Operational Improvements Award: To Utah Department of Transportation for Student Neighborhood Access Program (SNAP)
The Utah Student Neighborhood Access Program (SNAP) supports the most vulnerable road users: the children who walk and bike to school. Although Utah had mandated that schools must produce plans that establish the safest routes for children to walk or bike to school, the schools had little to no guidance as to how this plan should be created or what should be included. Schools were left to “fill in the blanks”, usually without the assistance of traffic professionals. This became a confusing and intimidating exercise, often resulting in less than ideal or even non-existent routing plans.
SNAP fills this void by incorporating four main components: an Operations Guide (which includes, among other items, traffic safety principles and a step-by-step process to create an effective and safe routing plan); mapping software that facilitates the creation of accurate, consistent route maps; electronic submittal of plans to UDOT and storage of the plans to guard against loss; and a public relations campaign targeted at schools and parents to ensure they are aware of the resources available to them.
For more information, contact:
Michael Kaczorowski
Utah Department of Transportation
Division of Traffic and Safety
Telephone: 801-964-4521
Email: mkaczorowski@utah.gov
Rev. 10/30/07