School Walk Audit Program

BACKGROUND

The School Walk Audit Program is part of SFMTA's School Traffic Calming Program, which also includes Proactive Daylighting near schools. SFMTA conducts walk audits at up to ten K-12 schools annually to identify obstacles to safe walking. This program is funded by Prop L Sales Tax dollars provided by the San Francisco County Transportation Authority.  

Walk Audits

Walk audits are organized group walking tours that identify obstacles to safe and comfortable walking within a 2-3 block radius of each school. Participants typically include school staff, students and parents, advocates, SFUSD transportation staff and representatives from each Supervisor's Office. 

In preparation for the walk audit, SFMTA staff survey operational and infrastructure conditions around the school. SFMTA distributes a Walk Packet to participants that details what treatments can be recommended, the process of implementation, and outlines a proposed walking route. 

School Prioritization & Selection

Each school year, SFMTA’s School Traffic Calming Program selects up to ten (10) schools for walk audits. The process of selecting schools begins with a ranking of all public and private K-12 schools based primarily on the following criteria:

1. Reported pedestrian-involved injury collisions in the past 5 years within ¼ mile of school 
2. School enrollment for all K-12 schools
3. Disaggregated Department of Public Health data on student residency within a walkable radius of each school

Schools with recent improvements based on walk audits or which have received other substantial improvements within the past five years rank lower than schools that have not received these improvements. 

Final Walk Audit Reports

Following the Walk Audit, SFMTA staff prepare a draft Walk Audit Report with recommendations based on feedback gathered during the walk or in subsequent communications. Walk participants are asked to review and comment on recommendations in the report. Following the comment period, the report is finalized by SFMTA staff and shared with the school, Walk Audit participants, the SFCTA, and the district supervisor’s office. 

Walk Audits Conducted 

Implementation of Recommended Improvements

Upon completion of this report, SFMTA staff will evaluate the recommendations and recommend and prioritize near- and long-term improvements for implementation at each school. 

Near-term improvements may be legislated or work ordered directly to SFMTA Shops. Longer-term and more costly improvements will be recorded and recommended for inclusion in larger street projects. 

For more detailed information about SFMTA's School Walk Audit Program, please see the School Walk Audit Program Guidelines document at right. 

Please follow this link to an interactive webmap with more detailed information for schools audited. 

Options available for schools not selected for a walk audit

For schools not selected to participate in the Walk Audit Program in a given school year, SFMTA continually responds to school pedestrian safety concerns requested via 311. SFMTA also provides other avenues to resolve traffic safety concerns including the following:

• Application-Based Residential Traffic Calming Program
• Slow Streets Program
• Quick-Build Projects on the High Injury Network
• Vision Zero Program
• Transportation Engineering Operations – Resident requests through 311