Kevin M. Nelson, AICP, Development, Community and Environment Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, 1808T, Washington, DC 20460, 202-566-2835, nelson.kevin@epa.gov

"Travel and Environmental Implications of School Siting" published by the EPA is the first study to empirically examine the relationship between school locations, the built environment around schools, how kids get to school, and the impacts air emissions of those travel choices. Communities making decisions about the construction and renovation of thousands of schools will be challenged to meet multiple goals -- educational, fiscal and environmental.

The study finds that:

School proximity to students matters. Students with shorter walk and bike times to school are more likely to walk or bike.

The built environment influences travel choices. Students traveling through pedestrian-friendly environments are more likely to walk or bike.

Because of travel behavior differences, school location has an impact on air emissions. Centrally located schools that can be reached by walking and bicycling result in reduced air emissions from driving.

More data collection and research are needed to add further to the understanding of these effects. Specifically, improved data about both school travel and the built environment as well as new modeling techniques can build on these results.

Current local regulations encourage the building of large school on large campus while simultaneously discouraging renovation of existing neighborhood schools. This study provides important information about the effect of school location on how children get to school. It shows that school siting and design can affect choices of walking, biking, or driving. In turn, these changes in travel choices could affect traffic congestion, air pollution, and school transportation budgets.

Learning Objectives:

• To understand the connections between school siting and environmental impacts.
• To learn about alternatives to building schools in greenfields.
• To examine the implications of modes of travel for transporting children to school.

Keywords: Policy/Policy Development, Air Quality

Related Web page: www.epa.gov/smartgrowth

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: US Environmental Protection Agency
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

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