Safe Routes to School Program

Lead Agency: North Carolina Department of Transportation Safe Routes to School Program 2008-09 Application Infrastructure Grant Reimbursement Program

Applicant Information Name of Lead Agency: This agency must be willing and authorized to Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation enter into a reimbursement agreement with Department: NCDOT and must attach a Resolution of Greenway Planning & Development Support and Administration to be eligible for funds. Is this document attached? Contact Person: Julie Clark Yes No (ineligible) Title: Email Address: Division Director [email protected] Mailing Address: City: State: Zip Code: 5841 Brookshire Boulevard Charlotte NC 28216-2403 County: Work Phone Number: Work Fax Number: Mecklenburg 704.336.5927 704.336.5472

Geographic Information 1. Area of Coverage: Please identify the geographic level at which the proposed project will be implemented. Individual School (or small cluster of up to 5 schools in close proximity) Community-wide (municipality, school district, or county) Identify the Community that will be served through this project: 2. How many public, charter, and private schools will be affected or targeted by your project within this area of coverage? (only schools serving K-8 grades may be counted) Public 1 Charter Private* A) Approximate total student enrollment in these schools: '08? B) Of these students, how many receive free or reduced lunches? '08?

*Infrastructure projects affecting or targeting private schools must be constructed within public right-of-way and be available for public use. 3. Is there a Safe Routes to School Action Plan completed or is one being developed for this area of coverage? No Yes If yes, please attach the plan, or provide an electronic link to the document.

NCDOT SRTS Program Page 1 of 12 9/18/08 Infrastructure Application FINAL Lead Agency: Individual School Background Information Applicants at the Individual School geographic level must fill in this section. Community-wide level applicants should skip to the Project Information section on page 3. Please complete this form for each school directly involved in the proposed project. Attach the forms behind one another, along with one location map per school. The principal of each school must sign a letter of support/endorsement indicating a commitment to be involved in the project. Limit each school’s information to two pages. Name of School: School District: Barringer Academic Center Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Principal: Email Address: Work Phone Number: Catherine Fellows [email protected] 980.343.5533 Mailing Address: City: State: Zip Code: 1546 Walton Road Charlotte NC 28208 Grades served (check all that apply): Pre-K K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Other: Is this school (check all that apply): Public Private Charter Magnet Title I Total number of Total number of free/reduced lunch Total number of students who live within a 2-mile students: '08? students: '08? radius of school: ? Average daily number of students who transport to/from school by: Walking: ? Bicycling: ? Riding the Bus: ? Personal vehicle/carpool: ? Is there a “no-transport” zone around the school? Is there any hazard busing within this No Yes If yes, please provide its definition: ? zone? No Yes Number of students who live within the no-transport zone: ? If yes, how many students are hazard-bused? ? Clearly describe the school, the population it serves, and its physical setting. Provide details that would help someone not from the area understand and visualize this location. Please refer to your attached location map, images or other material, as appropriate. A. Generally describe the current and planned built environment, land uses, and transportation facilities (including any bicycle and/or pedestrian amenities) immediately around the school and adjacent neighborhood(s). Dennis, Catherine, Neighborhood Assoc B. Please state the number of single- and multi-family residences currently within the school service area boundary. Indicate any new residential construction planned within the next 5 years. To the extent possible, describe the general demography of the population within this boundary, including the average household income, percent of households with no motor vehicle, incidence and type(s) of crime, and any other information that would help someone understand the school’s service area and population. at a loss here as to who all has the best and most complete info! C. Specifically describe each roadway adjacent to the school, including whether it is municipal- or state- maintained, the speed limit, number of lanes and overall width, and Average Daily Traffic (ADT) counts. You may also refer to any attached roadway cross-sections of each road. Vivian, Scott D. Within a 2-mile radius around the school, please identify any high-use bicycle and/or pedestrian areas and any areas with a high incidence of bicycle and/or pedestrian crashes. Please support your answer with appropriate crash data, as available, from the most recent 3 years. KT, Vivian, Scott E. Please describe any other safety concerns; real and perceived problems or risks; school policies that may conflict with or prohibit walking/biking to school; or any general attitudes, behavior or lack of education or awareness that may impact a student’s ability to walk or bike to school safely (e.g. lack of crossing guards, unsafe pedestrian/bicyclist behaviors, unsafe driver behaviors, high criminal activities, vacant lots, etc.). Catherine, Dennis, Kevin, PTA Pres

NCDOT SRTS Program Page 2 of 12 9/18/08 Infrastructure Application FINAL Lead Agency: Each applicant must answer the following 9 questions, regardless of your geographic level or area of coverage. Remember that all infrastructure projects MUST be within two (2) miles of a school serving K-8 grades. Be sure to explain where appropriate how your SRTS project will take into account all students at the targeted school(s) within your area of coverage. This section, including Project Information and Non-infrastructure Information, should be no more than 5 pages in length (not including attachments).

