SAFETY

The bike task force hosted a kids’ bike safety training area at the Farmer’s Market on June 4th, July 9th and August 13th of 2011! Join us next year and help us make this event even more fun!

Click below to view our Bike Task Force sponsored public service announcement. The Walk To School Video is posted on the Village of Palatine's website.

The Illinois Dept of Transportation has indicated that there is $7M in available funding for its 2010 Safe Routes to School grant pool. We are awaiting a response from the village as to whether we can update its previously-approved School Travel Plan and pursue this grant on their behalf.

Task force members conducted hands-on bike and pedestrian safety training at Pleasant Hill Elementary School as part of our Safe Routes to School initiative. The training included the importance and proper fitting of bike helmets, bike hand signals, safely crossing at a crosswalk (both on foot and on bike), watching for backup lights at driveway crossings, sidewalk crossings of the entrance and exit to parking lots, making eye contact with drivers at other roadway crossings, and other important topics.

Each year, the Palatine Police Dept visits most of the Dist 15 schools to conduct Stranger Danger training. With the principal’s approval, we have asked them to include more specific bike and pedestrian safety training this year as part of our Safe Routes to School at Pleasant Hill Elementary School push. In addition to the importance of bike helmets and bike hand signals, examples of the kinds of training we’d like them to include: safely crossing at a crosswalk (both on foot and on bike), watching for backup lights at driveway crossings, sidewalk crossings of the entrance and exit to parking lots, making eye contact with drivers at other roadway crossings, etc. We provided snow removal responsibility information/clarification to the school principal regarding sidewalks and paths surrounding the school. Pleasant Hill’s PE teacher recently conducted surveys of each grade level to gather some baseline data documenting current modes of transportation. We will provide additional content in the remaining Pleasant Hill newsletters.

Significant efforts were made in launching Safe Routes to School at Pleasant Hill Elementary School. A table was set up at their annual Cougar Carnival event in February, with an opportunity to talk with 70 or so parents regarding allowing/encouraging their kids to walk and bike to school. A presentation was also given at theier PTA meeting. The dialog with parents was constructive, though a few identified inadequate snow removal and chronic flooding near the baseball diamond catcher’s box on the sidewalks and paths near the school as an impediment to walking. There were some questions regarding responsibilities for snow removal: Dist 15, Village of Palatine, and Palatine Park District. Information for their Newsletter was also provided.

Task force members met with the school principal and PTA co-presidents to describe the program goals. The intent is that 5th and 6th grade “walkers” would act as ambassadors to escort the younger kids back and forth to school, either by bike or on foot. The Village of Palatine developed some great maps in support of this initiative. A tri-fold brochure, FAQ, and sign-up form have also been developed for distribution to parents and students at the school’s February Cougar Carnival event, the s. The task force will do a powerpoint presentation at the PTA meeting and answer parent questions/concerns. As we receive back sign-up forms, we’ll have to help get the various neighborhood groups organized and moving by early spring. The intent is that they will be largely self-sustaining in future years. This is a successful model that can be used at the other Dist 15 schools in future years.