Schools can do more to reduce the environmental threat posed by idling cars during drop-off or pick-up. School districts could also improve their buses with that aim in mind.
While student safety is of paramount concern to parents and school districts, protocols haven't mitigated the air quality threat of idling cars and buses. Angie Schmitt writes, "Every morning and afternoon at schools around the country, pick-up and drop-off times are free-for-alls of mindless idling, with tailpipes spitting poisonous chemicals into the air children breathe."
That environment can exacerbate or even cause chronic respiratory conditions like asthma. "Asthma is the most common chronic disease among children. Car exhaust can trigger attacks and may cause asthma itself, and schools are where children tend to be especially exposed."
The article cites four ways schools could encourage cleaner air as students arrive and leave.
- Choose school sites and build street infrastructure with active transportation—walking and biking—in mind.
- Educate parents about the issue; encourage them to turn off engines while they wait
- Keep school bus idling to a minimum
- Retrofit school buses with cleaner engines
FULL STORY: 4 Things Schools Can Do to Reduce the Asthma Threat From Idling Cars
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Denver Freeway Expansion Makes a Bad Situation Worse
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The Roadway Expansion Paradox
Motorists want expensive roadway expansions provided that somebody else foots the bill, but when required to pay directly through tolls, the need for more capacity often disappears. What should planners do?
Urban Exodus: Data Don't Support the Popular Pandemic Narrative
Americans fled cities in waves during the pandemic, right? Not to so fast.
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Measuring the Economic Impact of the Great Allegheny Passage
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Houston Could End Homelessness With Less Than 2,000 Housing Units
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Nelson\Nygaard
BRAILSFORD & DUNLAVEY
Water Replenishment District (WRD)
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of San Carlos
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Royal Oak, Michigan
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.
