active transportation – Safe Routes San Juan

The California Department of Education document Sustainable Communities and School Planning has a section on promoting active transportation.

“Promoting Active Transportation: Safe routes to school promote active forms of transportation (e.g., walking and biking) with associated health benefits and reduced pollution and traffic near schools. Creating safe routes by removing existing barriers or mitigating safety issues is much more difficult and expensive to accomplish after construction than if the school is originally sited and designed correctly. Working with local traffic planners is critical, and help is available in the form of technical resources, training, and funding from a variety of sources. District efforts may involve walkability audits, surveys on modes of transportation, safety curriculum, and program development such as the “walking school bus” and bicycle “train ” (students accompanied by adults walking or bicycling on a safe route) and infrastructure or safety projects such as bike and skateboard racks, sidewalks, bike lanes, and lighting improvements.”

Sylvan Middle School is new this year, a campus reconstructed and expanded from the old Citrus Heights. As part of this, new bike racks and skateboard/scooter racks were installed.

The bike racks are modern inverted-U racks, that offer two points of support for keeping bikes upright and easy locking. This morning, the first day of school, there were 16 bike riders. There is a capacity for 68 bikes.

The skateboard/scooter racks are also modern, and perhaps the best available. Both skateboards and scooters can be stored, and locked securely. This morning, there were 3 skateboard riders and 11 scooter riders. There is a capacity for 40 skateboards or scooters.

All racks are within a fenced, lockable compound on a hard clean surface. This is not only an improvement from what Sylvan had at its old campus, but is the best the district has to offer, so far. We hope that these new, modern racks that provide security for student’s rides will encourage even more students to bike, skateboard, and scooter.