Sec. 191.4. Point determination

An analysis should be completed for the highway sections containing the types of hazards the student encounters. A route to school can involve walking along one or more highways. As a result, it is not always obvious when a new highway segment should be evaluated, especially when conditions may change along that highway. A new highway segment exists whenever the facility type on which a student must walk changes. There are four different types of facilities:

(a) sidewalk (any width) or a shoulder ≥ five feet wide;

(b) shoulder < five feet wide;

(c) roadway with no shoulder; and

(d) roadway with a narrow bridge or overpass.

In some cases, a highway or several highways with the same type of walking facility, may undergo several changes regarding its volume and/or speed limit. To simplify matters, the average volume and/or speed limit that occurs in the segment should be used. For example, over a one mile stretch, the following situation occurs for a series of contiguous hiqhways without adequate shoulders (i.e., shoulder < five feet wide):

Point A to B	.15 mile	Low Volume	40 mph
Point B to C	.35 mile	Medium Volume	35 mph
Point C to D	.50 mile	High Volume	30 mph
	1.00 mile

The average speed is 35 mph [(40 + 35 + 30) ÷ 3] and would be used in calculating the point totals. Since the average speed is only required to be determined to the nearest five mph interval, it can be easily calculated as simply a straight, unweighted average of all the speeds. The route used between home and school must avoid hazardous locations when a more reasonable route is available. In addition, the analysis is to be based on conditions that will remain basically unchanged throughout the school year. Section 3635-b(2) specifies that transportation will be provided “on the basis that their most direct walking route to school will traverse a hazardous zone”. However, before a CSZ can be established, alternative solutions must be investigated. Sometimes, a hazard can be mitigated by changing the route which the student walks to one that is slightly shorter or longer. Such a route could be deemed more “reasonable” because it avoids the alleged hazards found on the more direct walking route. For routes where a single hazard exists, determine the type of hazard, the number of points produced by the hazard and the highest grade level that would qualify for bus transportation as indicated in the accompanying chart. For routes where several hazards exists, there are two options which can be followed. First, determine the type of hazards that exist and calculate the number of points produced by each hazard. Compare the point totals for each hazard and use the point value of the greatest hazard to determine the highest grade level that would qualify for bus transportation as indicated in the accompanying chart. If an area fails to qualify for a specific grade level, then a combination of hazards should be examined. Determine the types of hazards, the sum of points produced by the two greatest hazards and the highest grade level that would qualify for bus transportation as indicated in the accompanying chart. It should be noted that the two hazards identified may be of the same type or of different types. A school route will be determined to be a hazardous zone for children in certain grades if it produces at least the points indicated in the accompanying chart.

TABLE 1 — NUMBER OF QUALIFYING POINTS REQUIRED

Total number of points required to qualify a student for transportation		POINTS
A.	Grades K – 8 with 1 HAZARD	12
B.	Grades K – 8 with 2 Greatest HAZARDS	21
C.	Grades 9 – 12 with 1 HAZARD	15
D.	Grades 9 – 12 with 2 Greatest HAZARDS	27

TABLE 2 — HIGHWAYS WITHOUT SIDEWALKS OR ADEQUATE SHOULDERS

SITUATION	POINTS
1. Student walks on a sidewalk, shoulder or roadway with a given length:
A. Sidewalk or shoulder ≥ 5 feet wide:	0
B. Shoulder < 5 feet wide:	*
* 1 point for every 500 ft or fraction thereof; examples: 1 to 500 ft = 1 point, 501 to 1000 ft = 2 points
C. Roadway with no shoulder:	**
** 1 point for every 300 ft or fraction thereof; examples: 1 to 300 ft = 1 point, 301 to 600 ft = 2 points
D. Roadway with a narrow bridge or overpass:	***
*** 1 point for every 25 ft or fraction thereof; examples: 1 to 25 ft = 1 point, 26 to 50 ft = 2 points
2. Student walks on roadway or shoulder < 5 ft wide with 15 minute traffic volumes of:
A. Low (L) — less than 50 vehicles	1
B. Medium (M) — 50 to 100 vehicles	3
C. High (H) — more than 100 vehicles	5
3. Student walks on roadway or shoulder < 5 ft wide with a speed limit ≥ 40 MPH:
A. 40 MPH	1
B. 45 MPH	2
C. 50 MPH	3
D. 55 MPH	4

TABLE 3 — HIGHWAY INTERSECTIONS

SITUATION	POINTS
4. Student crosses a highway intersection with the following degree of traffic control:
A. All way stop signs, an adult crossing guard, or a pedestrian bridge/underpass within 500 feet of the crossing	0
B. Traffic signal with pedestrian devices	1 per lane*
C. Stop signs, or a traffic signal without pedestrian devices	2 per lane*
D. No traffic control measures	3 per lane*
5. Student walks on roadway or shoulder < 5 ft wide with 15 minute traffic volumes of:
A. Low (L) — less than 50 vehicles	1
B. Medium (M) — 50 to 100 vehicles	3
C. High (H) — more than 100 vehicles	5
6. Student crosses a highway intersection with a speed limit of:
A. less than 40 MPH	0
B. 40 MPH	1
C. 45 MPH	2
D. 50 MPH	3
E. 55 MPH	4

*

-Up to 4 lanes may be considered

TABLE 4 — HIGHWAY–RAILROAD GRADE CROSSINGS

SITUATION		POINTS
7. Student crosses an active railroad crossing during the normal school crossing period:
A. 1 or 2 tracks and	0 trains	0
	1 train	5
	2 trains	9
	3 or more trains	13
B. 3 or more tracks and	0 trains	0
	1 train	7
	2 trains	11
	3 or more trains	15

Notation

*

-Up to 4 lanes may be considered