school.
• I would like the opportunity to provide additional information for Glenda Dawson High
School.
• Would love to see sidewalks on Hughes Ranch Road on the South side of Hughes
Ranch. My child would be able to ride his bike if there were sidewalks.
• Sidewalks on our side are old and narrow, difficult to walk when there is a bike also
sharing the sidewalk. The sidewalk across the street is wider, but crossing the street
is dangerous because no one helping children cross. Solution would be to make the
north side sidewalk wider.
• I made a complaint to the city over a year ago about no bridge across the ditch that
is across from my neighborhood entrance. Because of this I have to pick up their
bikes because its a steep drop off for someone their size and I have to walk their
bikes through the ditch.
• This is not a commuter town for those who wish to ride a bike or walk. Most of the
streets are unsafe to ride a bike or walk on. My oldest son rides his bike to school but
it would be nice if Pearland had bike lane for those who wanted to ride around town.
Younger child is not old enough yet.
• There is not a ramp from our neighborhood into the school parking lot
26
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
• I'm happy you are taking this survey. Nearly every student within a 2 mile radius of
Challenger Elementary has to be driven to school by their parents because this
street is too dangerous for elementary students to walk or bike. MY SON HAS TO
TAKE THE BUS IN ORDER TO HAVE A SAFE TRANSIT TO SCHOOL. STUDENTS
CAN'T WALK ON OUR STREET DUE TO NO LEVEL SURFACE , COMPLETE
LACK OF SHOULDER ON ROAD AND A NARROW BRIDGE THAT CAN'T BE
TRAVERSED SAFELY ON FOOT. Our street is not passable by bike or on foot. NO
WALKING GUARDS ARE PROVIDED ON THE ROUTES.
• We have to pay for the school bus because we live within 2 miles radius and my
daughter and i can't walk to school because there is no sidewalk in Miller Ranch
Road. So I think it is unfair for us to pay for the bus.
• There needs to be sidewalks on Hughes Ranch Road between Cullen and
Challenger. Many students walk down this path and have to walk through the grass.
• If we had appropriate sidewalks, this would keep them away from the busy street.
Would be nice to have a cross guard at intersection just before the school block
starts
27
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
Recommendations
The following recommended improvements are listed in relative priority, based on a
combination of factors including ease of implementation and number of students served.
1. Enhance Crossing of Hughes Ranch Road at Bryant Court and Repair
Landings. This improvement will increase the width of the crosswalk to 10 feet,
add actuated flashers for the crossing, and provide 8 to 10 foot wide crosswalk
approach paths between the sidewalks on either side of Hughes Ranch Road.
2. Widen and repair the sidewalk along the north side of Hughes Ranch Road
between Bryant Court and N. Hampton Drive. This improvement will replace
the existing concrete sidewalk in need of repair to a 8-foot wide sidewalk, from
the crosswalk at Bryant Court to tie to the existing sidewalks in the neighborhood.
The one block of existing sidewalk along the west side of N. Hampton would also
be repaired.
a. Note: Hughes Ranch Road is planned to be widened in 2017 or
2018 and currently includes 5-foot sidewalks on both sides of the
road.
b. The City is revisiting the design and considering additional sidewalk
width. The City will use the SRTS recommendations to justify wider
sidewalks where needed.
3. Widen the existing pedestrian bridge along the south side of Hughes
Ranch Road to 10 feet. This improvement would facilitate student usage of the
existing 8-foot wide path by eliminating the safety bottleneck of the existing 4-foot
wide bridge.
4. Widen and repair the sidewalk along the north side of Hughes Ranch Road
between Bryant Court and S. Hampton Drive. This improvement will replace
the existing concrete sidewalk to a 8-foot wide sidewalk, from the crosswalk at
Bryant Court to tie to the existing sidewalks in the neighborhood, to facilitate
mixed bicycle and pedestrian use of the path.
a. Note: Hughes Ranch Road is planned to be widened in 2017 or 2018 and
currently includes 5-foot sidewalks on both sides of the road.
b. The City is revisiting the design and considering additional sidewalk
width. The City will use the SRTS recommendations to justify wider
sidewalks where needed.
5. Stripe the east-west crosswalks along Hughes Ranch Road at S. Hampton
Drive. This improvement will enhance the safety of the increased use of the
sidewalks along Hughes Ranch Road.
6. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along the one block of Bedford Avenue to connect
to the sidewalk along the north side of Hughes Ranch Road. This
improvement will encourage students to walk or ride bicycles to school by making
a more direct connection to the existing sidewalk network accessing the school.
7. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along Harington Drive and along the south side of
Hughes Ranch Road from Harrington Drive to S. Hampton Drive. This
sidewalk would connect subdivisions to the existing 8-foot trail along the side of
Hughes Road which connects to the school.
28
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
• Note: Hughes Ranch Road is planned to be widened in 2017 or
2018 and currently includes 5-foot sidewalks on both sides of the
road.
• Note: The City is revisiting the design and considering additional
sidewalk width. The City will use the SRTS recommendations to
justify wider sidewalks where needed.
8. Stripe the east-west crosswalks along Hughes Ranch Road at Miller Ranch
Road. This improvement will enhance the safety of the increased use of the
sidewalks along Hughes Ranch Road.
9. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along the south side of Southdown Drive from the
north side of Hughes Ranch Road to Woodbridge Avenue. This improvement
would provide for enhanced safety of students walking along their neighborhood
street to access the existing sidewalk network.
10. Provide 6-foot sidewalk connection along Fair Oaks Street. This
improvement will complete the gap in the sidewalk network, allowing students
living south of the small lake to use the existing sidewalk network to walk of
bicycle to school.
11. Provide a new hike & bike trail along the Hooks Road and drainage right-of-
way from Summer Breeze Drive to the school. This improvement will connect
subdivisions south of the school directly to school, greatly encouraging students
to walk or ride bike to school. Two pedestrian bridges are anticipated to be
needed to cross the drainage ditch.
12. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along the south and east side of W. Sterling Drive
from the Hooks Road Trail to Hughes Ranch Road. This improvement will
connect the Sterling Estates subdivision to the school, encouraging students to
walk and bicycle to school.
13. Provide a new hike & bike trail connector between the Crystal Lake
subdivision and the Sterling Estates subdivision. This improvement will
connect the Crystal Lake subdivision to the school, encouraging students to walk
and bicycle to school.
• Note: The Crystal Lake subdivision will be connected to the school
via the sidewalks included in the Hughes Ranch Road widening
project, which will make this connection unnecessary.
Outreach and Publicity Strategy
The walking and bicycling to and from school could be encouraged by the following
activities:
• Parent patrol program of rotating assignments to raise awareness of issues
• Walking School Bus routes for each neighborhood
• School traffic safety plan for parent packets tied to school code of conduct
29
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
6.3 Active Transportation Plan for Barbara Cockrell Elementary School
Overview
Barbara Cockrell Elementary is located in a growing segment of northeast Pearland,
Texas, with many newer subdivisions nearby, but limited sidewalk network to access the
school. The school is located off of Pearland Parkway, about 1 mile south of the Sam
Houston Tollway. Within the two-mile no bus zone, the majority of the students appear to
reside to the near south, further north beyond undeveloped land, and to the east and
southeast across Pearland Parkway. The students living to the south of the school are
basically accommodated for walking and bicycling to school, but there lacks a sidewalk
that connects from sidewalk along Old Alvin Road directly to the school entry.
