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Institute for Local Government
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Existing Tools for Active Transportation

Overview

Existing Tools for Active Transportation

Local governments have developed an array of tools to help plan, prioritize, implement, monitor and finance programs and facilities that support active transportation.  These tools are valuable resources for local leaders interested in creating safe routes to schools.

City, County, School and Regional Plans

Overview

City, County, School and Regional Plans

Plans are guiding documents cities, counties, schools and regional agencies use to guide future actions through goals, policies, strategies and maps. Scroll down for a brief description of each and then proceed to each topic’s individual page.

School Plans:

  • Community Action Plan
  • District Strategic Plan
  • Safe Routes to School Plan
  • School Safety Plan
  • School Travel Plan
  • Single Plan for Student Achievement

City and County Plans:

  • Bicycle (Master) Plan
  • Climate Action Plan
  • General Plan
  • Pedestrian Plan
  • Specific Plan
  • Trail Plan

Regional Plans:

  • Capital Improvement Plan
  • Regional Transportation Improvement Program
  • Regional Transportation Plans & Sustainable Communities Strategies

Guiding Concepts:

  • Complete Streets
  • Smart Growth
  • Transit-Oriented Development
More

City, County and School Tools

Overview

City, County and School Tools

The tools below are specific ways of implementing the priorities and goals of the plans described in the City, County, School and Regional Plans section. Some are on-the-ground ideas like speed limits, and others are regulatory documents like transportation demand management ordinances. Scroll down for a brief description and then proceeding to each topic’s individual page.

Assessment Tools:

  • California School Climate Survey
  • Walkability and Bikeability Assessments

Leadership Initiatives:

  • Mayoral Initiatives
  • School District Initiatives

Collaborative Tools:

  • Air Quality Programs
  • Bicycle and Pedestrian Education
  • Crossing Guards
  • Joint-Use Agreements

Engineering Tools:

  • Traffic Calming

Guiding Documents and Standards:

  • Development Agreements
  • Level of Service
  • Parking Standards
  • School Siting Policies
  • School Travel Demand Management Strategies
  • School Wellness Policies
  • Speed Limits
  • Transportation Demand Management Ordinance
  • Zoning Codes
More
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Creating Safe Walking and Bicycling Communities: Safe Routes to School Decision Maker’s Toolkit
This guide explains active transportation and the conditions in a community that support safe walking and bicycling to schools and other neighborhood destinations.

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Environmental Nutrition and Activity Community Strategies
ENACT Local Policy Database is an online catalog of local policies that can improve opportunities for healthy eating and physical activity.

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Acknowledgements

The Safe Routes to School Decision Maker Toolkit was developed by the Cities, Counties and Schools Partnership and the Institute for Local Government for the California Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Technical Assistance Resource Center (TARC).  The SRTS TARC is a program within California Active Communities, a joint Unit of the University of California, San Francisco and the California Department of Public Health, and is funded through a SRTS Non-Infrastructure award from the California Department of Transportation.

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The Limits of This Information

Although the Institute endeavors to help local officials understand technical and legal concepts that apply to their public service, these materials are not technical or legal advice.  Officials are encouraged to consult technical experts, attorneys and/or relevant regulatory authorities for up-to-date information and advice on specific situations.

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