Buena Park

An Artful Approach to School Safety in Buena Park

The City of Buena Park is enhancing safety for students walking to school with its inaugural decorative crosswalk, located at 8th and Gramercy Streets. Completed in September 2022 and strategically positioned near Carl E. Gilbert Elementary School and George Bellis Park, this permanent installation features panels designed by Southern California artist Steffen Vala. The design embodies a vibrant, sports-themed motif chosen to resonate with the community and complement the nearby recreational spaces.

Decorative crosswalks feature eye-catching elements that encourage drivers to slow down and yield to pedestrians. This colorful approach to pedestrian safety can be especially useful in areas frequented by children and families accessing schools or parks.

Buena Park residents and students have embraced the decorative crosswalk as a safe and engaging pathway to George Bellis Park and Carl E. Gilbert Elementary School. City staff have received positive feedback, highlighting the crosswalk’s role in improving student safety while adding aesthetic value to the neighborhood.

The Buena Park decorative crosswalk exemplifies how integrating art into infrastructure can enhance safety, foster community pride, and create visually appealing public spaces. For more information about the City’s public art and community initiatives, visit the Buena Park website.

Costa Mesa

Stepping Up Safe Routes to School in Costa Mesa

Costa Mesa is making significant strides in promoting active transportation and enhancing safety for students. The City has been building momentum through programs and planning efforts related to Safe Routes to School.

Pictured above: Students from Kaiser Elementary School and Woodland Elementary School participate in Bike and Walk to School Day

Costa Mesa’s Bike and Walk to School Day events have been steadily growing each year, with nearly 3,000 students, family members, and community members participating in 2023. Bike and Walk to School Day events can play a vital role in encouraging students to walk or bike to school year-round, contributing to healthier communities and safer streets.

These annual events are just the beginning for Costa Mesa, as the City is now developing a Safe Routes to School Action Plan, aimed at improving safety and accessibility for students across 19 campuses. Building upon OCTA’s countywide Safe Routes to School Action Plan, the Costa Mesa plan will recommend strategies for improving student safety at the city level. This initiative underscores Costa Mesa’s commitment to creating environments where youth can travel to and from school safely and comfortably by walking, biking, rolling, or other sustainable travel mode.

Costa Mesa

OCHCA and Maple Elementary Team Up for Safer, Healthier Students

In a collaborative effort to improve student safety and wellness, the Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA) has teamed up with Maple Elementary School in Fullerton. This partnership, under the umbrella of the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program and CalFresh Healthy Living initiative, aims to promote physical activity, including walking and biking to school, and nutritious eating among students and families.

SRTS Coordinator Megan Beard described the collaboration as years in the making. “Fullerton is a city we’d been trying to work with for five years,” said Beard. “We knew from partners and stakeholders in Fullerton that the need for SRTS programming was high.”

One element of the partnership is education: OCHCA staff are facilitating nutrition education workshops and supporting initiatives like gardening and playground stenciling to encourage physical activity. OCHCA has more events in the works to promote healthy behaviors among students and families and to encourage active modes such as walking and biking. Events include parent nutrition workshops, a Rethink Your Drink booth, and a Walk to School Day event in the fall.

Pictured above: Discussing how to encourage healthy and active student behaviors at Maple Elementary School

Another focus of the partnership is infrastructure: OCHCA and Maple Elementary staff understand that part of encouraging walking and biking to school is making sure students feel safe doing so. At a “Coffee with the Principal” event held last fall, parents expressed safety concerns about the Valencia Dr. and Lemon St. crossing, which many families use twice daily to drop off and pick up their children. Even with a crossing guard during peak times, this fast-moving road with complicated left turns often feels unsafe for families crossing.

In response to these concerns, the OCHCA’s Injury Prevention Program brought together school staff and City traffic engineers to observe the site and recommend safety measures. This effort successfully resulted in $175,000 in funding, as part of Fullerton’s FY24-25 Capital Improvement Program. The funding will support critical safety enhancements, including upgraded lighting, a protected-permissive left-turn arrow, and a right-turn arrow.

