Governor DeWine Announces Record $9.8 Million Awarded Through Safe Routes to School Program
(COLUMBUS, Ohio)? Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Transportation Director Jack Marchbanks today announced funding awards of over $9.8 million for projects that will improve safety for students walking and biking to and from school in 25 counties.
The Safe Routes to School program provides funding for infrastructure like new sidewalks and path extensions, crosswalks and rapid flashing beacons, bicycle lanes, and other safety equipment around Ohio schools. It also provides programming for communities to help encourage and enable K-12 students living within 2 miles of their schools to walk or ride a bike.
?Walking and biking is a healthy way for children to get to and from school, but we must ensure each student can do so safely. This program provides that opportunity,? said Governor Mike DeWine.
A total of 45 projects were selected through a competitive process by a committee made up of experts from ODOT, the Ohio Department of Health, and other local entities. The committee's goal was to fund projects that provided both infrastructure and safety awareness for children walking and biking to school.
?I?m encouraged to see the increasing interest in active transportation across our state and proud of our efforts to make it safer to walk or ride a bike,? said ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks. ?However, these safety improvements aren?t as effective if drivers aren?t paying attention, driving the speed limit, and being extra alert for young children especially around schools during school hours.?
This year?s $9.8 million in awards is the largest amount of funding provided as part of the Safe Routes to School Program in a single year. During the review process, it was determined that six of the projects could be supported through ODOT?s Highway Safety Improvement Program, and five other projects qualified for ODOT?s Transportation Alternatives Program.
Since its inception in 2005, ODOT?s Safe Routes to School program has provided more than $75 million to schools, municipalities, health districts, park districts, and key non-profit partners to improve safety for students.
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