To ease increasing traffic congestion and to make streets in and around Union Ridge Elementary safer for students, the district has developed and approved a Safe Routes to School Plan for the immediate vicinity surrounding Union Ridge.\r\n

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A Safe Routes to School Committee comprised of representatives from Ridgefield School District, the City of Ridgefield, the Ridgefield Police Department and KWRL Transportation was established this year and tasked with the responsibility of determining safe walking and biking routes for students within a one-mile radius of the school.\r\n

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The committee looked into a number of factors.  These included traffic patterns, existing traffic controls, existing school patrols, the number of school crossings, and number of entrance-exits from each block to/from school, to name a few.  They also determined the safest routes based on distances between students and traffic along walking routes, traffic speeds, traffic volume and the number of road/rail crossings in the area.\r\n

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Their work resulted in a Safe Route to School Plan developed for Union Ridge, which was reviewed and approved by the district’s Safety Advisory Committee (SAC) and by Superintendent Nathan McCann.\r\n

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 Recommended Student Walking Route

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The committee’s recommended Safe Route to School for Union Ridge Elementary students is shown here:

 Recommended Driving Route for Parents

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In conjunction with this safe route plan, the district is urging parents to change their driving route when picking up and dropping off their students.  When leaving Union Ridge, parents are encouraged to turn right on N. 5th Avenue, turn left on Division Street and turn left on North Main Avenue to get back on Pioneer Street.\r\n

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This will greatly alleviate congestion in front of the school’s parking lot where Mill Street meets N. 5th Avenue and increase safety for students as they cross the street at this busy intersection.\r\n

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For more information regarding the district’s policy and procedure regarding Student Safety Walking, Biking and Riding Buses to School, click here:\r\n

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District Policy 6605\r\n

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District Policy 6605P\r\n

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The district is grateful to the following members of the Safe Routes to School Committee for their work in ensuring the safety of Ridgefield students getting to and from school:

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Howard Anderson, School Resource Officer, Ridgefield School District\r\n

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Shannon Barnett, Director, KWRL Transportation\r\n

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Neil Brinson, RSD Director of Maintenance, Ridgefield School District\r\n

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Todd Graves, Principal, South Ridge Elementary School\r\n

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Chris Griffith, Assistant Superintendent, Ridgefield School District\r\n

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Bryan Kast, City of Ridgefield\r\n

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Kelly Macdonald, Principal, Union Ridge Elementary School\r\n

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Roy Rhine, Ridgefield Police Department\r\n