HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-04-09; Safe Routes to Schools Carpooling Pilot Program; Ray, KristinaTo the members 9f the:
CiTY COUNCIL
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April 8, 2019
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Council Memorandum
Honorable Mayor Hall an
Kristina Ray, Communicati er
Scott Chadwick, City Mana
Safe Routes to Schools Carpooling Pilot Program ·
·(cityof
Carlsbad
The purpose of this memo is to provide an overview of the City of Carlsbad's Safe Routes to
Schools public outreach pilot program, which is being developed as part of the city's Climate
Action Plan implementation.
· Climate Action Plan/Transportation Demand Management
Measure Kin the city's Climate Action Plan calls for promoting transportation demand
management strategies to reduce the number of vehicle miles traveled by single occupancy
vehicles and the associated greenhouse gas emissions. One of the programs identified is Safe
Routes to Schools.
Safe Routes to Schools
Safe Routes to Schools· is an umbrella term that includes programs that encourage alternatives
to driving individual students to school. Walking and biking are the primary focus of Safe Routes
to Schools programs, however, carpooling and transit use are recommended for students who
live too far away to walk or bike. All of these alternative modes provide benefits, including
easing traffic congestion around school sites and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
As part of the city's Sustainable Mobility Plan, currently being developed, city staff have met
with school site representatives to identify needed infrastructure improvements around school
sites required to encourage more walking and biking to school. These projects will be identified
in the Su_stainable Mobility Plan and then prioritized for implementation through the city's ·
Capital Improvements Program. Strategies to increase transit use will also be included in the ·
plan.
City staff have also worked with school representatives to explore increased ~arpooling, a
program that could provide a more immediate benefit.
Climate Action Plan Behavior Change Program
Recognizing that many of the chang~s needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions depend on
behavior change, the Climate Action Plan's implementation includes public education and
awareness programs led by the city's Community Outreach & Engagement team. This_ team is
leading the initial research phase for the Safe Routes to Schools pilot carpooling program.
Office of the City Manager
City Hall 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive I Carlsbad, CA 92008 I 760-434-2820
Memo ID #2019029
Honorable Mayor Hall and Members of the City Council
April 8, 2019
Page 2
The program, which seeks to increase carpooling at elementary and middle schools as a way to
reduce vehicle miles traveled and idling time, is based on a research-based behavior change
approach. This approach focuses on identifying barriers and benefits associated with targeted
behaviors, then uses education, prompts, commitments and other tactics to establish a new
soci~I norm around the desired behavior, in this case, carpooling to school.
Program Participants
City staff reached out to the three school districts with elementary and middle schools in
Carlsbad to discuss participation in a pilot program -Carlsbad Unified, Encinitas Union and San
Marcos Unified school districts. The following schools have decided to join the pilot program:
Carlsbad Unified School District:
• Aviara Oaks Elementary • Calavera Hills Middle
• Aviara Oaks Middle • Hope Elementary
• Calavera Hills Elementary
San Marcos Unified School District:
• Carrillo Elementary
Timeline
Following are the key milestones and timing for the pilot program:
Winter 2019
Spring 2019
Summer 2019
Fall 2019
Spring 2020
Long Term Plan
Recruit schools for pilot program
Complete barr,iers and benefits research
Establish baseline behaviors
Develop pilot program based on research
Launch pilot program
Measure results, determine next steps
Based on the findings ofthe pilot program, city staff will determine next steps. For example, if .
the pilot is successful, the program could be scaled up for broader implementation.
Alternatively, if the pilot does not result in significant behavior change, the team may adjust
messaging or outreach strategies and implement a second pilot program. Throughout this
testing phase, city and school staff also will determine the level of coordination, promotion and
other resources needed to sustain an ongoing program.
cc: Celia Brewer, City Attorney
Elaine Lu key, Chief Operations Officer
Paz Gomez, Deputy City Manager, Public Works
Mike Grim, Climate Action Plan Administrator