Mariemont new bike racks

Mariemont Elementary in Arden-Arcade has completely new bike racks and skateboard/scooter racks. The racks were purchased by the school PTA, and the fenced bike compounds were constructed by the district. The students, parents and Principal Beth Wahl were very excited this first day of school in having a secure and welcoming place for bikes. Every student was wearing a helmet today. Students received a bike keychain and thanks for riding from Safe Routes to School Coordinator Dan Allison. 

Mariemont has a lot of parents who bike to and from school with their kids, particular on the first day, but every day as well. 

mom, daughter, and friend with bikes

The skateboard/scooter racks are particularly innovative, and the students with skateboards and scooters though the racks were cool. 

new skateboard/scooter racks, and users

San Juan Unified students bike to school

Check out the district’s article on Bike to School Day, San Juan Unified students bike to school, including photos from three schools. 

Walk to School Day at Will Rogers

This morning I (Dan Allison, Safe Route to School Coordinator), had the pleasure of joining the Will Rogers Middle School celebration of Walk to School Day. Naomi Harper along with other Will Rogers staff organized a walk from the nearby corner of Will Rogers Dr and Dewey Dr, which see a large number of students walking, bicycling, and scootering every day. Present were the Honorary Mayor of Fair Oaks, Rachel Griffith, three guests from Sacramento County Office of Education, other district and school staff, and of course the students.

At school there was a recognition of the day, a short speech by the Honorary Mayor, and a flag raising and national anthem by the school’s JROTC color guard.

While students headed to class, Naomi took the guests on a tour of the school’s specialty programs and developments, including the garden and solar area, culinary classroom, and bike shop.

Will Rogers is not part of the district’s Safe Routes to School grant, but is a wonderful example of how much can be accomplished to support walking and bicycling by passionate staff, supportive administration, community volunteers, and funding partners.

The district’s Facebook page has a post and photos, while the school posted yesterday and will probably post again soon.

bike rack problems

The last post, about the wonderful new bike/skateboard/scooter racks at Sylvan Middle School, may leave you wondering about other schools.

bikes fallen over, and locked parallel

Most schools in San Juan have bike racks that were placed when the school was first built, meaning many are 30 to 70 years old. These were not good racks to begin with, most being what are called “wheel benders” since when bikes are accidentally or intentionally knocked over, the front wheel gets bent. In an attempt to use these racks, students lock their bikes parallel to the rack, using up many slots, or give up and lock to a fence or something else nearby.

rusted rack, abandoned locks

After decades of use, many racks are in poor condition, with broken bars and rails, rusted and sharp metal, and years of abandoned locks.

Some bike racks are placed on dirt or grass, so when it rains or sprinklers over-water, they are not usable. Many racks are placed up against walls or fences so that only one side of the rack is usable.

what happens when the bike rack doesn’t allow secure locking

These bike racks do not encourage students to bike to school, in fact they discourage students.

Students riding skateboards and scooters do not have a place for their devices either. They can try to use the bike racks, but the racks were not designed for this, provide no security, and often have bikes parked on top of the skateboards and scooters. Or, skateboards and scooters are stored in classrooms where they take up space and create a safety hazard.

The next posts will be about best-practice solutions to these issues.