Current Programs, Policies and Issues for Walking and Bicycling to School
This school is already engaged in activities that enhance safe and active student travel,
including:
• Pedestrian crosswalks and ramps at the edges of the school zone
This school has the following supports or activities in place during student travel times:
• Crossing guards
• Staff presence during drop-off/pick-up
• Law enforcement support
The arrival and dismissal procedures that address walking and bicycling to and from this
school are described below:
• BIKE RIDERS
o As students arrive on campus they are to walk their bikes while on
school property, securing them with bike locks as the school is not
responsible for damage or theft. During afternoon dismissal, students
are escorted similarly across the bus driveway along Old Alvin Road
to the off-campus area for release.
• WALKERS
o During afternoon dismissal, students are escorted across the bus
drive to the sidewalk along Old Alvin Road to the off-campus area for
release.
Other school travel policies include:
• Morning Drop Offs:
o Parents who drop off or pick up their children from school in vehicles must
do so by using the front driveway when monitors are on duty, which is no
earlier that 7:15 a.m. Parents that wish to walk their child(ren) into school
are directed to park in the Parent Parking Lot and walk their child in from
their car.
o Option 1 for morning drop-off's by vehicle takes place in the front of the
building between 7:15 a.m. and 8:00 a.m.
• From 7:30 a.m. — 8:00 a.m. staff will be available to open car
doors, greet students, and assist children that need support
getting into the building.
• Parents are instructed to pull up to the drop-off area and keep the
line moving.
31
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
• NO students may be dropped off in the parking lot and the parking
lot is typically reserved for emergencies only.
o Option 2 is reserved for drop-offs that take place at the back of the school
building AFTER 7:45 a.m. Bus drivers, daycare transportation operators,
and teachers are the only authorized persons allowed to utilize the back
parking lot before 7:45 a.m.
o From 7:45 a.m. — 8:00 a.m. students who are able to independently exit
vehicles and enter the building may be dropped off along the breezeway
and enter the double doors by the cafeteria.
o Staff members will not be available to open car doors.
o Doors to the back entrance of the building will promptly be locked at 8:00
a.m. Students arriving after 8:00 a.m. will need to be dropped off at the
front of the building to receive a tardy slip.
o NO visitor parking in teacher parking lot. All visitors are required to enter
through the front of the building, show proper ID, and receive a visitor's
badge.
o Drivers are instructed to follow the entrance all the way around to the
back parking lot when visiting the school and not to make any left turns at
the school's dumpsters, so as to avoid accidents.
DISMISSAL PROCEDURES
The school day ends at 3:00 p.m. Student identification signage must be displayed in the
passenger side windshield of vehicles when car transporters are waiting in the car rider
line. Parents are instructed to not meet their child during afternoon dismissal in the foyer
of the school as it interferes with safety protocols as staff escort students during
dismissal. Parents may not approach students in the car rider line on foot. Students
designated as car riders will be placed in a vehicle with the child's name.
In the afternoon, students will be sitting according to grade level to create a swift pick-up.
Children will not be allowed to walk to the Parent Parking Lot. For our students' safety,
all parents need to wait in their cars to pick up car riders. Students designated as car
riders will only be released to an adult in a vehicle. Please do not approach the car rider
line on foot.
BUS LANE
The bus lane is researved for PISD buses and daycare vans only.
32
Pearland Safe Routes to School I 2013
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
Comments from Survey
Numerous comments were offered by respondents to the on-line survey that was
conducted for this Safe Routes to School Plan. The following comments were received
from those indicating they had a student at Cockrell Elementary School.
• Old Alvin Road must get a sidewalk!
• Need complete sidewalk on Old Alvin road. Bike lane on Old Alvin is also very
important.
• I am a grandmother of 3 that live here in my neighborhood too...that is why I am
filling out this survey. We do need sidewalks, there are many elementary kids in this
neighborhood.
• Cars do not follow the posted speed limit during school hours. We need to have
crossing guards to ensure the kids' safety.
• Doesn't affect my child, but the children who walk home to the apartments on Old
Alvin must cross a busy street in the middle of the block with no crossing guard.
Need to add crossing guard, or add sidewalk on Old Alvin, from McHard to the
apartments so they could cross at intersection and use sidewalk to get home. Thank
you.
• I've been living here at this address for 6 years now, and our neighborhood has
asked before for sidewalks. Which the answer was "No Funds" I notice some new
sidewalks thru the years being put on between schools and neighborhoods, I though
no Funds means for everyone not just this side of town. We really need sidewalks
from our neighborhood to school, this is a community with a lot of elementary kids
that need to be driven to school instead of exercising with this short walk to school. It
seems that this neighborhood is always last and forgotten by the city. Finally after
several year our main road its been fixed, While other are done every year without
needing it. I really hope this sidewalk can be a reality this time.
• We need cross guard -too much traffic
• This is crucial. Sidewalks are neededIIIrn
• I would let my son take the bus if I didn't have to pay for it. You'd think that because
we live with 2 miles of the school that we save the district money on fuel and should
not have to be "punished"for it. Right now my son is only 6 and we drop him off; but
we would like to have other options for when he gets older.
• We need a fence and sidewalk on McHard road. It is unsafe for students to play so
close to the 45 mph street without fences.
• My 2nd grader is able to ride bus. My 8th grader is unable to ride the bus because
we live "too close"....I have to drive him daily to and from school which is a conflict
with my work schedule! It would not be safe for him to walk or ride a bike. He would
be crossing 2 major intersections at a high traffic time of day!
• We need a light on Pearland Parkway to slow the traffic!! The street is very busy and
it is completely unsafe for a child to cross or to ride alongside on a bicycle. Or, an
'up-and-over' sidewalk could be an option - but the cars still move entirely too fast for
a child to be unsupervised near Pearland Parkway.
• please give free bus service for all students.
34
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
• Thankfully our neighborhood has sidewalks. We will let our child walk to school
when he's older- probably third grade. Parents have to be at work a certain time and
child is too young to walk alone.
• My oldest daughter attends Dawson High. There are large gaps where there is no
sidewalk. You would have to walk in the ditch or walk in the street. There is
absolutely no shoulder on Hughes Ranch Road. I have tried to walk myself and feel
very unsafe the speed of cars passing me.
• Old Alvin Road is the worst. A lot of kids cannot walk or even ride a bike down this
street because there is not even a shoulder.
• We have an easy walk to the school. Crossing the bus lane would be a deterrent to
me sending her by herself, but I walk with her. A crossing guard might be needed at
that corner. It is also access to the teacher parking so it is quite busy. The sidewalk
abruptly ends at the edge of the school so anyone coming from the front of the
neighborhood is not able to get to school on a sidewalk.
• I would love for my children to be able to walk to and from their schools. At this time,
it is just not safe. Also, I have younger children that will be attending Barbara
Cockrell and Pearland Jr High, so my concerns about walking are not just for my
currently enrolled children, but also for those that will attend in the future.
