Maquoketa High School

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Maquoketa Middle and High School Maquoketa, Iowa

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School Location: 600 Washington Street Maquoketa, Iowa 52060

Maquoketa Middle School Present Conditions Number of students: 620

Student Surveys Student surveys were administered to 9th through 12th graders, at Maquoketa Middle and High School, during the month of November in 2009. During class, students were asked to fill out the survey form about their transportation to school. The survey asked students about the safety of their route to school and what they viewed as impediments to walking or biking to school.

Travel Mode to School 464 students responded to the survey, and this constitutes 75% of the student body.

0.43%

Students responding to the survey travel to school by a family vehicle (70.91%) or by a school bus (10.56%).

1.29% No response

7.97%

Other

70.91%

Carpool Family Vehicle

10.56%

School Bus Transit

0.22%

Bike Walk

0.43% 8.19%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Travel Time to School 62.28% of students responding to the survey stated that they spend less than 10 minutes traveling to school.

1.08%

3.45% No response

9.91%

Don't know More than 20 min

11-20 min

23.28%

5-10 min 33.19%

Less than 5 min

29.09%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

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Travel Distance to School 22.63% of students responding to the survey travel less than 1/2 mile to school, while 42.24% travel 2 miles or more to attend school.

0.86% 7.11% No response

14.87%

Don't know Less than 1/4 mile

7.76%

1/4 mile up to 1/2 mile 1/2 mile up to 1 mile

16.59%

1 mile up to 2 miles More than 2 miles

10.56% 42.24%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Incentives/Programs

2.50% 5.00%

Save the environment

6.67%

Extra credit

0.00%

Contest or cause Safety education

17.50%

Reward/gift

20.00%

Money

0.00%

Biking/walking club

5.83%

Nicer weather

1.67%

physical fitness

3.33%

Recreational activities 45.00%

Shorter distance

5.83%

Walking groups

5.83%

Biking/walking paths Stop lights

0.00%

0%

10%

20%

The top student suggestions for increasing walking and biking were: 1. Reward/gift 2. Recreational activities 3. Shorter distance 4. Money

30%

40%

50%

Environmental Factors Impacting Walking/Biking

The streets and intersections cited most often by students as being unsafe included: 1. Highway 64 2. Summit Street and Main Street 3. South 4th Street 4. Platt Street 5. Vermont Street 6. Olive Street 7. 233rd Avenue 8. South 5th Street

The most common changes that would encourage more students to walk or bike to school included more crossing guards, a reduced traďŹƒc speed, less violence, and making driving less convenient. The major issues brought up by students were weather, distance, and school activities.

100.00% 90.00% 80.00% 70.00% 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00%

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School Administrator Input Sta met with Maquoketa High School administrators and local oďŹƒcials to discuss problems impacting children who walk or bike to school. During these meetings, both structural and educational solutions were discussed. The following table contains the problems and solutions that were suggested at the meeting.

MHS1

Problem Solution Unsafe intersection at W Summit St and S Vermont St Crosswalk

MHS2 Unsafe intersection at W Summit St and S Vermont St Crossing sign

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Mapping Maquoketa High School Project List Based on the input received during public meetings and input sessions with school administrators, city planning and engineering staff, and the local police department, the following map was created to provide a visual representation of the projects. Each marker on the map corresponds to an issue in the table on page 3.

500

ERIE ST

1,000 Feet

S PROSPECT ST

250

JONES AVE

THOMAS AVE

0

W LOCUST ST

S 4TH ST

Safe Routes to School

S VERMONT ST

EDDY PL

Maquoketa High School CENTER ST

W JUDSON ST

SCHOOL ST

W SUMMIT ST

MHS1

MHS2

" ! " !

NILES ST

W WASHINGTON ST

(

Maquoketa High School

S 4TH ST

9

GRANT ST

GRANT CT

S 5TH ST

LONGVIEW DR

VINE ST

Legend ! ! " "

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Painted Crosswalks School Crossing Sign

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W MONROE ST