Heather Latter
The Fort Frances Traffic Safety Committee is pleased with the success of the “Kiss ’n Ride” programs implemented this fall at Robert Moore, J.W. Walker, and St. Francis.
During a debriefing Monday afternoon, all committee partners indicated positive responses about the convenient, safe, and efficient procedure for dropping off children at school in the morning and for picking them up in the afternoon.
The FFTSC consists of representatives from a number of organizations, including the Town of Fort Frances, the local public and Catholic school boards, the OPP, MTO Road Safety, Safe Communities Rainy River District, public health, Seniors and Law Enforcement Together (S.A.L.T.), school administration, bus companies, and parent councils.
“The response is that it is much better than last year,” noted Robert Moore principal Bill Daley.
“There certainly is less congestion of vehicles.”
“You cannot ask for a better system anywhere,” lauded Tom Marinis, MTO road safety program manager, who worked on all six Thunder Bay “Kiss ’n Ride” projects before assisting with the local one.
He indicated it’s a model
others in the province will want to follow.
“Kudos to everyone,” Marinis said.
“All in all, it’s been pretty successful,” echoed Nikki Armstrong, manager of Transportation Services here, adding school bus drivers had all the kinks worked out by Day 3 and they all are doing what they need to do.
“This was a huge change but there wasn’t a lot of fighting it,” agreed Camie Gray, manager at Iron Range Bus Lines.
“There were a few small issues at the beginning, but everything is running smoothly now.”
Daley said while not every parent is utilizing the “Kiss ’n Ride” program yet, he suspects those who have been resistant soon will jump on board.
“Wait until we have a day of 35 below, they’ll be the first in line,” he chuckled.
The “Kiss ’n Ride” program has seen the creation of “loops” at the schools, where vehicles pull off the street and a staff member greets the student(s) and ensures they safely arrive to or depart from school.
The aim is to separate vehicular traffic from school bus traffic to further enhance the safe and efficient transportation process.
“I think we have achieved what we wanted to achieve,” Daley stressed.
“[But] if it wasn’t for the support from the OPP and S.A.L.T., and the enforcement and education they provided, it wouldn’t have gotten off to such a great start,” he acknowledged.
“It was a team effort—we couldn’t have done it without everybody,” echoed local OPP Cst. Anne McCoy, though noting after several weeks of education, the OPP and Town of Fort Frances bylaw enforcers did have to move into enforcement of the new parking bylaws near the schools.
Many of the streets around the schools now call for no stopping and no parking between 8-9 a.m. and 3-4 p.m.
“Some are still not complying but that happens anyway,” Cst. McCoy reasoned, adding neighbours in the school areas who previously had concerns about the “Kiss ’n Ride” program were satisfied with the outcome.
She said the FFTSC now will be moving into a “evaluation” phase, where a survey will be developed for parents, residents, bus drivers, and other stakeholders to offer their feedback.
The Northwestern Health Unit will conduct the evaluation.
Meanwhile, the FFTSC also is continuing with its efforts to construct a sidewalk on Keating Avenue between J.W. Walker School and First Street West.
“It is a really serious issue,” stressed J.W. Walker principal Dianne Thompson, saying they have addressed the safety issues of being dropped off at school and taking the bus, but not for those who walk.
“The kids who are walking do not have a safe walk to school,” she warned.
After putting in a request to Fort Frances council to fund the project, council agreed with a recommendation to refer the sidewalk project to 2014 budget talks, with the understanding the town might consider doing it only if other partners can fund at least 50 percent of the project, if not more.
The FFTSC will send a letters to the partners to determine what, if anything, they’d be able to contribute.
It also will look at other possible safety measures that could be added in the meantime—perhaps a program similar to a “walking” school bus.
As well, the group is awaiting word on a grant submission sent in by Safe Communities Rainy River District, requesting funding from the Ministry of Transportation in the amount of $15,050 to support the ongoing initiative.
This would help replenish the money already used to purchase pylons, signage, and vests and parkas for the staff members.
It also would help fund the creation of an education video to show other school boards how to develop a “Kiss ’n Ride” program from start to finish.
Marinis said he should know next week roughly how much of their request they will receive.
The FFTSC also plans to look into the possibility of starting up a “Kiss ’n Ride” program at St. Michael’s School—the only school in town that currently does not have the program running there.
