$3M to be given to communities across the State to help children walk and bike to school

Safe Routes to School projects across the USA.  Notice the glaring gap in Pennsylvania.  Click on image to view larger map.

Back in March, we posted an Action Alert to urge Governor Rendell to release millions of dollars of “Safe Routes to Schools” money to communities in need.  Well, your letters, calls, and emails must have done something because Rendell announced that the state will be releasing another $3 million dollars of the money.

SRTS is a federal program that enables communities to launch projects to make it easier for students to walk or bike to school.  Not only does this save municipalities and school districts money by not having to bus children, it encourages exercise at a time when childhood obesity is at epidemic levels.  It also hopes to address the long lines of asthma inducing cars that stack up each morning as parents drop their kids off at school.  Projects can be infrastructural, like sidewalks, crosswalks, and bike lanes, or educational.

Although it is Federal money, it’s up to the states to determine which communities receive the funding based on local proposals.  In the five years of the program’s existence, Pennsylvania has received $21 million dollars, but (as of March), released only $2 million,  of which only $55,000 (11 mini grants) has actually made its way into our communities.  There is a strong demand for the money, as last fall, PennDOT held a grant competition for approximately $12 million in infrastructure grants. Nearly 100 schools applied, requesting $56 million in funding.   The money has since collected dust, giving Pennsylvania the distinction of being in last place for funds awarded to local communities.

Nationwide, SRTS projects have been an effective way to curb congestion and encourage people to leave their cars at home and lead active, healthy lives. Check out some of the great regional projects that will now be happening now that the money has been released.

Allegheny County Safe Routes to School:

• Moon Area School District will receive $70,096 to install sidewalks along Hassam Road to connect J. H. Brooks Elementary School to nearby residential areas, as well as sidewalks along Beaver Grade Road.
• Munhall Borough will receive $781,698 to restore sidewalks, curbs and crosswalks and to construct new sidewalks, curbs and handicap ramps along Main Street, Charles Street, Charles Street Extension and Lea Street.

Beaver County Safe Routes to School

• Center Township will receive $967,309 to install speed humps, warning signs, pavement markings and sidewalks along the eastern side of Poplar Drive to increase access to Center Area Middle School, Todd Lane Elementary, and the K-2 Primary Center.

Greene County Safe Routes to School

• Waynesburg Borough will receive $442,500 to construct a walking and biking path from Margaret Bell Miller Middle School to Second Avenue.

Indiana County Safe Routes to School

• Homer City Borough will receive $284,945 to improve crosswalks, sidewalks and curbing at various locations on Main Street that directly benefit students of the Homer Center Elementary School.

Westmoreland County Safe Routes to School

• Scottdale Borough will receive $510,000 to create an off-street pedestrian-bicycle facility on Grove Street, which leads to the Southmoreland Elementary School and Southmoreland Middle School campus.