• If the sidewalk along old Alvin road was complete I would allow my child to ride his
bike to and from school
• We would love to walk to school or bike together but there is not a sidewalk on Old
Alvin Rd. we live less than a mile from the school. Please add a sidewalk"
• We would love to walk to school but it's impossible to cross Pearland Parkway on
foot
• My children could ride bikes straight down Old Alvin rd if there was a safe side walk
from Brentwood to McHard. If instead, they try to go down back streets through
Lakes of Highland Glen, it is more than 2 miles one way.
• I went before the City of Pearland and asked them to place sidewalks down Old Alvin
Rd, but they said that it would be too expensive. I would have to pay for bus service
because I live within two miles of the school.
• We need sidewalks along Old Alvin Road.
• Crossing the busy street would easily be re-mediated by having a cross-walk
monitor. But that's only if we had sidewalks from my neighborhood to the school.
• Would have to cross RR tracks
• Large ditches on either side of two lane road. Also, I find it appalling that I have to
pay for bus service when my school taxes are so high and that fact that there is not a
safe route for my oldest to get to Pearland Jr High West without the bus makes
paying for the service even more aggravating. The excuse that there is a Texas law
that "allows" them to charge was not well received, especially since we just moved
from Pasadena ISD and they have lower taxes, more kids and still manage to fund
free bus service as it should be.
35
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
Recommendations
The following recommended improvements are listed in relative priority, based on a
combination of factors including ease of implementation and number of students served.
1. Provide sidewalk connection along the pickup-drop-off roadway. This
improvement provides a missing 8-foot wide sidewalk connecting the existing
sidewalk from the south to the bike racks and sidewalk on the west side of the
school leading to the front door.
2. Provide short sidewalk connection at the southeast corner of Old Alvin
Road and McHard Road. This small improvement provides a short sidewalk
connector that facilitates the north-south movement at the corner.
3. Provide short sidewalk connection along Highland Glen Lane at the entry
to the community pool. This small improvement provides a short sidewalk
connector that facilitates student and resident walking along Highland Glen Lane.
4. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along the south side of Pearland Parkway from
Hidden Glen Lane to tie to the existing sidewalks at the school. This
improvement will provide a more direct route for some students to walk or ride
bicycles to school, and will provide connectivity choices.
5. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along the east side of Old Alvin Road from Knapp
Road to McHard Road. This improvement provides sidewalk connection to the
subdivisions north of the school and connection to the pedestrian crossing signal
at the intersection of McHard and Old Alvin Road.
a. Note: The City has a development agreement with a developer to
build 585 linear feet of 6-foot sidewalk on the west side of Old Alvin
from McHard Road to the north.
b. Note: In the same agreement the City is committed to building 630
linear feet of 6-foot sidewalk on the east side of Old Alvin.
c. Note: The remaining portion of the sidewalk to Knapp road needs to
remain in the plan as a recommendation.
6. Provide 6-foot sidewalks along Knapp Road, Union Valley Drive, Robinson
Drive and Glastonberry Drive. This improvement would provide for enhanced
safety of students walking along their neighborhood street to access the existing
and proposed sidewalk network.
7. Provide a Pedestrian Bridge across Pearland Parkway south of Hidden
Glen Lane. This improvement would connect the trails on either side of Pearland
Parkway, thus connecting the two large subdivisions east of Pearland Parkway to
the subdivisions and school west of the parkway.
Outreach and Publicity Strategy
The walking and bicycling to and from school could be encouraged by the following
activities:
• Parent patrol program of rotating assignments to raise awareness of issues
• Collaborations with Neighborhood Watch program during arrival and departure
• School traffic safety plan for parent packets tied to school code of conduct
36
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
6.4 Active Transportation Plan for C. J. Harris Elementary School
Overview
C. J. Harris Elementary is located amid old and new subdivisions, about 10 miles east of
SH 288 and 1/2 mile north of Broadway in Pearland, Texas. The school is situated within
a mostly developed urbanized area of Pearland, with a mixture of newer subdivisions
with sidewalks and rural single family homes and small housing clusters along rural
roads without sidewalks. Within the two-mile no bus zone, the majority of the students
appear to reside to the north, northwest and west, while a scattered few are located to
the east, south and southwest along various roadways. Although close to the school,
the students living to the east, south and southwest do not have the proper facilities to
enable them to walk to school safely. The students from the north, northwest, and west
of the school are basically accommodated for walking and bicycling to school.
Current Programs, Policies and Issues for Walking and Bicycling to School
This school is already engaged in activities that enhance safe and active student travel,
including:
• Pedestrian crosswalks and ramps at the edges of the school zone
• A path leading to and from the subdivision directly east of the school
• A pedestrian crosswalk at the three way intersection of Schleider and Barry Rose
including a crossing guard for morning and afternoon
• A crossing guard stationed at Schleider and Plum in the morning and afternoon
• A crossing guard stationed at Old Alvin and Plum in the morning and afternoon
• Bicycle racks provided for student and parent use
This school has the following supports or activities in place during student travel times:
• Crossing guards
• Staff presence during drop-off/pick-up
• Teachers and Staff assist students out of cars
• Teachers or Staff members safely walk groups of students who are walking or
bicycling off of the campus at dismissal
The arrival and dismissal procedures that address walking and bicycling to and from this
school are described below:
• We have crossing guards at three intersections and one directly across the street to
assist students that are walking or bicycling to and from school. Once all of our
buses have left in the afternoon, the walkers and bicycle riders are escorted off
the campus by teachers or staff. The school's driveways that students will walk
are monitored by staff members in the morning and the afternoon to assist
students to cross the driveways safely. As a safety precaution to themselves and
others, bicycle riders must walk their bicycles on school property rather than ride
them.
Other school travel policies include:
• Staff and teachers park in the side parking lot to allow parents ample parking in front,
so they can walk students into the school.
• Crossing guards are not allowed to use their cellular/mobile phones while on duty.
• Students that walk or ride bicycles are required to enter and exit specific doors.
38
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 2013
Numerous comments were offered by respondents to the on-line survey that was
conducted for this Safe Routes to School Plan. The following comments were received
from those indicating they had a student at Harris Elementary School.
• WE NEED A CROSSING GUARD AT THE CORNER OF PLUM AND OLD ALIVIN
RD. BY THE CHURCH" THEY HAVE ONE FOR THE JR. HIGH KIDS BUT NOT
FOR THE ELEMENTARY KIDS....
• Even if I had a safe route between my house and the school, I would be afraid to let
my 6 year old bike to school 1.5+ miles with the potential for my child or any child
being abducted.
• There is only one crossing guard and she is only at the street of the school and does
not show up until after 7:30 and since my kids have to be at school before then
because of clubs and student council so there is no safe way to cross the busy 4-
lane road
• We live in the Twin Lakes subdivision on Veterans. My child would have to cross
train tracks, 35, and 518 in order to get to CJ Harris from our house. We are 1.9
miles away and it is not feasible for children to do this (walking or riding a bike). The
neighborhood across the street from mine (The Parks at Walnut Glen) gets free
busing. My house is actually farther away from the school than that bus stop and
those students get free busing. This is very frustrating for my family.
