Title
Special Recognition - Proclamation Recognizing Walk to School Month
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Proclaim October as Walk to School Month.
Report
Issue:
Whether to proclaim October as Walk to School Month.
Staff Contact:
Kristin Gilkerson, Senior Program Specialist, Public Works | Transportation, 360.709.2731
Presenter(s):
Ali Fuller, Walk N Roll Program Representative, Intercity Transit
Patrick Murphy, Superintendent, Olympia School District
Background and Analysis:
Olympia partners with other public agencies and schools to promote walking and rolling to school. Students who walk or use other forms of active transportation also benefit from the increased exercise and interaction with their surroundings, which results in improved school performance. Walking or using a walking aid to roll, bicycling, or taking the bus can replace many of the short car trips we make each day - including those to school.
In Thurston County, the transportation sector is the second-largest producer of greenhouse gas emissions. More students walking or using active transportation results in safer conditions around schools and less air pollution and traffic congestion. Making it easier to walk and roll is an important strategy for reaching our emissions reduction goals in the Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan. Additionally, the City’s recent Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Strategy Analysis found that we need to significantly reduce vehicle miles traveled if we are going to achieve the goal of being a net-zero emissions city by 2040.
Led by Intercity Transit’s Walk N Roll program, the Cities of Lacey, Tumwater, and Olympia are passing similar resolutions recognizing October as Walk to School Month. Throughout the school year, many area schools participate in monthly Walk N Roll events, which encourage students to walk or roll to school. In Olympia, police officers and firefighters are invited to join students for the events.
The City is also changing some streets to make it easier for students to walk and roll to school. This year, we plan to start construction of the Westside Bike Corridor, which will connect the northwest and southwest neighborhoods to Garfield Elementary, Woodruff Park, and Decatur Woods Park. Next year, we will partner with the Olympia School District to build a traffic calming project near Roosevelt Elementary and refresh over 100 crosswalk markings near schools using a combination of City funds and OSD safety levy funds.
Attachments:
Proclamation