Title
A RESOLUTION ADOPTING IN CONCEPT THE 2024 SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL TRAVEL PLAN.
Brief Description: The Safe Routes to School Travel Plan was last updated in 2011. In 2023, the City received a grant from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) to develop a new School Travel Plan. A core team was selected to guide the effort, consisting of representatives from Hudson City Schools, City Council, and City Staff. With the assistance of an engineering traffic safety consultant, the new School Travel Plan was recently completed. City staff will review the plan with City Council.
Body
Legislative History
10-121 - Authorized Application and Agreement for Funds for Safe Routes to School; 10/20/2010
22-22 - Authorized Application to ODOT for Funding; 2/15/2022
23-39 - Apply for and Enter into Agreement with ODOT for Update to Safe Routes to School Travel Plan; 3/21/2023
Purpose & Explanation
The Ohio Department of Transportation’s (ODOT’s) Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program provides resources, technical assistance and project funding for Local Public Agencies (LPAs) and school systems to encourage and enable students in grades K-12 to safely walk or ride their bike to school. For a city to be eligible to apply for funds, the community must develop a comprehensive School Travel Plan that identifies both infrastructure and non-infrastructure safety improvements, countermeasures, and educational programs.
The City of Hudson’s School Travel Plan (STP) was last updated in 2011. In order for the City to be eligible to apply for future infrastructure projects and non-infrastructure programs listed within the School Travel Plan, an updated STP plan needs to be formally submitted to ODOT.
In 2023, ODOT notified the City that it had been selected for a grant that would fund the development of a new School Travel Plan. The core team worked with ODOT’s traffic safety consultant, Toole Design, to develop the new STP plan, which was completed in July, 2024.
City staff will present the new STP plan and answer any questions. City staff is requesting adoption of the School Travel Plan before submitting the plan to ODOT.
Once approved by ODOT, the STP plan will be used for future Safe Routes to School grant funding applications for future sidewalk, crosswalk, striping, signage or traffic calming features improvements that would make student travel to/from schools safer.
Fiscal Impact
Currently Budgeted
Supplemental Appropriation Required
X Appropriation Not Required.
Recommendation
Suggested Action
Staff recommends City Council adopt the Safe Routes to School Travel Plan in concept.
Submitted by,
Thomas J. Sheridan, City Manager
Greg Hannan, Community Development Director
Nick Sugar, Associate Planner
Bradley S. Kosco, PE, PS, City Engineer