City presents crash and speed data near schools, lays out Safe Routes to School update and community engagement plan

City transportation and health officials told a joint meeting of council and the Cincinnati Public Schools board that thousands of crashes and widespread speeding near schools underscore the need for a refreshed Safe Routes to School (SRTS) plan and a combination of engineering, enforcement and education.

Director Long of the Department of Transportation summarized the department’s three-year review, saying the study covered roughly 35,000 crashes citywide and that "about a third" of pedestrian-and-bicycle crash records fell within a 1,000-foot buffer around schools. "We did this over a three‑year period...what we found was that there's a total of 35,000 crashes," he said, and noted that commute‑hour filters produced similar school‑zone percentages.

The DOT also reported targeted speed observations at six schools and said the majority of motorists operate within about 5 mph of posted limits but that outliers include speeds above 40 mph. The department described a competitive traffic‑calming program that has delivered about 260 school‑area improvements over the prior five years, including refreshed crosswalks, upgraded school flashers, speed cushions, bumpouts and raised crosswalks.

Health Department staff Tiffany White and Scott Dean described the SRTS plan-update process, the funding pathways through ODOT and the health department’s creating-healthy-communities technical assistance. The SRTS update will prioritize a west‑corridor cluster of schools, use quantitative (GIS crash and travel-mode) and qualitative (student, parent and community) workgroups, and aims to synthesize engagement in late fall with a target roll‑out in January 2027.

"Because we had a plan in place, we were able to apply for funding...that project will have a protected bicycle lane, some traffic calming," White said, describing a pending application for a Court Street project tied to Hayes Porter Taft High School. White also noted the multi-year timing of ODOT infrastructure awards: jurisdictions apply and may receive funds several years later, affecting project sequencing.

Enforcement and technology: Council members pressed for stronger enforcement in school zones and asked whether the city should revisit automated enforcement such as speed cameras. Council Member Mark Jeff framed the scale of the issue: "That's an average of almost eight crashes a day in school zones," he said in reaction to DOT’s numbers. DOT and health staff said cameras and expanded enforcement are policy choices that require additional legal/administrative steps and emphasized that engineering measures and behavioral programs are equally important.

Education and pilot programs: Staff highlighted "traffic gardens"—small, traffic-simulation areas used to teach bicycle and pedestrian safety—and said initial pilots (including one at Roll Hill) produced curriculum-ready learning opportunities. Health officials said they will involve students, high-school mentors and community groups in engagement and suggested program evaluation as part of non‑infrastructure work.

Budget and next steps: Council members also discussed two staff reports listing parks and recreation areas with shooting histories and estimates to improve lighting and cameras; the mayor indicated $1 million in the budget for lighting and cameras but the staff cost estimates exceed $2 million, so officials said work will be multi-year. Health staff said the SRTS update will begin engagement in the fall and that a January 2027 plan rollout is the current target.

What to watch: community outreach to prioritized schools in the west corridor, pending ODOT grant outcomes (including the Court Street application), and further council discussion on enforcement tools such as automated cameras.