A: Project Information 1. Describe your proposed project for infrastructure funds. Specifically identify the location of the project and provide details about the type of treatments, facilities, and/or amenities that will be constructed and/or installed. Attach map(s) to show this project location. Very simply, the project will provide a connection from the existing Irwin Creek Greenway multi-use path to the dead end of Walton Rd and it's sidewalks. This connection involves a significant elevation change that will have to be addressed in order to accommodate those people on foot or in wheelchairs that can't negotiate stairs. We will also be building a connection that will accommodate bicycles. This preliminary explanation will be expanded once we have a site visit and agree on all that this project could include: sidewalk completion or improvements, bike racks, etc. Of course, any visuals here will be helpful, too.

2. Please thoroughly explain how your proposed project directly enhances a student’s route from home to school. If the proposed project also provides an improvement for student trips other than home-to-school or benefits the community at large, please describe how it does so. Your attached project map(s) should also show how your project directly links to existing infrastructure to provide this accessibility, safety, connectivity or other improvement. .This overland connection from an existing 1.? mile greenway to an existing city street will enable students in neighborhoods to the east of the school to have an aleternate walking route that keeps them off West Blvd, a major thoroughfare, and puts them on a paved, non-motorized vehicle multi-use path through a public park that leads directly to the front of the school. The exisiting greenway section will be extended to the east for another 1.? miles through a renovated golf course and public athletic field that will enable students from yet another neighborhood, Wilmore, in the school's current attendance zone to be able to walk. This connection will also provide students in neighborhoods to the south and west of the school that aren't currently in its attendance zone to be more favorably considered as accessible during a planned revision of that attendance zone.

This connection provides direct access to the new Clanton Park Pavillion and playground and Arbor Glen Recreation Center that offer ? after-school programs; the new First Tee golf facility and the new sports education center that are currently under construction and the newly renovated 9-hole public golf course, Revolution Park.

3. Please describe any major barriers, obstacles, or lack of infrastructure that will be mitigated through the proposed project, and explain how the safety of and/or accessibility for students’ walking or bicycling to/from school will be improved. Refer to attached photos of the current project site. Currently, the County's Irwin Creek Greenway multi-use path dead ends approximately 50 yards from an existing parking lot at the end of a city street (Walton Rd) that serves Barringer Academic Center. The parking lot and the existing path are at significantly different elevations. One of the challenges is to have enough land to provide a connection that adheres to the ADA-compliant 8% grade and also does not compromise an adjacent wetlands area. The availability of CMS property will mitigate these concerns. The planned paved connection will replace a footpath through undergrowth and an old, steep set of concrete stairs, with handrails, that children and adults currently use. Because there isn't a recognized and paved path connecting the park and school, use ids limited to those who are willing to venture through underbrush. We need photos!!!

NCDOT SRTS Program Page 3 of 12 9/18/08 Infrastructure Application FINAL Lead Agency:

4. Is the proposed project, or any portion of it, identified in any current planning document? (ie. are these improvements part of a SRTS, bicycle, pedestrian, greenway, sidewalk, streetscape, transportation, or other plan?) If so, please reference the plan and explain. Julie, Joe, Dennis

5. Are there any other planned projects within 2 miles of the school(s) that may improve pedestrian/bicyclist student access and safety? (These future projects may include those programmed through other funding sources as well as those identified for funding in local planning documents.) If so, provide a time frame for their implementation and explain how your proposed project may complement them. Please label these planned projects on your attached location map, if possible. Continuation of the Irwin Creek Greenway east for approximately 1.2 miles from Barringer Dr through Revolution Park/Golf Course, across/under Remount Rd, through Remount District Park and athletic field to West Blvd. This multi-use path will connect to more neighborhoods (Revolution Park, Wilmore) in Barringer's attendance zone. The connection will better enable the neighborhoods of Clanton Park and Dalton Village to be added to Barringer's attendance zone during the upcoming planned rezoning.

