CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA
                  CITY COUNCIL AGENDA



 Agenda Date:           February 6, 2023

 Action Required:       Appropriation of Grant Funds

 Presenter:             Kyle Rodland, Safe Routes to School Coordinator

 Staff Contacts:        Kyle Rodland, Safe Routes to School Coordinator
                        Ben Chambers, Transportation Planning Manager

 Title:                 Appropriating funds for Safe Routes to School Program (SRTS) Non-
                        Infrastructure Grants - $ 229,803 (1 of 2 readings)


Background
This is the 7th year that the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has awarded the City of
Charlottesville with a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Non-Infrastructure (Activities and Programs)
Grant. This $229,803 grant will be used to fund education, encouragement, evaluation and
enforcement programs related to Safe Routes to School from October 2022 through September
2024. The Non-Infrastructure Grant will also be used to fund a SRTS coordinator who works
within the school division to promote and facilitate Safe Routes to School activities.

Discussion
As part of the grant application, the City was required to update the Safe Routes to School (SRTS)
Activities and Programs Plan (APP), a written document that outlines a community’s intentions for
enabling and encouraging students to engage in active transportation (i.e. walking or
bicycling) as they travel to and from school. The plan details the number of students living within
¼ to 2 miles of their school and demonstrates the potential benefits that can be accrued from a
coordinate SRTS program (nearly 30% of students live within ½ mile of school and nearly 70% live
within 1 mile of school). The SRTS APP was originally created through a team-based approach that
involved key community stakeholders and members of the public in both identifying key behavior-
related to barriers to active transportation and, using the four non- infrastructure related E’s
(education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation) to address them.

 The APP update reflects minimal changes from last year’s plan, but emphasizes lessons learned
since our Coordinator was hired in October 2016. The following short-term recommendations were
developed to enhance the program:

     •    Institute bike riding, repair, and safety curriculum
     •    Develop a division-wide SRTS website
     •    Facilitate biking and walking incentive program
     •    Regularly host walk- and bike-to-school days
     •    Consistently host annual Bicycle Rodeos
     •   Conduct bike safety check
     •   Student Transportation Committee
     •   Expand the bike helmet give-away program
     •   Administer student travel tallies
     •   Keep records of participation in workshops, biking and walking trains, bike rodeos, afterschool
         clubs, and other events


The SRTS Activities and Programs Plan will continue to serve as a guiding document to assist in
promoting, encouraging, and enabling walking and bicycling to school. The grant will allow the City to
continue to fund a Safe Routes to School Coordinator and the supplies needed to implement the
recommendations included in the APP.

The grant requires a 20% match ($45,961). We anticipate receiving in-kind donations from the
Charlottesville Area Mountain Bike Club for bicycle fleet maintenance.

As a reimbursable grant, costs will be incurred in the State Grant Fund and reimbursed by VDOT.

Alignment with City Council's Vision and Strategic Plan
This initiative supports Council’s Vision to be a “Connected Community” (“the City of Charlottesville is
part of a comprehensive, regional transportation system that enables citizens of all ages and incomes
to easily navigate our community”) and “America’s Healthiest City (“we have a community-wide
commitment to personal fitness and wellness, and all residents enjoy our outstanding recreational
facilities, walking trails, and safe routes to schools”).

In addition, the project contributes to Goals 1 and 3 of the Strategic Plan, to be an inclusive, self-
sufficient community and a healthy and safe city.

The initiative further implements recommendations within the Comprehensive Plan (2013), Bicycle
and Pedestrian Master Plan (2015) and supports the City's Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL)
Resolution.

Community Engagement
This grant application implements one of the programming recommendations included in the Bicycle
and Pedestrian Master Plan (adopted 2015), which included significant public involvement. Further,
city staff from Neighborhood Development Services worked with staff from the Thomas Jefferson
Health District and Charlottesville City Schools (Physical Education and Pupil Transportation) to
create a Safe Routes to School Task Force in 2016 that was responsible for outlining elements of a
city-wide Safe Routes to School Activities and Programs Plan (APP). The task force included
representatives from city schools, community organizations, multiple city departments (NDS, Public
Works, Parks and Recreation), as well as health and enforcement disciplines. The APP was
developed by the task force with input from parents (via Parent Survey) and further discussed/refined
at public meeting in February 2016. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee provided
feedback on the APP annually. A parent survey will be conducted in the 2022-2023 school year to
better understand some of the barriers and challenges of walking and biking school.

Budgetary Impact
There is no impact to the General Fund. The total appropriation is $183,842, which will be recorded
and expensed from a grant fund.

Recommendation
Staff recommends approval and appropriation of the grant funds.

Alternatives
If grants funds are not appropriated, Safe Routes to School programming will continue in an ad- hoc
fashion with assistance from community partners and parent volunteers.

Attachments
1.   Resolution_FY2023-2024 SRTS Non-Infrastructure Grant Appropriation