RFP 2505-088
Scope: 1) Analysis of Existing Plans, Policies, & Related Documents Conduct a comprehensive review of existing plans, policies, and regulations that affect walking, biking, and rolling to school. These documents should be reviewed at the school district, Town, and State levels. Analysis should focus on the effectiveness of current initiatives, and identify gaps, barriers, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.
2) Data Collection & Assessment
The Town retains the data from the development of the original plan which includes parent surveys and student travel tallies. The Town also has information from in-person counts of bike-ped activity on the bi-annual Walk, Bike, and Bike to School events for the last 10 years. The selected firm will be expected to compile and evaluate this, and other data related to existing conditions of school zones, traffic patterns, pedestrian and bicyclist infrastructure, and student travel behavior, including historic bike/pedestrian student tallies and parent travel survey results, and to conduct the other assessments identified below. Field assessments and walk/bike audits on school property and within the adjacent neighborhoods evaluating safety risks, traffic congestion, and barriers to walking or biking to school. The assessment should include the locations of student residential hotspots—to assist with the identification of preferred/recommended travel routes to/from schools. Training materials to assist with future audits should also be provided.
Review of crash data and other relevant data collected as part of the Vision Zero Dashboard and the TWTPO SS4A/Vision Zero Action Plan. The Town of Carrboro is committed to advancing racial equity, as underscored by Carrboro Connects. Thus, specific attention should be placed on both understanding disparities for historically marginalized communities and accommodations for students who cannot walk or bike to school.
3) Public Engagement Strategy
The selected firm will be expected to prepare a public engagement strategy that includes a schedule of events and package of engagement materials for Town of Carrboro staff and the firm to conduct public meetings, workshops, focus groups, interviews, and/or surveys to gather input on SRTS needs and priorities. Information about these activities, the project schedule, as well as draft materials would be posted on the Town’s Safe Routes to School Action Plan (https://www.carrboronc.gov/741/Safe-Routes-to-School), and Engage Carrboro (https://engage.carrboronc.gov/safe-routes-to-school) websites. The selected firm will lead and/or assist with Town staff with outreach and public engagement with key stakeholders, including parents, students, school staff, crossing guards, police officers, fire department and recreation, parks and cultural resources representatives, local government officials, local experts, and community organizations. Activities should coincide with Chapel HillCarrboro City School district and individual school events where appropriate. Outreach and engagement opportunities should ensure diverse representation and inclusivity as indicated in the Town of Carrboro’s Inclusive Carrboro, Language Access, and Race & Equity Action plans (See ATTACHMENT A). The Town of Carrboro is undergoing several other planning processes, including a rewrite of the Land Use Ordinance and the creation of a Downtown Area Plan. As engagement events for these processes are scheduled for Summer/Fall 2025, the public engagement strategy for the Plan update should be developed in coordination to maximize efficiency and opportunity for community participation in all current initiatives. The Town’s Safe Routes to School Implementation Committee, part of the Transportation Mobility and Greenway Advisory Commission, will serve in an advisory capacity.
4) Evaluation of Recommendations & Priority Projects
Based on the plan review, data analysis, and engagement results, develop:
• Recommendations for improving the Town of Carrboro’s SRTS program and establishing complete school walk/bike routes.
• Recommendations for education programming (e.g. traffic gardens, driver’s education, traffic safety curriculum, traffic safety instructor certification, etc.) and encouragement campaigns.
• Recommendations for programming should also include sufficient specificity in the way of logistics to operationalize the program. (i.e. number of bicycles, size/type of bicycles, number of helmets, other safety gear, educational materials necessary, etc.)
• Prioritization of projects based on safety impact, feasibility, cost-effectiveness, reach (at least one for each hotspot area per school), and race and equity factors. Significant emphasis should not be placed on identifying funding sources or estimating exact costs.
• Recommendations for enforcement measures; this may include recommendations for traffic calming around school campuses, improved access or on-site queuing to reduce conflict points.
• Consideration of infrastructure improvements (e.g. sidewalks, bike lanes).
• Best practices, new technologies, and other innovations in the field of traffic safety should be explored.
5) Draft SRTS Strategic Action Plan Update
Develop a draft of the Updated SRTS Strategic Action Plan that summarizes the findings from the plan review, data analysis, and engagement results, and outlines specific steps, timelines, and responsible parties for implementing the recommended SRTS program improvements. Include both short-term and long-term goals, performance metrics, and evaluation criteria. While it is the expectation that the focus would be on developing active walk, bike and roll programs, and related activities, the Plan should address recommendations for instruction on safety and rules of the road at an age-appropriate level, and hands-on instruction. Recommendations for locations where temporary/permanent traffic gardens should be provided. It should be noted that the process and plan framework may become a model for other jurisdictions seeking to update existing plans. The schedule should provide sufficient time for Town staff, the SRTS implementation committee as well as school principals to review and comment on the draft Plan and for revisions to be completed before the formal review by the Town Council.
Key deliverables in the Plan will include:
• Summary and review of 2012 SRTS Action Plan
• Summary of data compilation and evaluation and relevant graphics and data visualization
• Walk/Bike Audit training materials
• Overview of public engagement and results (with any survey results or other collected input available in an appendix) • Recommendations for educational programming and encouragement campaigns
• Consideration/Exploration of infrastructure improvements, and best practices and innovations for traffic calming
• At least three meetings with the SRTS Implementation Committee, including one meeting to review the assessment of the existing plan and related documents and one meeting to present the draft plan.
• Meetings with NCDOT Safe Routes to School staff as appropriate, to be facilitated by Town staff.
6) Public Hearing Before Town Council
Prepare and present the Updated SRTS Strategic Action Plan at a public hearing before Town Council. Highlight the benefits of investing in SRTS and the anticipated safety impacts it will have on the community. Identify five (5) priority projects and related initiatives for increasing the number of students who regularly walk, bike, and roll to school. (A presentation before the CHCCS district 5 may be provided by staff and/or the consultant to be determined as part of the contract
7) Final Updated SRTS Strategic Action Plan
Incorporate feedback from stakeholders and the Town Council into a final draft of the Updated SRTS Strategic Action Plan. Deliverables will include the final updated plan, any/all GIS shapefiles, excel files, preliminary project estimates, pop-up materials, information packets, and associated white papers developed as part of the project. The deliverables shall also include a communication strategy for keeping the community informed about SRTS progress moving forward.
Due Date: Wednesday, June 25, 2025
Contact: Christina Moon at cmoon@carrboronc.gov