photo of joan austin elementary school sign

The City recently completed a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Action Plan for Joan Austin Elementary.  An Action Plan is created by a team composed of representatives from the school, parent group, and local government, and it takes a close look at things that hinder or promote walking and biking to school.  Action Plans focus on the "five E's" of Engineering (infrastructure), Encouragement, Education, Enforcement, and Evaluation.

The Action Plan team for Joan Austin Elementary was composed of the following members:

  • Lesley Carsley, Principal
  • Jennifer Botenhagen, Teacher
  • Janelle Gray & Gerald Stensland, Parents
  • Ryan Howard, Newberg City Council
  • Paul Chiu, PE, Newberg Engineering Division
  • Jessica Nunley, AICP, and Ryan Farncomb, Newberg Planning Division

In order to gather all the information needed for the Action Plan, there was a parent survey, a tally of students to gauge their mode of transportation on certain days, and a walk and bike assessment of the area within a one-mile radius of the school that was assessing infrastructure deficiencies.  The team found that most students are riding the bus or being driven in their family car.  This can largely be attributed to the lack of sidewalks along College Street to the neighborhood north of the school, and disconnected sidewalks and lack of safe biking areas in the neighborhoods south of the school.

In addition to the infrastructure (engineering) issues, the team assessed the existing encouragement, education, and enforcement activities happening at the school.  The Action Plan identifies strategies for improving all of the categories, and strategies for evaluating the outcomes over time.  See the Action Plan linked below for more detailed information.

Please contact Jessica Nunley, AICP, at jessica.nunley@newbergoregon.gov or via phone at 503-554-7744 with questions or comments. 

The Action Plan was made possible through funding from the Alliance for Community Traffic Safety (ACTS Oregon) and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Transportation Safety Division.