Indiana Schools to Improve Walking, Bicycling Efforts

InsideINdianaBusiness.com Report

Fifty one schools throughout the state will soon be able to make it safer for students to walk or bike to school. Safe Routes to School, a federally funded program, has awarded $3.35 million in grants to the Indiana Department of Transportation. Schools will use the funds for new sidewalks, motor vehicle speed reduction techniques and bicycle and pedestrian skills training.

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana students will soon find it safer to walk or bike to 51 schools thanks to $3.35 million in federal awards the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) announced today. Safe Routes to School funds awarded to cities, towns and schools increased nearly 20 percent, allowing a larger proportion of applications to be approved this year.

"INDOT is responding to growing childhood health and safety concerns with increasing investments promoting walking and bicycling among Indiana's youngest commuters," said INDOT Commissioner Michael W. Reed.

Safe Routes to School aims to influence a new generation of healthy, sustainable travel behavior. The federally funded program recognizes traffic congestion, fuel consumption and air pollution near our schools' coupled with growing health and childhood obesity concerns makes walking and bicycling to school an attractive and convenient solution. Examples of eligible projects and activities include new sidewalks, motor vehicle speed reduction techniques and bicycle and pedestrian skills training. More information is available on Indiana's Safe Routes to School Web site at http://SafeRoutes.IN.gov.

As in prior years, demand for the Safe Routes to School program outstripped available funds. For 2009, INDOT received 39 proposals totaling $6.8 million. INDOT has funded an increasing percentage of these applications, approving nearly half this year. Federal funds will reimburse the 19 recipients listed below for approved expenses on infrastructure projects and non-infrastructure activities.

Southwest Indiana

• $250,000 for sidewalks, curb ramps and a retaining wall at one school within the City of Washington.
• $250,000 for sidewalks, curb ramps, flashers and signs at one school within the Town of Poseyville.
• $250,000 for sidewalks, curbing, curb ramps and minor non-infrastructure efforts at one school within the Town of Fort Branch.
• $250,000 for sidewalks, crosswalks, curb ramps, signs and minor non-infrastructure efforts at three schools within the City of Mitchell.
• $250,000 for sidewalks and curb ramps at two schools within the Town of Oolitic
• $246,439 for sidewalks, curb ramps and drainage improvements at three schools within the City of Cannelton.

Southeast Indiana

• $75,000 for a Comprehensive Safe Route plan, encouragement, outreach, equipment and incentives at 10 schools within the City of Columbus

East Central Indiana

• $242,588 for sidewalks, sidewalk repair, curb ramps, crosswalks, signs and minor non-infrastructure efforts at one school within the Town of Kennard.
• $250,000 to the St. Thomas Aquinas School in Indianapolis for sidewalks, medians, flashers, pedestrian countdown signals, bike parking and curb ramps.
• $75,000 to The Project School in Indianapolis for a Comprehensive Safe Route plan, encouragement, outreach, education, enforcement, equipment and incentives.
• $56,000 to the St. Joan of Arc School in Indianapolis for a Comprehensive Safe Route plan, outreach, education, equipment and incentives.
• $75,000 for a Comprehensive Safe Route plan, encouragement, outreach, education, enforcement, equipment and incentives at five schools within the City of Carmel.

Northwest Indiana

• $247,400 to the Lake Central School Corporation for sidewalks and a shared use path at three schools in Dyer and Saint John.
• $168,253 for sidewalks, crosswalks, curb ramps and signs at one school within the Town of Cedar Lake.
• $155,000 for sidewalks, curb ramps and minor non-infrastructure efforts at one school within the City of Valparaiso.

Northeast Indiana

• $249,800 for sidewalks, sidewalk repair, curbs, curb ramps, crosswalks, bike route signs and bike racks at two schools within the City of Auburn.
• $49,000 for a travel plan, education, encouragement, equipment and a speed trailer at one school within the Town of Waterloo.
• $137,778 to the St. Charles Borromeo School in Fort Wayne for sidewalks and curb ramps
• $75,000 for a Comprehensive Safe Route plan and increased law enforcement at 12 schools within the City of Huntington.