• We need a crossing guard at old Alvin and Plum during Elementary school hours
there is one at this intersection during Jr High hours, but smaller children require a
little extra help at this large intersection. Instead of the Schlieder and Plum 3 way
stop.
• We love riding bikes/walking but broken sidewalks and lack of them makes it harder,
and dangerous. We appreciate what has been replaced and hope it continues all the
way to us. Thanks again for helping to keep our kids safe and parents involved!!
• Crossing guarding being available at schedule times.
• 518 is a very busy road, there is no cross guard and my work hours interfere with
school hours. It's unfair to have to pay for transportation services to and from school.
Especially when you're a single parent!
• My son is old enough and close enough to ride his bike. However, I worry about the
traffic. The cars drive terribly, and he would have to cross a busy intersection that
does not have a crossing guard.
• We live less than two miles from school but even with added sidewalks and bike
lanes I have concerns. FM 518 has become a congested street and asking primary
or elementary students to walk across that is dangerous, might as well ask them to
cross Hwy 288! Also, I don't think sidewalks and bike lanes are no longer the
problem, its society alone and a parents worse fear of their child being abducted.
• There should be a side walk on both sides of Alexander Middle School. On the right
side of the school, there is an S curve with no side walk or shoulder for the kids to be
safe, the curve has blind spots & many cars drive fast with no regards to the school
being there
40
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
Recommendations
The following recommended improvements are listed in relative priority, based on a
combination of factors including ease of implementation and number of students served.
1. Widen the existing sidewalk to 8-feet wide along the west side of Schleider
Drive from Berry Rose Road to E. Plum Street. This improvement will facilitate
the safety of existing and increased walking and bicycle riding by students living
in the apartments and subdivisions south of the school.
2. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along the north side of E. Plum Street from
Linwood Oaks Street to Schleider Drive. This improvement will facilitate
walking and bicycling by students that live north of E. Plum Street, eliminating the
crossing of E. Plum Street to access the existing sidewalks on the south side of
the street.
3. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along the south side of E. Orange Street from Old
Alvin Road to Schleider Drive. This improvement will facilitate walking and
bicycling by students that live north of E. Plum Street. The sidewalk will also
encourage walking by all residents in the area and provide access to the park to
the east along E. Orange Street.
4. Provide 6-foot sidewalk from Stonewood Heights Court to new 6-foot
sidewalk extension along north side of E. Orange Street to tie to
intersection with Schleider Drive. This improvement provides a shorter route to
school from the subdivision, encouraging walking and bicycling.
5. Provide 6-foot path from the pedestrian bridge at Shiela Street to the
sidewalks at the west side of the school. This improvement encourages
walking and bicycling from the neighborhood southwest of the school. The
pedestrian bridge already encourages walking and bicycling to the Junior High
School.
6. Provide short segment of 6-foot sidewalk along the west side of Sherwood
Street that completes the sidewalk from the subdivision to Broadway. This
improvement will facilitate walking and bicycling by students that live in the
Sherwood subdivision. Pedestrian signals and crosswalks are provided for all
approaches at the intersection of Sherwood at Broadway.
7. Widen the sidewalk along the north side of Broadway from Sherwood
Street to Berry Rose Road. Change the narrow sidewalk at the back of curb to
a 6-foot sidewalk separated from the curb by at least 5 feet to encourage walking
along the corridor and enhance the safety for students.
8. Widen the east side landing of the crossing of Schleider Drive to the path
to the subdivision to the east. This improvement enhances the safety of
improved utilization of this connection.
Coordination, Outreach and Publicity Strategy
The walking and bicycling to and from school could be encouraged by the following
activities:
• Student patrol to raise student awareness of importance of proper behaviors
• Parent patrol program of rotating assignments to raise awareness of issues
• Collaborations with Neighborhood Watch program during arrival and departure
41
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
• Walking School Bus routes for each neighborhood
• School traffic safety plan for parent packets tied to school code of conduct
• Coordinate with the Junior High School to extend the crossing guard duties to the
hours that support Harris Elementary School as well.
42
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
6.5 Active Transportation Plan for E. A. Lawhon Elementary School
Overview
E. A. Lawhon Elementary is located amid a mixture of rural residential, older
subdivisions and mobile homes, about 3 miles east of SH 288 and 1/2 mile south of
Beltway 8, physically in Brookside Village (population approx.1,500) but also serving
students living in the northern edge of the City of Pearland. The school serves a mostly
rural area with a mixture of old and newer low density housing and small housing
clusters along rural roads without sidewalks. Within the two-mile no bus zone, the
majority of the students appear to be scattered in all directions, with a small
concentration in a mobile home park to the southeast in Pearland. Although close to the
school, the students do not have the proper facilities to enable them to walk to school
safely.
Current Programs, Policies and Issues for Walking and Bicycling to School
This school is already engaged in activities that enhance safe and active student travel,
including:
• Pedestrian crosswalks and ramps at the edges of the school zone
This school has the following supports or activities in place during student travel times:
• Staff presence during drop-off/pick-up
• Student patrol for car riders
• Law enforcement support at the main intersection near the school during drop-
off/pick-up
The arrival and dismissal procedures that address walking and bicycling to and from this
school are described below:
• Due to deep ditches and no sidewalks, students do not walk or ride bikes to school.
However, parents do park their cars and walk students across the pedestrian
crosswalk in the school parking lot during drop-off/pick-up times. They also have
the option of driving their car through the car rider line to drop-off/pick-up their
child where staff members unload/load the child into the car.
Other school travel policies include:
• N/A
44
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
Comments from Survey
Numerous comments were offered by respondents to the on-line survey that was
conducted for this Safe Routes to School Plan. The following comments were received
from those indicating they had a student at Lawhon Elementary School.
• There should be sidewalks so the children could safely walk home if they have to. I
would not let him ride his bike by himself
• My daughter and/or I are unable to walk or bike due to the road is kind of narrow,
dangerous for walk or bike. It is very nice if City of Pearland build side walks around
2 miles from school. I look forward for good news.
• If the sidewalks extended farther down Brookside Road and there was a stop sign or
cross walk my kids would ride their bike to school.
• I think the survey should consists a question of whether or not the parent would allow
their child(ren) to go to and from school on their own. There are not many sidewalks
near us and the Pearland parents are crazy drivers no matter what time of day.
Always speeding in the school zone, most parents and daycare drivers treat it as a
race. My child is too young to walk to school.
• If there were sidewalks then we would consider bikes
46
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
Recommendations
The following recommended improvements are listed in relative priority, based on a
combination of factors including ease of implementation and number of students served.
1. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along east side of Oday Road from Pearland
Heights Mobile Home Park to Brookside Road and along south side of
Brookside Road to existing sidewalk at school. Conduct a "warrant study"
to determine if the intersection at Oday and Brookside should be an all-way
stop to improve its safety as a pedestrian crossing. This improvement allow
could allow for students to walk or ride bicycle to school that could not have
otherwise.
2. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along north side of Brookside Road from
Brookside City Hall to Oday Road. This improvement allows students to walk
or ride bicycle to school that could not have otherwise. The segment of sidewalk
also provides community access to city hall.