The success of this partnership underscores the profound impact achievable when community stakeholders unite for a common cause. By prioritizing safety and wellness, the Orange County Health Care Agency and Maple Elementary School are empowering children and families to build healthy habits and safer communities.

For more information on OCHCA’s SRTS efforts, visit www.ochealthinfo.com/W2S.

SAAS

Making Pedestrian Safety a Permanent Fixture in Santa Ana

After two years of dedicated community engagement and collaboration, the Willard neighborhood in Santa Ana celebrated a major milestone in March 2024 with the permanent installation of a decorative crosswalk at W. 15th Street and N. Ross Street. The location of the crosswalk — adjacent to a middle school and park — is designed to help children, families, and community members cross safely to and from their destination and enjoy the art along the way.

Pictured above: Temporary decorative crosswalk installed in 2022

The journey began when the Willard Neighborhood Association approached the Santa Ana Active Streets (SAAS) program about high-speed traffic and pedestrian safety concerns in their neighborhood. In response, SAAS launched a series of engagement events, starting with a vibrant community gathering in the summer of 2022 to bring together local resources and raise awareness about safe, active streets. During this initial event, a temporary artistic crosswalk was installed as a symbolic gesture of community unity and a visual reminder of the neighborhood's commitment to safer streets.

The success of the temporary installation paved the way for further community support and collaboration with the Willard Neighborhood Association and the City of Santa Ana Public Works, leading to the permanent installation of the artistic crosswalk in 2024. More than 100 community members attended the unveiling to celebrate the permanent crosswalk. Feedback from students, parents, and other community members has been overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing gratitude for the enhanced safety measures and the visual appeal of the crosswalk.

Looking ahead, SAAS plans to expand its efforts into the Delhi community, aiming to replicate the success of the Willard initiative. Through workshops and another temporary decorative crosswalk installation, they hope to foster community support and set the stage for future permanent installations.

Reflecting on their journey, SAAS staff recommend that communities looking to activate their streets and improve safety should start by identifying shared safety concerns and determine the right supporting partners. They emphasize the importance of community voices and the impact of collaborative efforts in achieving meaningful change.

Next STEP Toward Safer School Travel in OC!

Big things are happening in Orange County! In June 2024, OCTA and OCHCA kicked off the Next Safe Travels Education Program (Next STEP) — a game-changing project to make walking and biking to school safer and more fun for kids.

Partnering with city staff, school districts, and parents, Next STEP is hitting the ground running (and pedaling!) at 25 elementary schools across OC. The $2.1 million project, backed by ATP and SCAG grants, is already making waves — 14 schools are already on board!

What’s happening on the ground?

• Walk audits with parents and school staff
• Reviews of crosswalks, bike lanes & drop-off zones
• Real-time traffic and travel surveys
• Education programs to build smart travel habits

By combining community feedback, hands-on assessments, and interactive education, Next STEP is paving the way for safer, healthier school commutes.

Stay tuned — safer streets and smarter travel choices are just a few steps away!

Building Safer Streets and Stronger Habits: A Win for Woodland and Kaiser Elementary

One of the most encouraging signs of progress in Costa Mesa’s Safe Routes to School efforts can be seen right where it matters most—at their local schools. Woodland and Kaiser Elementary, have seen some incredible transformations in recent years that are making it safer and easier for students to bike to school.

In 2022, the city installed a new crosswalk with bulbouts at a key intersection near the schools.

Then, just ahead of the current school year, they took an even bolder step: removing street parking to extend a well-used bike lane directly in front of the school.

These changes have made a tangible impact. Before, the bike cage at the school was only partially filled on most days. Now? It’s packed. The increase in ridership is undeniable, and it's inspiring to see so many students choosing active transportation each morning.

These updates align beautifully with Costa Mesa’s larger push to create safer and more accessible routes for all students. The City is developing a Safe Routes to School Action Plan covering 19 campuses, expanding on OCTA’s countywide initiative. With nearly 3,000 students, families, and community members taking part in the 2023 Bike and Walk to School Day events, the momentum is real—and growing.

Seeing firsthand how smart street design can shift daily habits and create safer, healthier commutes for our kids is a powerful reminder of why these investments matter.

Russell Toler, Costa Mesa Alliance for Better Streets