St. Paul, Minnesota — State Representatives John Ward (DFL – Baxter) and Joe Radinovich (DFL – Crosby) are pleased to announce that three area schools have received grant funding for the “Safe Routes to School” program. The grant money will go to projects designed to help more children safely walk and bicycle to school.
The safety issues associated with children who walk and bike are well known. Nationally, 25 percent of all children’s traffic fatalities and 15 percent of all children’s traffic injuries occurred when they were walking or biking.
Schools received grants in three categories:
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Planning – Funding to complete a Safe Routes to School plan to help analyze existing conditions, gather public input and identify potential infrastructure and non-infrastructure solutions at K-8 schools.
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Non-Infrastructure – Funding for education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation activities.
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Infrastructure – Funding for improving the environment and infrastructure around the schools such as crosswalks and trails.
Two schools in the Crosby-Ironton District have received planning grants and Garfield Elementary in the Brainerd School District received an infrastructure grant.
“One child injured or killed while walking or biking to school is one too many,” said Rep. Ward. “We need to do what we can to keep our children safe when they’re heading off to school, and these grants can help achieve that. “
“The Safe Routes to School program is designed to address the terrible tragedies that can occur when children head off to school,” added Rep. Radinovich. “Improving public safety for our children is a great cause and I’m pleased that our area schools were awarded these grants.”
All Safe Routes to School grants in this solicitation are federal funds, and no local match is required. Each grant includes a resolution of support from the local governing body to ensure community support.
Since 2005, MnDOT has awarded nearly $15.5 million in federal funds to communities to support Safe Routes to School. The majority of funding—$13.1 million—was awarded for infrastructure projects. The remainder is allocated for non-infrastructure items and activities. MnDOT has about $1 million left from the federal SAFETEA-LU authorization act to distribute in 2015. Safe Routes to School projects occur in all 50 states.
More information is available at www.mndot.gov/saferoutes.