6. Is the proposed project within the public right-of-way, on land with a permanent easement, or on private land with a public access easement? No Yes If yes, please attach documentation of verification.

B. Non-infrastructure Program Information Safe Routes to School funds must be used for infrastructure improvements that meet the purpose of the Safe Routes to School Program and should not be considered as a way to merely construct missing facilities. Therefore, it is important for applicants to reflect upon current or planned non- infrastructure programs and activities which may affect or be affected by the use of the proposed infrastructure project. Please answer the following questions.

Note: Recipients of SRTS funds for infrastructure projects must, at a minimum, collect baseline evaluation data using the standardized forms provided by the National Center for Safe Routes to School (NCSRTS) at each school affected by the project within the area of coverage. Recipients will also be required to collect data using these surveys once the project is implemented. This activity will be defined in the reimbursement agreement with NCDOT.

NCDOT SRTS Program Page 4 of 12 9/18/08 Infrastructure Application FINAL 1. Identify current educational, encouragement, enforcement and/or evaluation programs and activities already underway at the school(s) or in your community or region in general, and explain how your proposed engineering project may work in combination with them to meet Lead Agency: the purpose of the SRTS Program. There are no current organized SRTS initiatives at Barringer Academic Center. There are ongoing initiatives at six other elementary and one middle school in the county that vary from weekly to quarterly walk-to-school days and participation in the international walk to school event. The proposed engineering project will be a catalyst for the formation of an SRTS initiative involving the school staff, the school's parent group and best practices from ongoing initiatives to put together an action plan and launch a more focused walking and bicycling program for the school.

2. Identify planned educational, encouragement, enforcement and/or evaluation programs and activities and explain how your proposed engineering project may work in combination with them to meet the purpose of the SRTS Program. Also, provide a time frame for their implementation. (These programs may be planned through other funding sources or carried out by partners.) As stated, the primary focus of this infrastructure project is the completion of a segment of the Irwin Creek Greenway multi-use path to connect to the barringer Academic center property. We realize that having this connection does not, by itself, guarantee that throngs of students will now merrily walk to and from school. We will step in with our partners in this endeavor. The task of educating and encouraging parents, the transportation decision-makers for students, will be taken on by the SRTS Coordinator with the Mecklenburg County Health Department. Resources available through the local SRTS Coalition and CMS will work with both the parents and school staff to look at the current walking and cycling student population, why that works and what barriers exist beyond those being addressed by this infrastructure project. In the absence of yet knowing specific needs of the school and parent population, we can only surmise that issues addressed by Education, Encouragement and Enforcement efforts will be effective in enabling more parents to accept active transportation as a viable alternative to school buses and personal vehicles and, thus, increase the school's walking and cycling population. Needless to say, Evaluation will occur both before, during and after the introduction of the elements of this project's initiative to allow us to quantify our efforts. Examples of activities will be the school's participation in the 2009 International Walk to School Day and the setting up of the school's own regular walk to school events. We will also plan to introduce bicycle and pedestrian safety classes that will be developed through the help of a non- infrastructure SRTS grant. Additional elements of the initiative will be determined by the needs analysis.

