More on Safe Routes to Schools:

The area neighborhoods including residents or representatives of Angus Valley, Champions Forrest, Angus Estates, Balcones Woods and Mesa Park have been working with Will Davis Elementary School Principal Doug Hall, and Will Davis PTA to complete the application for the Safe Routes to Schools.  Below is a list of the priorities tabulated from surveys distributed in these neighborhoods (we will continue to accept surveys through the next month).

I would like to remind any of you who wish to submit a letter of support for the Safe Routes to School application we are submitting for Will Davis Elementary School, that we need these letters as soon as possible. We are submitting our application to Austin Independent School District on October 23rd, and will finish compiling the application on Tuesday, October 22nd.  Any one wishing to include anecdotal letters from anyone who wishes to express them may do so. These can be letters from residents and parents who have had experiences and safety issues this program might be able to address.  If you sent your letters directly to the mayor, we would appreciate a copy of the letters to include them with our applications. You can drop your letters off at my home in my drop box – 11619 Fast Horse Drive – or at the school office. Or, if you like, Jeff Heckler has offered to pick them up.  All you need to do is let him know, through his email address – listed above – or call him at work at 472-7029, or at home – 219-1418.  Thank you, Bobbi J. Henley

Preferences from Safe Routes to School Survey / Crossing light on Duval at Angus Rd (light on Duval red when crossing button pushed) / Sidewalk improvements on Duval Road / School Zone lights on Angus Rd (currently sign only - difficult to see early mornings) / Sidewalk improvements on Whispering Valley / Sidewalk improvements on Angus Road / Sidewalk improvements on Mustang Chase / Sidewalk improvements on Black Angus / Bicycle lanes on Duval Road / Crossing Guard at Bull Run and Mustang Chase / School Zone on Bull Run / Two left turn lanes SB Duval Rd onto SB Hwy 183 access road (only during rush hour). / Four-way stop at Mustang Chase and Pony Chase with crosswalks 16 / Sidewalk improvements on West Cow Path / Four-way stop at West Cow Path and Bull Run with crosswalks / Sidewalk improvements on Pony Chase / Sidewalk improvements on Bull Run / Sidewalk improvements on Gateway / Sidewalk improvements near railroad tracks and  Duval / Bicycle lanes on Angus Road / Bicycle lanes on Whispering Valley / Bicycle lanes on Black Angus / Bicycle lanes on Pony Chase / Bicycle lanes on Mustang Chase / Bicycle lanes on Bull Run / Bicycle lanes on Gateway / Bicycle lanes on West Cow Path /

Neighborhood representatives,  Attached is a template letter provided in the application documentation for the Safe Routes Program, to help neighborhood/homeowner associations write their own letters of support for the program.  As one of the priorities of Will Davis is a crosswalk light on Duval Road at Angus – you might want to add a statement to the first paragraph such as: A crosswalk light would greatly help the crossing guard stop traffic, so the children can safely cross Duval Road. You might want to mention this in  the second paragraph, too – as well as the need for adequate sidewalks (those that do exist on the south side of Duval – are inadequate in some places and they are incomplete along Angus Road. 

A.I.S.D. has requested we submit the completed application to them by October 23, 2002, and the City of Austin’s deadline is November 1st.  If you know of anyone who can help us write up the application, please let me or Doug Hall, Principal of Will Davis Elementary know. We will begin writing the application this next Friday, October 11th, as well as hope to have survey information compiled and ready to figure out the priority list.  We need the input of everyone – even if they do not have children in school. The concern is making improvements which would make it safer for anyone who needs to walk or bike in the area, as well as providing a safer way to cross Duval Road – even when a crossing guard is not present (nights and weekends, as well as the middle of the days).  Thank you, Bobbi J. Henley

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Safe Routes to Schools:  Austin Neighborhoods Council has scheduled several workshops on the application process for Safe Routes to Schools. Unfortunately, there is only one final workshop. ANC will be coordinating one more workshop for the Safe Routes to Schools (SRS) program, which will provide grants for school- and neighborhood- oriented transportation improvements. The meeting will be held on Monday, September 30th, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. at the Terrazas branch Library, 1105 East Caesar Chavez St. (3 blocks east of I-35 on southwest corner of Caesar Chavez and Waller St). For more information contact Mark Stine (472-4113, markclem@texas.net ). Full information on the SRS program is also available on the web at http://www.saferoutestexas.org  At the ANC meeting tonight, we were told the City wants all applications in by November 1st. ANC will also write letters of  support for those apply for this program.  Mesa Park's newsletter went out today, with a copy of the survey, and I understand it went out in the folders. We are working on getting volunteers to canvass the neighborhoods, or take surveys to neighborhood functions to have them completed then, as well as keeping  track of who is covering what areas. It should be on our website http://www.main.org/mpna/ sometime this week.  Thanks, Bobbi J. Henley (of Mesa Park Neighborhood Assoc.)