3. Provide 6-foot sidewalk to complete the connection along the east side of
Oday Road from the mobile home park to Butler Road. This improvement
allows students to walk or ride bicycle to school that could not have otherwise
and extends the reach of local residents for walking.
4. Provide 6-foot sidewalk on Butler Road at entry to Village Grove
subdivision. This improvement connects the subdivision sidewalks to the
proposed sidewalks along Oday Road and Butler Road.
5. Provide 6-foot sidewalk connector on both sides of Village Grove Drive.
This improvement connects the sidewalk network on the two sides of the
subdivision, connecting the east side to the propose sidewalk network to access
the school.
6. Provide 6-foot sidewalk on the east side of Old Avin Road from Butler Road
to Brookside Road. This improvement allows students to walk or ride bicycle to
school that could not have otherwise.
7. Provide 6-foot sidewalk on Butler Road between Old Alvin Road and Oday
Road. This improvement connects the subdivision sidewalks to the proposed
sidewalks along Oday Road and Butler Road.
Outreach and Publicity Strategy
The walking and bicycling to and from school could be encouraged by the following
activities:
• Student patrol to raise student awareness of importance of proper behaviors
• Parent patrol program of rotating assignments to raise awareness of issues
• Collaborations with Neighborhood Watch program during arrival and departure
• Walking School Bus routes for each neighborhood
• School traffic safety plan for parent packets tied to school code of conduct
47
Pear land Safe Routes to School I 2013
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
6.6 Active Transportation Plan for Glenn York Elementary School
Overview
Glenn York Elementary is located amid relatively new subdivisions, about 1.5 miles west
of SH 288 and 1/4 mile north of Broadway in Pearland, Texas. The school is situated
within a mostly developed urbanized area of Pearland, with mostly newer subdivisions
with sidewalks. Within the two-mile no bus zone, the majority of the students appear to
reside to the northeast, north, northwest and west, while many are located in the
subdivisions to the south of Broadway. Sidewalks are provided along the local and
collector roads within the subdivisions north of Broadway, providing walking and
bicycling opportunities for the majority of students. Broadway is a major arterial roadway
running east-west just south of the school, posing a hazardous crossing for students and
qualifying those students living south of Broadway for school bus service.
Current Programs, Policies and Issues for Walking and Bicycling to School
This school is already engaged in activities that enhance safe and active student travel,
including:
• Pedestrian crosswalks and ramps at the edges of the school zone
• Staff escorts walking and bicycling students to corner of Kingsley Drive and Trinity
Bay Drive where crossing guard is positioned to get students safely across the
intersection for continuation on sidewalks to the north and east.
This school has the following supports or activities in place during student travel times:
• Crossing guards
• Staff presence during drop-off/pick-up
• Law enforcement support
• School traffic safety plan
The arrival and dismissal procedures that address walking and bicycling to and from this
school are described below:
This school is already engaged in activities that enhance safe and active student travel,
including:
• Pedestrian crosswalks and ramps at the edges of the school zone
This school has the following supports or activities in place during student travel times:
• Crossing guards
• Staff presence during drop-off/pick-up
• Student patrol
• School traffic safety plan
The arrival and dismissal procedures that address walking and bicycling to and from this
school are described below:
• Students are dismissed in a precise order so as to promote safety in the process of
dismissing walkers and bikers, in the following order: bus riders, car riders,
daycare/aftercare students, bridge bikers, bridge walkers, regular bikers and
regular walkers.
49
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
Other school travel policies include:
• No parent walk-ups are allowed. Parents must either wait across the bridge or across
the street to get their child if they are a walker or biker.
• No Kindergarten students are released until a parent is positively identified on the
other side of the bridge waiting for them.
• Students will not be released if it is raining heavily, lightening is present, or other
weather impediments exists. In these cases all students become subject to "parent pick-
up."
50
Pear land Safe Routes to School I 2013
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
Comments from Survey
Numerous comments were offered by respondents to the on-line survey that was
conducted for this Safe Routes to School Plan. The following comment was received
from those indicating they had a student at Glenn York Elementary School.
• I would love for me and my child to ride our bikes or walk, but I don't feel riding a
bike, since the sidewalk ends and he has to get onto Trinity Bay which is a very busy
street. Also he has to cross two big streets. It would be nice if there were more
signs warning about children walking or biking. It would be great to have some
markings for walkers and bikers on the surface of the street. And what would be
absolutely fabulous is to have a more direct way of getting to school. If we could go
across we'd be able to save a lot of time.
52
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
Recommendations
The following recommended improvements are listed in relative priority, based on a
combination of factors including ease of implementation and number of students served.
1. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along west side of Kingsley Drive from Southern
Trails Drive to Broadway Street. This improvement allows students to walk or
ride bicycle to school that could not have otherwise. Currently these students
within one mile southwest of school are eligible to be bused due to the
"hazardous" crossing of Broadway.
a. Note: Sidewalks along Kingsley (CR48) are being provided by
developer or are included in Brazoria County's plans for widening
CR48, which is scheduled to start in 2014.
2. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along west side of Kingsley Drive from Southern
Trails Drive to Broadway Street.. This improvement allows students within one
mile southeast of school to walk or ride bicycle to school that would have
otherwise had to walk further to cross Broadway using the signal at Half Moon
Bay. Currently these students are eligible to be bused due to the "hazardous"
crossing of Broadway.
a. Note: Sidewalks along Kingsley (CR48) are being provided by
developer or are included in Brazoria County's plans for widening
CR48, which is scheduled to start in 2014.
3. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along the east side of Indigo Bay Drive from Trinity
Bay Drive to Hampton Bay Drive and along the north side of Trinity Bay
Drive from Indigo Bay Drive to Biscayne Bay Drive. This improvement allows
students to walk or ride bicycle to school from their neighborhood to use the
crossing control point at Biscayne Bay Drive and Trinity Bay Drive.
a. Note: This appears to be a sidewalk that the developer should have
installed. The City is currently verifying this information and shall
update this plan upon additional findings.
4. Provide standard crosswalk along the south side of Trinity Bay at Park
Springs Drive. Provide standard crosswalks along the south and north side
of Winter Springs Drive at Park Springs Drive. This improvement enhances
the sidewalk system intended for use to access the school to and from the
neighborhood.
5. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along the east side of Indigo Bay Drive and the
north side of Trinity Bay Drive.. This improvement reduces the crossing of
streets internal to the neighborhood to access the sidewalk system along Trinity
Bay Drive intended for use to access the school to and from the neighborhood.
6. Enhance the Crosswalks at the All-way Stop Controlled intersection of
Biscayne Bay Drive and Trinity Bay Drive. A higher order of crosswalk
pavement markings is suggested to enhance the visibility, and thus the safety, of
the pedestrian crossings on all four approaches to the intersection.
7. Enhance the Crosswalks at the All-way Stop Controlled intersection of
Trinity Bay Drive and S. Clear Lake Loop. A higher order of crosswalk
53
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
pavement markings is suggested to enhance the visibility, and thus the safety, of
the pedestrian crossings on all four approaches to the intersection.
