Phase 3 of the Action Kit provides information needed to develop a Keystone Healthy Routes (KHR) Plan. The KHR Team must develop a plan to illustrate:

• Problems associated with students walking and biking to school
• Options to improve walking and biking to school.

Use this section of the Action Kit to first assess existing neighborhood and school site conditions. Then after careful review of those assessments, the KHR Team can review the Keystone Healthy Routes Options provided related to your type of neighborhood. From there, you will develop a plan of action to improve walking and biking to school.

Step 1: Assess Existing Neighborhood and School Site conditions

One of the key components in developing a KHR program is to gather information about your community. This information will help you develop a plan of action that fits the needs of the surrounding neighborhoods as well as the school property.

The Keystone Healthy Routes assessments have been developed with the characteristics of your community in mind. The purpose of the assessments is to gather observations and information about the walkability and bikability of your school's community - in terms of physical infrastructure, people's habits, and existing support systems. There are two separate assessments.

1. The Neighborhood assessment is designed for community participation
2. The School Site assessment requires input from school representatives

Pennsylvania is made up of diverse communities. Click below for a description of each community type:

Urban/Smaller Cities and Towns
Suburban
Rural

Step 2: Assessment Process Overview

The Keystone Healthy Routes assessments have been developed with the characteristics of your community in mind.

The purpose of the assessment is to gather observations and information about the walkability and bikability of your school's community - in terms of physical infrastructure, people's habits, and existing support systems. There are two separate assessments:

1. The Neighborhood assessment is designed for community participation,
2. The School Site assessment requires input from school representatives.

What you learn from the assessments will help guide the group's next steps. The KHR Action Kit will help you prioritize programming and physical improvements on the school site and in the community. As the assessments are completed, the areas of need will become more apparent.

It is important to have realistic expectations in this effort. The best way to start is to focus on one school as the district's pilot program. The program can then be expanded at a later date. The school that is selected should have an active PTA or strong parent support as well as a receptive principal.

Subsections for Assessing Existing Conditions:

Coordinator Preparations
Community Involvement
Preparing Maps

Step 3: Fill out the Assessments

KHR Assessment Surveys

The KHR program recommends that you assess the basic conditions of two areas of your community. The first is the Neighborhood assessment. By taking a walk around your neighborhood you will see firsthand the community assets to provide a safe walking/biking environment for students and what is in need of additional attention.

The second is the School Site assessment. By completing this assessment it will be come clear how the school accommodates walking/biking to school. Here again the assessment will highlight the benefits the school provides to encourage walking/biking to school as well as what is in need of additional attention.

"The assessment provided invaluable data when the school district applied for and received a $550,000 Safe Routes to School grant from the California Department of transportation. It also helped convince city and school district officials of the need to create a Joint City/School Traffic Committee" said Bill Crook, chair of the Committee - Los Altos School District

Please proceed to the assessments:

Neighborhood Assessment

The Neighborhood assessment should be done in the early planning stages of a KHR program. This will help to focus efforts where immediate change is necessary and formulate long-term visions of physical improvements

Rural Suburban Urban

School Site Assessment

The School Site assessment should be done with a school employee such as the principal, assistant principal, grounds manager, district transportation director or someone who is knowledgeable about the policies and maintenance of the school facilities and grounds. To note your observations, you will want a map or site plan of the school grounds that includes immediately adjacent roadways

School Site Assessment

Step 4: Reviewing Assessment Findings

Assessment Follow-Up

The next steps are particularly important to develop a KHR program. Once the Neighborhood and School Site assessments findings are reviewed, this information can be used in the development of the KHR Plan. Once the plan is complete, the search for funding can begin to implement a school's KHR program (Step 4- Take Action).

Subsections for Assessment Follow-Up:

Reviewing Assessment Findings
Assessment to Improvement Options - Plan
Preparing for Technical Assistance

Walking School Bus Materials:

Walking School Bus Information
Walking School Bus Driver Form
Walking School Bus Parent Consent Form