The City of Houston has been granted $208,642 in federal funds through the ‘Safe Routes to School’ program for a parking, sidewalk and bike path improvement project.
The funds are federal dollars designated for increasing the safety of the children in grades K-8 to walk, bike and wheel to school and are administered through the highway safety division of the Missouri Department of Transportation.
The funds will help address several identified issues:
-At the intersection of Chestnut and Bryan streets, near the elementary school, signage, crosswalk markings and accessibility that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act will be added. East entrance improvements also will be made at the elementary school.
-On the existing elementary school parking lot, located on the west side of Bryan Street, as well as the new lot to east of Bryan Street, provision will be made to allow bicyclists and pedestrians safe passage during peak automobile traffic hours. The same will be true at the intersection of Ozark Street and Bryan Street for middle school students.
-A bicycle lane will be added to lessen conflict between cyclists and pedestrians along Ozark Street and the jog to Pine Street. Parking also will be changed to an angle configuration along Ozark Street.
-A safe crossing will be provided at the intersection of Walnut and First streets near the middle school for pedestrians attempting to access the library and north residential area of Houston.
The project is among those in the final round of the Safe Routes to School Program. Another round will occur only if included in a future transportation bill. State, local and regional agencies, schools and non-profit organizations were eligible to apply for the funding. The purpose of the program is to:
-Enable and encourage children, including those with disabilities in grades K-8, to walk, wheel and bicycle to school.
-Make bicycling and walking to school a safer and more appealing transportation alternative, thereby encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle from an early age.
-Facilitate the planning, development and implementation of projects and activities that will improve safety and reduce traffic, fuel consumption and air pollution in the vicinity of schools.