8. Enhance the Crosswalks on the north side of the intersection of S. Clear
Lake Loop at Silent Shores Lane. A higher order of crosswalk pavement
markings is suggested to enhance the visibility, and thus the safety, of the
pedestrian crossings on all three approaches to the intersection.
9. Provide standard crosswalk along the east side of Rustling Creek Drive at
the entry drive to the Briarwood North subdivision. This improvement
enhances the sidewalk system intended for use to access the school to and from
the neighborhood.
10. Provide a short (20-foot) 6-foot sidewalk connector from the cul-de-sac at
the east end of Imperial Shore Drive to the sidewalk along Biscayne Bay
Drive. This improvement reduces the walking distance from the neighborhood to
access the sidewalk system along Biscayne Bay Drive intended for use to access
the school to and from the neighborhood.
11. Provide standard crosswalk along the west side of Indigo Bay and the
south side of Trinity Bay Drive at this intersection. This improvement
enhances the sidewalk system intended for use to access the school to and from
the neighborhood.
12. Provide an enhanced crosswalk along the west side of Indigo Bay Drive
and a standard crosswalk the south side of Trinity Bay Drive at this
intersection. This improvement enhances the sidewalk system intended for use
to access the school to and from the neighborhood. The enhanced crosswalk —
ladder striping or a complete color or pattern in the crosswalk — increases the
visibility and thus the safety of this uncontrolled pedestrian crossing Trinity Bay
Drive.
13. Re-stripe the crosswalks at all four legs of the intersection of Biscayne Bay
Drive and Regents Bay Drive. This improvement enhances the sidewalk
system intended for use to access the school to and from the neighborhood.
Coordination, Outreach and Publicity Strategy
The walking and bicycling to and from school could be encouraged by the following
activities:
• Student patrol to raise student awareness of importance of proper behaviors
• Parent patrol program of rotating assignments to raise awareness of issues
• Collaborations with Neighborhood Watch program during arrival and departure
• Walking School Bus routes for each neighborhood
School traffic safety plan for parent packets tied to school code of conduct
54
Pear land Safe Routes to School I 2013
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
6.7 Active Transportation Plan for Pearland Junior High School South
Overview
Pearland Junior High School South is located in the developing southeast sector of
Pearland, Texas, about 5.5 miles east of SH 288 and 2 miles south of Broadway. The
school is situated within a partially developed urbanized area of Pearland, with a mixture
of newer subdivisions with sidewalks and rural single family homes and small housing
clusters along rural roads without sidewalks. Within the two-mile no bus zone, the
majority of the students appear to reside to the west, northwest and north, while a
scattered few are located to the south and east along various roadways to which
currently there are no pedestrian facilities. Although close to the school, the students
living to the southeast and southwest do not have the proper facilities to enable them to
walk to school safely. The students from the north and northwest of the school are
adequately accommodated for walking and bicycling to school, though several
enhancements need to be made.
Current Programs, Policies and Issues for Walking and Bicycling to School
This school is already engaged in activities that enhance safe and active student travel,
including:
• Pedestrian crosswalks and ramps at the edges of the school zone
• Others
This school has the following supports or activities in place during student travel times:
• Staff presence during drop-off/pick-up
• Law enforcement support
• Neighborhood Watch program
• School traffic safety plan
The arrival and dismissal procedures that address walking and bicycling to and from this
school are described below:
• Students who live in the neighborhoods to the northwest are directed to arrive/leave
by the tennis courts and practice football fields.
• Students who live in the neighborhoods to the northeast are directed to arrive/leave
by the front of Turner High School and Veterans Drive.
• Students that walk or bike are encouraged to leave the school grounds at 4pm due to
the heavy student pick-up traffic from 3:45—4:00pm.
• New parent pick-up procedures implemented in the 2013 school year require that
parents form a single car-rider pick-up line, for safety purposes.
56
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 2013
Comments from Survey
Numerous comments were offered by respondents to the on-line survey that was
conducted for this Safe Routes to School Plan. The following comments were received
from those indicating they had a student at Pearland Junior High School South.
• I noticed some of the other PISD schools are not on the survey and don't have
sidewalk routes to them. My child's grandparents live near Rustic Oaks Elementary
and there ARE NO SIDEWALKS up to the schools property as well as it is
dangerous since parents park all over the place (not in a line of cars but literally
EVERYWHERE!) VERY dangerous school to be around and then the school zones
are the largest in the area! other zones like Carlston and Lawhon have school zones
about 500 feet past the schools but Rustic has them over a 1/2 mile. Very
inconsistent in the Pearland area.
• I drive Veteran's to 35 daily and see many students riding bikes/walking along busy
rode with no shoulder/sidewalk in places or crossing 35 with the construction. so
scary and dangerous that I can't believe it.
• He plays the trombone and it is easier to walk and carry than to balance the
trombone on the bike and ride.
• Sidewalks are needed on Bailey starting at PJHS all the way to the Natatorium for
students walking or biking there after school, or even to the High School.
• The route does have sidewalks on one side of the street - would be helpful to have
on both sides and would be helpful to have better/safer crossing areas for students
who walk or ride bikes.
• You didn't ask about Magnolia Elementary but there is a major traffic problem there
in the mornings. We live too close to the school for my kindergarten child to ride the
bus without paying for it. It's difficult with work schedules to not have bus service for
such young children.
• One busy intersection to cross, McLean Road
• The crossing from Park Village Estates to Jr. High South is scary to see as a parent.
I do my part and contact police, but they can't be everywhere. The main problem is
people making turns into the school in an entrance CLEARLY marked do not enter.
It is dangerous for walking kids as well as cars turning out of the drive. Perhaps a
stop sign can be considered here clearly stating no turn and 3 way??
• At PJHS at the exit from the front parking lot onto McLean Rd there is a Do Not Enter
sign. Is it possible to get this sign moved back about 30 ft to allow people to enter
the parking lot from this direction. Moving the sign back would prevent people from
driving down the main student pickup lane.
• On the west part of McLean road from our Springfield subdivision there is no
sidewalk, this is a concern.
• I have multiple children and therefore have different issues with each. The survey did
not address this. My Carleston student walks almost every day. I have a Jamison
student (which is not included in the survey, but by far the worst situation) who
should have transportation as the route is far (1.95 miles according to PISD) and
totally unsafe (no sidewalks/shoulder, traveling along 518 and crossing 518. South is
58
Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
a little better and I think we've figured out a bike path, however, the amount of
equipment my daughter drags to school precludes a safe ride.
• I would love for my children to be able to walk to and from their schools. At this time,
it is just not safe. Also, I have younger children that will be attending Barbara
Cockrell and Pearland Jr High, so my concerns about walking are not just for my
currently enrolled children, but also for those that will attend in the future.
• My son would have to walk in the ditch or on the road if he were to walk. His only
route to take is Bailey, which is a very high traffic two lane road without any
shoulders . We live almost to 1128. That is a very long distance forsomeone to walk.
The school should provide a bus this far away and with Bailey being the only option
to walk.
• My problem is not with him walking to PJHS, it was when he attended Jamison. He
rode the bus but we had to pay but just one street over in our subdivision Jamison
students did not have to pay. The alternative was to have him walk and cross 518.
