2040 Comprehensive Plan: Envision Shakopee

SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL Shakopee’s schools are generally bordered by neighborhood through- streets accommodating people walking and biking on sidewalks and trails. Deficiencies in safe access to schools and parks stem primarily from a general lack of safe crossing opportunities across these neighborhood through-streets, which typically require schoolchildren and other pedestrians to cross three to five lanes of free-flowing or stop-controlled traffic. Regardless of their location relative to other developments, schools often become a community center with activities occurring all week and all year. Therefore, improving walking and bicycling conditions within 1 to 2 miles of a school benefits the broader community. The figure below calculates walk times for Shakopee residents to the nearest school. These figures are illustrated in the Local Schools Walkshed Map. Coordination with the county will need to occur for school access improvements as many of the schools are located along county highways. An example of this coordination is shown in four new Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacon (RRFB) crossings installed on CH 16 in 2018 at school locations (Jackson Elementary, Shakopee High School, Sun Path Elementary, and Shakopee Area Catholic School). These improvements will pro-actively enhance safety by increasing driver awareness of potential pedestrian conflicts. The city should also partner with the Shakopee School District to initiate a School Transportation Plan following MnDot guidelines as part of the targeted Safe Routes to Schools implementation program.

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Local Schools Walksheds

Percent of Residents

Number of Residents

Walkshed

5 Minute Walk 10 Minute Walk 20 Minute Walk

9.5% 28% 72%

3,896

11,682 29,836

Note: Walksheds source from ESRI Business Analyst. Walksheds do not align with school transportation policies as younger students are bused if there is a major road.

ENVISION SHAKOPEE | SECTION IV: BUILT ENVIRONMENT