A recently announced $495,000 grant will help create safer routes to schools in Eugene.

The Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) program is funded by the Federal Highway Administration and managed in Oregon by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). Those agencies in turn work with cities and other local agencies to develop infrastructure projects to address identified barriers to walking and biking to school for elementary and middle school age students.
In the most recent round of SRTS grants awarded by ODOT, Eugene received $495,000. Eugene’s award is one of only eight awarded statewide for the 2010- SRTS grant cycle.

The money will be used to enhance crosswalks, improve paths and sidewalks, construct new bicycle parking facilities and install wayfinding signs and school zone speed reader boards in the vicinity of seven local schools: Roosevelt Middle School, Monroe Middle School, Edison Elementary School, Camas Ridge Elementary School, Cesar Chavez Elementary School, McCornack Elementary School, and Meadowlark/Buena Vista Elementary School.

According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control, in 1969, 42 percent of children 5 to 18 years old walked or bicycled to school. In 2001, the rate fell to 16 percent.

 “The grant we received will help reverse this trend by providing kids with safer and more comfortable routes to walk or bike to school,” said Dave Roth, an associate transportation planner at the City of Eugene. “We hope this award creates more interest in the program throughout the City and that even more schools participate in the next round.”

In a collaborative effort, faculty and parents from the seven elementary and middle schools, School District 4J’s SRTS coordinator, and Public Works staff from the City worked to develop a number of safety improvements designed to create a safer and more conducive environment for children walking and biking to school. Final design and engineering work will be completed this spring, with construction to follow the summers of 2010 and 2011. For more information, go to Eugene Safe Routes to School.