3. Is there a SRTS committee or task force formed at the school(s) or in your community or region to promote safe walking and bicycling to school? No Yes If yes, list the members and the agencies/organizations they represent. Mecklenburg County SRTS Coalition Members: Amy Krise, Safe Kids Charlotte Coordinator; Anne Monroe, parent volunteer with Beverly Woods Elementary School; Kerry Burch, Healthy Carolinians Coordinator; Beth Burton, Public health School Nurse, Asthma Initiative; Chip Gallup, Charlotte Dept of Transportation (CDOT), Traffic Calming; Connie Echols, parent volunteer; D.C. Lucchesi, parent volunteer with Cotswold Elementary School and Charlotte Bicycle Advisory Council member; Dan Collins, Charlotte- Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) Transportation Safety and Training Specialist; Dan Faris, President, Charlotte Area Bicycle Alliance (CABA); David Schwob, School Liaison, Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD); Deb Kaclik, Health and Physical Education Specialist, CMS; Denise Hearne, Principal, Cotswold Elementary School, CMS; Dennis Lacaria, Facilities Planning and Real Estate Specialist, CMS; Dick Winters, SRTS Coalition Coordinator, MCHD; Harry Johnson, Board Chair, Trips for Kids Charlotte; Heidi Kitterman, Mecklenburg County Parks & Recreation (MCPR); John Cock, parent volunteer and Associate Planner, The Lawrence group; Julie Clark, Senior Director Greenway Planning, MCPR; June Blotnick, Executive Director, Carolinas Clean Air Coalition; Kate Uslan, technical writer with The Clinton Foundation; Ken Tippette, Bicycle Program Manager, CDOT; Kevin Earp, Safety Director, CMS; Kim Graham, Parent Teacher Council President, CMS; Kyna Savedge, parent volunteer and SRTS Coordinator, Cotswold Elementary School, CMS; Cilla Laula, Health Educator, Mecklenburg County Health Department (MCHD); Jon Levin, Health Promotion Director, MCHD; Megan Green, Charlotte Area Coordinator, NC Air Awareness; Nancy Langenfeld, Director of Coordinated School Health, CMS; Randy Clutts, Physical Education Instructor, Cotswold Elementary School, CMS; Sara-Lynne Levine, Staff Coordinator,NCDOT SRTSDavidson Program Walks and Rolls, Town ofPage Davidson, 5 of 12 NC; Scott Correll, Transportation Planner,9/18/08 PedestrianInfrastructure Program, Application CDOT; Kristen Shaben, parent volunteer and health educator, MCHD; TeganFINAL Smith, Urban Transportation Planner, Kubilins Transportation Group; Dianne Thomas, Fit City Director, MCHD; Vivian Coleman, Pedestrian Program Manager, CDOT; Rubye Wallace, Child Service Case Manager, MCHD; Janice Williams, Director Carolinas Center for Injury Prevention. Lead Agency: Key Staff, Partners, and Stakeholders Please answer the following 3 questions in the space provided. (These fields are character- limited.) 1. The “Contact Person” identified above will be responsible for all demonstration project oversight. This person must be a full-time permanent employee of the “Lead Agency.” Please describe any qualifications and experience this person has in coordinating construction projects and implementing or overseeing engineering projects, programs and/or activities. Please attach the contact person’s resume or qualifications. Julie, Joe

2. Please list any partners, stakeholders, or community resources that can be used to promote, complement, and/or enhance your proposed project. Describe how these entities can assist, what they may provide or contribute, and explain specific activities they may undertake, if any. A letter of support/resolution must be attached from those specifically providing funds or resources (i.e. donated goods or services that are identified in the Project Cost Estimate below). Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (Barringer staff, faculty and PTA; Facilty Services; Safety; Grants; Coordinated Health; etc.), Charlotte Department of Transportation (bike, pedestrian and traffic calming programs),

NCDOT SRTS Program Page 6 of 12 9/18/08 Infrastructure Application FINAL Lead Agency: Implementation Tasks and Timeline Please list all tasks involved with developing and implementing your proposed infrastructure project. Indicate the quarter in which a task will be started and its estimated completion. Include any planning, engineering, design, and construction tasks as well as any administrative, evaluative, permitting, certification, advertising and letting tasks. Also identify any planned events such as public meetings or SRTS committee or task force meeting. All tasks and activities must be completed within 18 months of the date the reimbursement agreement is executed. Infrastructure Project Tasks/Activities 1st Quarter All of us, to include any and all activities in each quarter throughout the 18-month period.

2nd Quarter

Infrastructure Project Tasks/Activities continued NCDOT SRTS Program Page 7 of 12 9/18/08 Infrastructure Application FINAL Lead Agency:

3rd Quarter

4th Quarter

Infrastructure Project Tasks/Activities continued

NCDOT SRTS Program Page 8 of 12 9/18/08 Infrastructure Application FINAL Lead Agency:

