CORONADO, Calif. (August 20, 2013) The City of Coronado reminds drivers that children will be heading back to classes Thursday at all City schools and they should be aware of those students walking or riding their bicycles during the morning and afternoon commutes.
The safety of our school children is a top concern in Coronado. The City is prepared for the start of school on various fronts. Coronado has provided a map and an information packet to parents to help them get their children safely to school. The City recently painted white bike lanes on streets leading to schools. The Coronado Police also are involved, handing out gift certificates to students obeying bicycling rules.
The City’s Engineering Department recently provided parents with a map and an information packet, called “Safe Routes to School Parent Info Sheet,” that detail which streets have traffic signals and crossing guards and how to navigate city streets by bike. The packet also reminds parents that the shortest routes may not be the safest. The packet has tips on how to use hand signals, how to properly wear a helmet and how bicyclists must be visible and alert. Click on the map to see a larger version.
To help children get to school safely, the City recently painted bike lanes on Sixth Street between Alameda Boulevard and Glorietta Avenue to allow safe travel to and from the local schools. The bike lanes have signs along the road to alert drivers that bicyclists may be near. The project was part of a grant-funded Safe Routes to School project.
For the second year in a row, the Coronado Police Department will be out Thursday welcoming students back to school by handing out Recreation Department gift certificates to bicyclists following the rules of the road and properly wearing their bicycle helmets. This effort began last year and was a success. Officers are able to interact with returning students and parents and provide education about bicycling and driving safety to continue to improve the welfare for the students. The gift certificates entitle the recipient to a complimentary day of activities at one of the various recreation facilities, including the Aquatics Center and Skate Park.
A reminder to students, please allow enough time to get to school, especially if bicycling, and lock your bikes even at school. Check out the City of Coronado’s newest Public Service Announcement, “How to Properly Lock Your Bike,” and learn the techniques that will help keep bicycles safe. The video includes a number of bike security tips, including advice on the best way to lock a bike to a rack and what can be done to make it easier to recover a stolen bike.
Drivers will need to be even more observant now that school has started and look out for bicyclists and pedestrians in the mornings and afternoons. When dropping students off at school, parents are encouraged to drop them off so they exit the car onto the sidewalk, not requiring them to cross the street. Drivers should not double-park or block the roadway.