• We need sidewalks for sure between the Natatorium and South and around the cow
pasture between them.
• Thank you for adding the sidewalk last year between Centennial Park and Magnolia.
It made a big difference
59
Pearland Safe Routes to School I 2013
Recommendations
The following recommended improvements are listed in relative priority, based on a
combination of factors including ease of implementation and number of students served.
1. Provide 6-foot sidewalk connections on Springfield Avenue west of McLean
Road to the sidewalk along the east side of McLean Road. This improvement
connects the existing sidewalk networks on either side of McLean to each other,
and the subdivision to the west of McLean to the sidewalk that lead to the school.
2. Widen the sidewalk to 8 feet along the east side of McLean Road from
Springfield Avenue to Village Creek Drive. This improvement will facilitate
and encourage the increased walking and bicycling to the school from the
residential areas to the north.
3. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along the west side of Veterans Road from
Magnolia southward to tie to the existing sidewalk north of Springfield
Avenue. This improvement provides a more direct path from the Cobblestone
subdivision and the Magnolia Place Trailer Park to the existing sidewalk network
that leads to the school.
4. Provide and enhance the pedestrian crossings at the all-way stop
controlled intersection of Veterans Road at Springfield Avenue. This
improvement will provide pedestrian crosswalks at all four approaches to the
intersection and enhance the signage for the intersection. This same
improvement needs to be done for the north-south crossings at Barrington Way.
5. Provide the 6-foot sidewalk connection and bridge along the east side of
Veterans Road at the drainage ditch north of the school. This improvement
provides a secondary access path from neighborhoods to the north and direct
connection to the athletic complex east of Veterans Road.
6. Enhance the pedestrian crossing of Veterans Road at the athletic complex.
This improvement would provide pedestrian actuated crossing flashers and
crosswalk striping to enhance the visibility of this crossing.
7. Provide 6-foot sidewalk connections along Village Creek Drive west of
McLean Road. This improvement will facilitate the student walking and bicycling
to the school from the neighborhoods to the west. The existing crosswalk
marking s and signage will be enhanced.
8. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along the north side of Baily Road between
Lawrence Place and Lavaca Drive. This improvement connects the sidewalks
of the two subdivisions and provides walking and bicycling access from the
western subdivision through the existing sidewalks to the school.
a. Note: The Bailey Road expansion project includes a 10-foot
sidewalk along the north side of Bailey Road. The project is
scheduled to start construction in late 2015.
9. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along south side of Cottonwood Street from Harkey
Road to Spring Branch Drive West. This improvement provides walking and
bicycling access further west into the less developed residential areas.
10. Provide 6-foot sidewalk along east side of Harkey Road from Ravenwood
Drive to Patridge Drive. This improvement provides walking and bicycling
60
Pearland Safe Routes to School J 2013
access further west into the less developed residential areas and connects to
sidewalk improvements along Harkey Road to Magnolia Street.
Coordination, Outreach and Publicity Strategy
The walking and bicycling to and from school could be encouraged by the following
activities:
• Student patrol to raise student awareness of importance of proper behaviors
• Parent patrol program of rotating assignments to raise awareness of issues
• Collaborations with Neighborhood Watch program during arrival and departure
• Walking School Bus routes for each neighborhood
• School traffic safety plan for parent packets tied to school code of conduct
• School traffic safety plan during parent nights, concerns, and extracurricular activities
• Communication of safety procedures using call-out phone messages, email blast,
Pearland Junior High South website, and other electronic, mobile/cellular
applications
61
Pearland Safe Routes to School I 2013
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
11.Outreach and Publicity Strategy District-wide and Focus Areas
1. Conduct the Transportation to School Survey Regularly
a. At least biannually, conduct the on-line survey of how families get their students
to school and the issues they face.
b. Track and publish the performance measures gathered in the survey - mode of
transport, sense of safety, stated issues, etc.
2. Engage the Community
a. Collaborate with local media for public service announcements before the start of
each school year regarding the importance of school speed zones and watching
for young people walking and bicycling to school.
b. Contact neighborhood associations along walking routes to school to assure that
signs are visible, trees and brush are trimmed, and sidewalk obstacles are
addressed.
c. Contact each neighborhood association to request extension of the
neighborhood watch program to monitor students walking to and from school.
d. Contact businesses along safe routes to school to solicit their participation in
keeping walking routes clear of obstructions and to look for ways to enhance the
safety and aesthetics of the walking environment at their property.
3. Participate in the National Walk to School Week program each October and the
National Bike to School Week program in May.
a. Draft a news release or media advisory for the events. Template media materials
are available at www.walktoschool.org/resources. Follow up with key media
contacts. Pre-arrange interviews.
b. Choose a difference focus school and backstory each year.
c. Conduct a highly visible event to bring greater awareness to the event's theme,
varying the focus of the message each year (i.e. increasing physical activity,
making it safer for walkers, or the environmental benefits of walking).
d. Go beyond the school to include other prominent community members and
organizations in Walk to School. Invite your town mayor, congressperson, a local
celebrity or the mascot of a sports team to attend and possibly speak at your
event.
e. Seek Opportunities for Co-Promotion with media, local youth-oriented
organizations and business.
4. Sustain an incentive program for ridesharing, walking and bicycling to school.
a. Incentives for commitment to rideshare, walk or ride bike
b. Performance rewards to students and families
c. Rewards for parent/guardian leadership of walking school buses, route monitors,
rideshare coordinators, etc.
d. Participation rewards to school administrators and staff for administering program
e. Regular and visual celebrations of the program
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
12.Creating Solutions
Goals
Our primary goal for active school transportation are:
1. improve the health and safety of students walking and bicycling to school, and
the parents that participate as chaperones and in other walking/biking activities
2. increase the number of students walking and bicycling to school
3. decrease traffic congestion at school pick-up/drop-off routes
Strategies
We have identified strategies involving the 5 E's (Engineering, Education,
Enforcement, Encouragement, and Evaluation) of Safe Routes to School to address
the barriers to walking and bicycling in our school community and to achieve our
stated goals. The strategies we will use include:
8a. Engineering Strategies (within 2 miles of schools), with specific improvements
as noted in Section 6 for each school
• Construct, replace, or repair sidewalks
• Build off-road walking/bicycling paths with connections to schools, where feasible
• Install, enhance, or repair crosswalks
• Install curb extensions to reduce the crossing distance on streets
• Install new or improved street lighting
• Install new or improved signage and pavement marking or legends
• Install traffic calming measures (curb extensions, speed bumps, traffic circles,
raised crosswalks, narrowing lanes, etc.)
