Collaborative Proposal to Increase Bus Ridership & Reduce Congestion

Belmont Schools: A Collaborative Proposal to Increase Bus Ridership, Reduce Congestion, and Increase Biker/Walker Safety PARENT SURVEY RESULTS SCHOOL COMMITTEE, SCHOOL DEPT AND TRAFFIC ADVISORY COMM (TAC) JANUARY 17, 2023

Preamble Survey Objectives Gather parent feedback re bus timing, costs, parking and other factors to see if Belmont can achieve Lexington s significant ridership increase from fee cutting pilot program (c. 2012) Identify motivators, especially for HS/Upper MS Parents to leverage historic Chenery site preference for bus transit, at new site If adjustments indicate higher bus ridership, would lower Concord Ave corridor of significant parent traffic and congestion Using responses, assess how altering bus run timing and school session hours could encourage more bus usage Test market for implementation and size of future student parking fees 2 DRAFT

Background/Issues: Concord Ave corridor suffers heavy congestion; Parents and HS students are a significant portion during peak hours FY/24 adds 2 grade levels and current bus costs loom higher as many families will have multiple students at the site Inequitable cost of bus vs. free student parking or parent driving promotes more traffic; perception of free conflicts with actual research (ex. Dr. Donald Shoup: Appropriate costs yield reliable 15% vacancy, suppress unnecessary driving/parking; fails to factor in wasted space, idling/pollution or neighborhood angst; parking revenues further subsidize bus costs and safety improvements Barely sufficient student parking, insufficient/unsafe drop zones 3

Survey Results: Over 33% of Actual Students Represented Balanced coverage of ages, schools, distances and modes of transit Primary reasons parents or students drive: Heavy bags/instruments, inconvenient bus timing, cost, safety of walkers/bikers Cost and scheduling were overwhelming top reasons against HS Bus usage (HS buses arrive a full hour prior to start of day, and afternoon bus 30-40 minutes after last period) Safety concerns (sidewalk condition, traffic, crossings) another predominate factor for parent driving, particularly Elem and MS levels 4 DRAFT

High Parent Drives/Carpools response to lowering Bus fees: 60% chose significantly lower fees vs. current ($360 or less, down to NONE or No Fee ) An incremental 100 chose $450 , raising lower fees aggregate to 70% Of HS Parents Driving/Carpooling, 38% mentioned Cost of Bus as their rationale for driving or not using the School Bus Heavy Bags, Bus Timing/Availability, and Student s/Parent s Schedule were very high factors as well 5 DRAFT

Student Drives Fees? High response rate supports parking fees; primarily from bus riders or walker/bike demographic Many comments mimic expert Dr. Shoup as to market- driven principles: Free just promotes unnecessary driving plus predictable concerns for congestion, environment and problems on side streets However Many Student Drives responses posited unfairness to charge fees since no on-site school parking offered (vs. prior to construction) 6 DRAFT

Benefits of Lower Bus and Equivalent Parking Fees: Congestion reduced as more parents and students rely on buses vs. driving Significant improvement in safety with reduction of moving vehicles on/near campuses Relief on nearby residential streets/neighborhoods Major positive impact on energy consumption and pollution (including persistent parent car idling) Increase in available parking for users of Harris Field and HS/MS visitors 7 DRAFT

Recommendations: Lower bus fee from $575 per student to $450 in FY24 Make concerted and continuous communications efforts to encourage walk/bike/roll, as well as to carpool where driving is family s best option Collaborate with student groups to help message and brainstorm on driving issues Review on-site parking situation Fall 2023, once construction vehicles are gone and MS opens (ie, solely staff/faculty activity) Commence discussion re adjustment of FY/25 start times of all levels, to make bus runs commensurate with school sessions Explore parking fees and enforcement with Town/Select Board 8 DRAFT

Other Considerations: Present to Select Board? Public forum to describe program? Leverage Safe Routes To School (SRTS)/Mapping Routes & Loads Promote/Message via: Student Orgs, PTO/PTAs, Principal Newsletters, Parents Groups, FB, Next Door, Belm. Citizens Forum, TAC, Traffic Working Group, Town Meeting Evaluate Year 1 results; adjust for Year 2 (including Start Times) Use experience/results in grant applications Other?? 9 DRAFT

Appendix: School Responses 10

Burbank Mode Responses 11

Butler Mode Responses 12

Wellington Mode Responses 13

Winn Brook Mode Responses 14

Chenery Mode Responses 15

High School Mode Responses 16

Current Student Parking Zone Approx. 100 spaces reserved for students on Concord Ave (shown in green) 17 DRAFT