KOA was selected to prepare a Safe Routes to School Master Plan for eight elementary schools and two middle schools in the Vista Unified School District within the City of Vista. The objective of the study was to determine strategies for increasing child safety for walking or biking to school, and to promote active transportation to school as a viable alternative to autos. The scope of services provided to the City included:
- Monthly coordination meetings with City and school district staff
- Observations during dismissal periods at all ten schools
- Awareness walks with parents and faculty at all ten schools to obtain feedback on issues of concern
- Bicycle and pedestrian road safety audits along walking routes in accord with FHWA criteria
- Preparation of infrastructure improvement plans and cost estimates to enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety, including
- Curb pop-outs
- Roundabouts
- Traffic circles
- Sidewalks
- Traffic signals
- Improved crosswalks and signing
- Parking and loading area reconfigurations
- Open house meeting with parents to receive feedback on recommendations
- Student surveys and classroom tallies recording attitudes and behaviors towards walking and biking
- Preparation of a report, documenting the study and addressing encouragement, education, engineering, enforcement, and evaluation