8b. Education Strategies
• Teach pedestrian and bicycle safety skills to students and parents
• Organize a Bicycle Rodeo or training course to teach on-bike skills
• Teach the health, environmental and sustainable transportation benefits of
walking and bicycling to students and parents
• Educate parents and caregivers about safe driving procedures at the school
• Train school and community audiences about Safe Routes to School
8c. Encouragement Strategies
• Sustain a Walking School Bus program, with at least one route per school where
practical
• Host annual Walk to School Day (first Wednesday in October), annual Bike to
School Day, or other events
• Initiate a walking/biking mileage club or other contest
• Promote Safe Routes to School in the community
• Create a Safe Passage or extended Neighborhood Watch program
• Conduct a community safe driving awareness and education program
8d. Enforcement Strategies
• Continue the crossing guard training program, increasing the number of crossing
guards where applicable
• Create a parent or student patrol program
• Utilize speed feedback trailers or signs to deter speeding in school zones
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
• Increase traffic law enforcement during school hours at strategic locations
• Install "NO TEXTING IN SCHOOL ZONE" signs at all schools where applicable
8e. Evaluation Strategies
• Surveying/counting the number of students who are signed up to regularly walk
and bicycle to and from school
• Tracking the number and type of crashes and speeding violations within 2 miles
of school
• Monitor parent/guardian feedback on perceptions of safety by conducting
surveys of parents each school year, similar to that done for this Plan
13.The Action Plan
The Safe Routes to School team is committed to realizing our vision for a safe,
enjoyable, and accessible walking and bicycling environment for our students. We
will utilize the following Action Plan to keep our efforts focused and on track:
Engineering Strategies
Strategy Goal Responsible Status Funding
Party Source
Construct, replace, or repair sidewalks 10,000 City PW Ongoing Local,
• LF/yr CDBG
• Build off-road walking/bicycling paths with 5,000 LF/yr City P&R Ongoing Local,
connections to schools Federal
• Install, enhance, or repair crosswalks 50 per year City PW Ongoing Local,
CDBG
• Install curb extensions to reduce the 10 per year City PW Future Local,
crossing distance on streets CDBG
Install new or improved street lighting As needed City PW Ongoing Local,
• CDBG
• Install new or improved signage (school As needed City PW Ongoing Local,
zone, speed limits, crosswalks, etc.) CDBG
• or legends or improved pavement marking As needed City PW Ongoing CDBG
• Make existing walkways accessible to 20 per year City PW Ongoing Local,
disabled students CDBG
Install bicycle parking near schools As needed ISD Ongoing Local,
• CDBG
• Install traffic calming measures (curb Perform
extensions, speed bumps, traffic circles, special City PW Future Local,
raised crosswalks, narrowing lanes, etc.) studies CDBG
• Create traffic controls using traffic lights, As needed City Traffic Ongoing Local,
flashing beacons or signs CDBG
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
Education Strategies
Strategy Goal Responsible Status Funding
Party Source
• Teach pedestrian and bicycle safety skills 1 class per PISD, AISD Ongoing Local
to students and parents school/yr
Organize a Bicycle Rodeo or training 1 class per City PD,
• school/yr
PISD,AISD, Ongoing Local
course to teach on-bike skills y Parks/Rec
• Teach personal safety skills to students 1 class per City PD,
school/yr
PISD,AISD, Ongoing Local
and parents y Parks/Rec
• Teach health, environmental and 1 class per Parks/Rec, Local,
sustainability benefits of walking and school/yr PISD, AISD Future Federal
bicycling to students and parents
Brochure
• Educate parents and caregivers about safe for each City PD, Ongoing Local,
driving procedures at the school school PISD, AISD Federal
Create and distribute bicycle and Update Parks/Rec,
• Local,
pedestrian safety educational materials every 3 yrs PD, PISD, Ongoing Federal
P Y AISD
• Train school and community audiences 1 class per Parks/Rec, Future Local,
about Safe Routes to School school/yr PISD, AISD Federal
Encouragement Strategies
Strategy Goal Responsible Status Funding
Party Source
Start a Walking School Bus program 1 route per PISD/AISD Future
• Local,
school/yr Private
Host Walk to School Day (first Wednesday 50°o PISD,AISD Local,
• in October) or other special event every year Parks/Rec Future Private
YY
Initiate a walking/biking mileage club or 50%
• Local,
other contest schools PISD/AISD Future Private
every year
• Promote Safe Routes to School in the Fall every PISD/AISD Future Local,
community yr Private
Initiate a reward program for safe travel 50% Local,
• behaviors among students schools PISD/AISD Future Private
every year
• Create a Safe Passage or Neighborhood Add 1 ea. PISD/AISD Ongoing Local,
Watch program yr Private
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 12013
• Conduct a community safe driving 2 Media PISD/AISD Future Local,
awareness and education campaign events/yr Federal
50% Local,
• Host Bike to School Day schools PISD/AISD Future Federal
every year
Enforcement Strategies
Strate Responsible Funding
9Y Goal Party Status Source
• Continue the crossing guard training Annual PISD, City PD, Ongoing Local,
program Program AISD Private
• IN SCHOOL ZONE" signs at all schools 75% PISD,AISD, Ongoing Local,
where applicable schools City PW Private
• Create a parent or student patrol
As needed PISD/AISD Ongoing Local
program
• Lower speed limits in school vicinity As needed City Ongoing Local
PD/Engineering
• Utilize speed feedback trailers or signs As needed City PD/PW Ongoing Local
to deter speeding in school zones
• Increase traffic law enforcement during All schools City PD Ongoing Local
school hours at strategic locations
• Install or confirm "NO TEXTING All schools City PW Ongoing Local
Evaluation Strategies
Strategy Goal Responsible Status Funding
Party Source
• Surveying/counting the number of students 100% of PISD,AISD,
who are signed up to regularly walk and schools City PD, Ongoing Local
bicycle to and from school Reporting City Adm,
• Tracking the number and type of crashes Monthly PISD,AISD,
and speeding violations within 2 miles of Reporting City PD, Ongoing Local
school City Adm,
• Monitor parent/guardian feedback on PISD,AISD,
perceptions of safety by conducting Annual City PD, Ongoing Local
surveys of parents each school year, survey City Adm,
similar to that done for this Plan
10. Evaluation, Coordination, and Support Activities:
• Activities that address the monitoring, review, and update process
o Perform annual survey of travel to school
o Compile class tracking of walk/bike versus bus and pickup
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
o Update sidewalk inventory regularly
o Each school annually to review and update its safe routes to school
• Plan for how initiatives(s)will be sustained
o Each school to annually disseminate safe routes to school plan to parents
of students
o School district to annually incentivize walking and biking to school, at
school and at student level
o School district to solicit parent involvement in promoting and conducting
walking and biking programs
o School district to solicit local agency and business involvement in
sponsoring walking and biking programs
• Methods and measures of success for strategies
o Increase in students walking or bicycling to school (self-reporting to
teachers)
o Decrease in students being dropped off or picked up at school (measure at
school curbside)
o Increase in length of sidewalk facilities within 2 miles of school (city
inventory)
• Reference to or inclusion of a non-motorized master plan or similar document
o Safe routes to school plan to be incorporated into city-wide pedestrian
master plan
o Safe routes to school plan to be incorporated into system-wide pedestrian
access to transit plan
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Pearland Safe Routes to School 1 2013
5. Plan Endorsement
We believe that building a strong partnership between schools and the local
government is fundamental to the success of a Safe Routes to School Plan. Our
Safe Routes to School Plan has been endorsed by the following entities:
Pearland ISD
Alvin ISD
City of Pearland— Mayor& Council
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