Keeping students safe through Safe Routes to School planning assistance

WALLOWA, OR – (Information provided by the Wallowa School District)  In November 2020, the Wallowa School District and the City of Wallowa were awarded Safe Routes to School planning assistance from the Oregon Department of Transportation. Through this program the City of Wallowa, Wallowa School District, Wallowa County, and ODOT Region 5 are working together to create a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Plan that identifies street improvements near Wallowa Elementary and High Schools to support students and families in getting to school safely. The SRTS Plan will also recommend opportunities for education and engagement to promote walking and rolling to school. Planners from Alta Planning + Design, an active transportation consulting firm, are guiding the planning process.

During Spring 2021, the project team has been collaborating remotely to get feedback from the community using virtual methods and to identify and prioritize safety needs within a mile of the schools. On June 3^rd, the team will also host in-person walk audits to observe student arrival and meet with school community members. The team and community members will document the walking and biking conditions around the school area to inform planning recommendations. These observations will happen in a physically-distanced manner, group sizes will be limited, and masks will be required per state health guidance.  If you’re interested in participating in the walk audit, please RSVP at bit.ly/wallowasrts.

During the summer, the team will continue to identify SRTS construction, education, and engagement recommendations and complete the final SRTS Plan.

The City of Wallowa and Wallowa School District ask families to share feedback and experiences getting to school using this interactive online map: http://odotsrtsprojectid.com. By sharing your feedback, you’ll be entered to win a walking or rolling safety pack ($50 value).

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Elkhorn Media Group