5th Quarter

6th Quarter

NCDOT SRTS Program Page 9 of 12 9/18/08 Infrastructure Application FINAL Lead Agency: Project Cost Estimate As a separate attachment, please provide an Engineer’s Estimate containing a line item cost estimate for all appropriate project tasks and activities to be undertaken as a part of the infrastructure grant reimbursement program. Be sure to include the following items, as appropriate:  Preliminary engineering, design and  Barriers/retaining walls/footings/foundations planning  Striping and marking  Grading, clearing, grubbing  Curb and Gutter/pavement and base/sidewalk  Drainage, irrigation  Other costs (specify)  Erosion/pollution control, slope protection  Contingency  Permanent signs/displays/  Total Infrastructure Project Cost (sum of the signalization/illumination Budget Worksheet)  Utility/sewer BE AS DETAILED AS POSSIBLE – include all unit costs, quantities per unit, and unit measurements, if applicable, as well as any other relevant information to explain how you arrived at your project cost estimate.  Indirect costs will NOT be reimbursed. (See the application instructions for a definition of indirect costs.)  Local funds and in-kind donations are not required but are encouraged.  SRTS Funds cannot be used for any recurring costs, including maintenance.  At the bottom of Engineer’s Estimate please include the following statement, “I certify that I have reviewed and approve the project cost estimate above.” This statement should be signed and dated by the engineer who prepared the estimate. Please include the engineer’s title and printed name, too. 1. Explain how any recurring infrastructure costs, such as maintenance, will be sustained beyond the grant period: Julie, Joe

2. If there are any costs that will be met through local funds or donated goods or services, please indicate the amount(s) and explain. A letter of support/resolution must be attached for each partner, stakeholder or other community resource that is providing funding for this project. KT (bike racks), Vivian/Scott (sidewalks or sidewalk improvements)

NCDOT SRTS Program Page 10 of 12 9/18/08 Infrastructure Application FINAL Lead Agency: Summary of Funding Request Fill in this section based on the Budget Worksheet created in the Project Cost Estimate section. The Total Cost box below should be the same amount as the Total Infrastructure Project Cost identified on the attached Budget Worksheet and should also reflect the sum of the total local funds committed, the total goods or services donated, and total SRTS funds requested. Total Total Donated Total Total Project Committed Goods or Requested Infrastructure Project Proposal Cost Grand Total Local Funds Services SRTS Funds

Signature

I certify that the information in this application is accurate to the best of my knowledge. In applying for the Safe Routes to School Infrastructure Grant Reimbursement Program funds, the

(Lead Agency) attests that it is willing and authorized to enter into a reimbursement agreement with NCDOT, with a commitment to finance, manage, and complete an infrastructure project within 18 months from execution of said reimbursement agreement. I also certify that I am authorized to sign this statement on behalf of the Lead Agency.

Signature Title

Name (printed) Date

NCDOT SRTS Program Page 11 of 12 9/18/08 Infrastructure Application FINAL Lead Agency: Application Checklist Applicant Information is complete Geographic Information is complete Individual School Background Information is complete (if applicable) and is no more than 2 pages per school Project Information and Non-Infrastructure Program Information sections are complete and is no more than 5 pages total Key Staff, Partners, and Stakeholders section is complete Implementation Tasks and Timeline is complete Project Cost Estimate section is complete and Engineer’s Estimate is signed and attached Summary of Funding Request is complete Authorized individual for Lead Agency has signed original application

Attachments Checklist Required: Optional: Resolution of Support and Administration Letter of Support/Endorsement from school Letter of Support/Endorsement from School district Principal (if applicable) Other Letters of Support Letter of Support/Resolution from financially Resolution from RPO (strongly encouraged) contributing partners (if applicable) Other maps, cross-sections, or images Resolution from MPO Other (please identify): Resume of Contact Person Other (please identify): School Location Map (if applicable) Other (please identify): Project Proposal Map(s) Photo(s) of project site location

Submission Information

For more detailed information on Mailing Address: completing the application, please see the Sarah Worth O’Brien step-by-step Application Instructions at Safe Routes to School Program www.ncdot.org/transit/bicycle/saferoutes/ NCDOT Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation funding/infrastructure.html. 1552 Mail Service Center Please mail one original and 8 copies of Raleigh, NC 27699-1552 the completed application, including attachments, to the NCDOT Safe Routes Delivery Address: to School Program at the address to the Sarah Worth O’Brien right. Safe Routes to School Program Double-sided copies are acceptable. NCDOT Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation 401 Oberlin Road, Suite 250 Applications will be accepted no later Raleigh, NC 27605 than 5:00 pm on January 30, 2009.

NCDOT SRTS Program Page 12 of 12 9/18/08 Infrastructure Application FINAL