Two Walk to School Day events provoke the question: Are these routes made for walking?

Kids across DC gathered with caregivers and their wider school communities on Wednesday, October 2 to make the point that students should be able to walk to school safely. We caught up with two of these Walk to School Day celebrations in our neighborhoods in Anacostia and Capitol Hill. Guided by your feedback about what makes for a good walk to class, here are some of our observations.

What makes or breaks a walk to school?

Before Walk to School Day, readers responded to a question we posed: What factors make it easier or harder for kids to walk to school?

Here are a few of your suggestions:

• Safer, slower intersections were highlighted by several commenters, which can entail measures ranging from enforcing no-parking zones to posting crossing guards near schools with known safety issues.
• Sidewalks might be the most obvious ingredient, but one where schools often fall short. One commenter suggested they should be “wide enough to comfortably walk two or three abreast with your kids. There’s a surprising number of pinch points that force single-file, which is tricky with young kids if you’re holding hands for safety.”
• Accessibility! Another commenter recounted tracking down all the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) violations in his neighborhood, concluding that “fixing […] ADA violations within a reasonable timeframe (in other words, some amount of time smaller than a year) would be a good start. A second effective initiative would be to fix the 311 system that allows agencies to close reports with no action; the best way to do that would be to require 311 to reopen tickets for repeat issues rather than creating new ones.”
• On a structural level, a commenter observed that DDOT has a funded position for a Safe Routes to School Coordinator, and that the proactiveness and responsiveness of that role is critical to resolving issues highlighted by parents.
• One commenter noted the design of school catchment areas can have an impact on the length and safety of kids’ routes. Some students in suburban areas have to cross state highways to get to school.

In Anacostia, students from Ketcham Elementary School were greeted by organizers from the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), Safe Kids DC, Safe Routes National Partnership, the Washington Area Bicyclists Association, and volunteers from FedEx.

For most parents, caregivers, and students at Ketcham Elementary, this was a normal walk to school, except for the stickers and volunteers holding signs encouraging drivers to slow down on the route to the school. This was the first Walk to School Day event for students at Ketcham in four years, so many students were surprised to see people out supporting them as they entered the building.

In Capitol Hill, students and caregivers from 13 nearby schools gathered at Lincoln Park for a Walk to School Day rally. Speakers included Councilmember Charles Allen, DDOT Director Jeff Marootian, and others who talked about the value of safe and healthy walks to school. Student performances and volunteer-led stretches kept the audience’s energy up. Councilmember Elissa Silverman, Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) Director Tommy Wells, and Wendy the Water Drop also came to show their support.

“We need days like Walk to School Day for two reasons,” Allen said. “First, coming together as a community and enjoying the simple pleasure of walking to school is a great reminder of why we love our neighborhoods. And second, it drives home the need for well-marked crosswalks, visible and effective stop signs, and sidewalks that help ensure everyone can feel safe choosing to walk.”

The group of approximately 250 students gathered behind their schools’ banners and headed to class, pumped up by the beats of the Eastern High School Marching Band. Suzanne Wells and Sandra Moscoso of the Ward 6 Public Schools Parents Organization coordinate the event, which is a highlight of the school year.

So how did our walks measure up?

From Ron’s post at the entrance of Ketcham, he watched as students crossed over 15th Street and U Street SE. Oddly, there was no traffic control officer assigned to this crosswalk, which is closest to the school’s entrance. At the busy and dangerous intersection of 15th St and Good Hope Road, the assigned officer was a few hours late to his post.

Some volunteers at 14th Street and U Street SE, just a block away from the entrance of Ketcham, pointed out that a school zone speed limit sign went into effect over an hour after students actually began arriving at school.

Towards the end of arrival time, one driver made an overly-wide turn, which blocked southbound traffic on 15th. He proceeded to yell at volunteers for not making it easier for cars to move past the school, although our clear intent was getting students to class safely, not the expeditious movement of cars.

Ron caught up with Ketcham’s principal, Maisha Riddlesprigger, after Walk to School Day. She said that parents and caregivers were happy to see their students supported as they made their trek to school, though some were hesitant about organizers and volunteers snapping pictures of their children. At a school like Ketcham, supporting students in these seemingly small ways makes a difference.

Some 300 students attended Ketcham in the 2018-2019 school year, according to DCPS, and 80-90% of students are classified as at-risk of academic failure. Students designated at-risk are in the foster care system, are experiencing homelessness, or qualify for SNAP or TANF benefits. Anywhere from 10-15% of students at Ketcham experience homelessness. Riddlesprigger told me that figure was as high as 30% early in her tenure.

For the families who choose to send their students to Ketcham, walking to school should not be a source of stress. Yet for many it is. During the first seven days of the 2018-2019 school year, drivers struck four students. Two of those students were struck about two miles away from Ketcham. Neglected infrastructure makes crashes like that more likely to happen in Ward 8, but there’s also a culture among drivers who use roadways in the area that multiplies the dangers that students face.

Caitlin joined the walk to Maury Elementary School on brick sidewalks that typically permit an adult and two kids walking abreast, with frequent pinch points that would squeeze one kid out in front. Two awkward crossings right by the school compelled us to wait for 45 seconds on a small-ish corner while cars whizzed by on Tennessee and Constitution. A crossing guard helped us as we came across. I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling visceral gratitude to frontline transportation workers standing between very small children and poorly behaved adults in fast, two-ton vehicles.

“We are incredibly fortunate on Capitol Hill to live in a community where it is easy to walk and bike to school,” said Suzanne Wells, President of the W6PSPO. “We have sidewalks! DDOT continues to implement traffic calming measures such as speed bumps and stop signs, and create visible bike path lanes. Our schools are close to where we live, so it is easy to walk or bike to them.”

Wells further reflected on the impact of disparities in safety for non-drivers across the District.

“I do think the City has work to do to make all parts of the city safe for pedestrians. I’ve ridden my bike all over DC, and there are parts of the city without bike lanes or as many traffic calming measures as we have on Capitol Hill. Safe ways to get around the city are an “if you build it, they will come” situation. The more speed bumps, stop signs, and bike lanes there are, the more people will feel safe walking and biking, and they will do it more often.”

Where schools are far from homes, Wells suggested that authorities look at how bus routes can be slightly altered to make them easier for kids to use to get to school. She also highlighted the fundamental importance of ensuring kids’ safety from violence as they go to and from school, a priority for both the education and transportation authorities.

It matters how you get there

Safe and healthy walks to school should be a high priority for both the transportation and education sectors. Starting the day with a low-stress, outdoor activity that lets kids get their early-morning energy out will set the tone for their learning experience that day. Caitlin walked with a parent who said her child looked forward to Walk to School Day every year—but that was the only time they walked instead of driving.

Even on our brief walks last week, the impact that the basic elements of our built environment have on urban life was clear. Capitol Hill’s L’enfant Plan squares and parks make it much easier to hold a large community event that draws several hundred participants and the accompanying feel-good vibes than in other parts of the city. We’d love to see more creative actions—like the Open Streets event on Georgia Ave last weekend—that promote access to walkable, livable spaces for communities that don’t benefit from this level of built-in and well-maintained public space

Walking to school should be a child’s right, within reasonable limits of distance and physical capacity. While we have miles to go, communities taking steps like these will help get us there.