SUBJECT
Title
Millikin Basics+ Elementary School - Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Engineering (Shariat)
Report
BACKGROUND
In December 2025, Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) Member Jenaro requested a discussion on bicycle and pedestrian safety surrounding Millikin Basics+ Elementary School (Attachment 1).
Since 2011, the City has completed two phases of the Safe Routes to School Program (SRTS Program), which is an outreach and education program focused on encouraging students to safely walk, bike, or scooter to and from school. The City is currently in the third phase of the SRTS Program, which began in 2022, with the nonprofit organization Safe Moves assisting in its administration. The SRTS Program is funded by 2016 Measure B funds and is facilitated through a collaborative effort with the Santa Clara Unified School District (SCUSD), which includes classroom education, after school skills training, encouragement activities and events, and the creation of maps. The program aims to increase the number of students walking and biking safely to the participating schools. City staff and the SCUSD have selected 17 schools to participate in the third phase of the SRTS Program.
DISCUSSION
There are currently 14 elementary schools and three middle schools participating in the Program, including Millikin Basics+. As part of the Program's third phase, SRTS maps were developed for each of the 17 schools, identifying recommended walking and bicycling routes for students and their parents. These maps were developed in coordination with SCUSD staff, including at Millikin Basics+ (Attachment 2). Each map was provided to the respective school principal for posting on the school's website to help parents safely navigate to and from the school. In combination with the maps, Safe Moves routinely conducts assemblies and bike rodeos at each of the schools in the program where children learn skills to safely walk and bike to school either through classroom lectures or demonstrations.
Member Jenaro is requesting a traffic engineering bicycle and pedestrian safety study at Millikin. As part of the study, he would like to include an evaluation of the school’s access and circulation, data collection during school hours such as traffic volumes and speeds, and identification of safety improvements. This type of study is typically included as part of a SRTS Engineering Study and Plan (Plan). A SRTS Plan would include tasks to coordinate with SCUSD on a priority list of schools to study, conduct walk audits at each school, develop projects based on the findings of the walk audit, and develop cost estimates for each of these improvements. The city currently does not have this type of plan in its current Capital Improvement Plan budget and scope but is looking to develop one in the future. Before the plan can be developed, City staff would need to secure funding such as grant funding and review the priority of this effort with the other traffic engineering efforts being completed at this time (such as overall resident traffic complaints, Vision Zero, and other bike and pedestrian planning, design, and construction efforts.)
Staff
Written by: Carol Shariat, Transportation Manager, Public Works
Approved by: Michael Liw, Assistant Director/City Engineer, Public Works
ATTACHMENTS
1. Topic Request Form - Member Jenaro
2. Milliken Safe Routes to School Map