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ODOT awards money for SRTS projects

ODOT information

COLUMBUS — The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Wednesday announced the awarding of $16 million in anticipated federal transportation funds for 68 projects through the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program.

Projects funded include two in Paulding County. The maximum grant of $500,000 was awarded to a Paulding project, while another $187,000 was given to Antwerp to establish safer pedestrian access to the school located there.

Other projects statewide will receive anywhere from $2,000 to $500,000. All totaled, these awards make up the highest amount of funding the program has ever distributed at one time.

The proposed projects encourage and enable children from Kindergarten to eighth grade to safely walk or bicycle to and from their neighborhood schools.

“Our aim is to help communities improve safety through engineering and education,” said ODOT Director Jerry Wray.  “We believe that Safe Routes to School grassroots programs are the key to encouraging safer behaviors.”

Additionally, 19 communities will be supported for school travel plan development. These plans will help communities develop and implement their own SRTS programs. Once completed, they will be in a position to apply for funds to implement their ideas.

SRTS awards went to infrastructure improvements for 46 local communities: improving sidewalks, creating new walking/biking connections, putting in bike racks and improving cross-walks and other safety features in communities all across the state. More comprehensive projects to be funded include the construction of new sidewalks, curb extensions and pavement markings.

Still other funds will go to providing education and encouragement programs on the SRTS concept.

ODOT has administered the SRTS program since 2004, and has awarded more than $48 million in project funding.

To view the complete list of awards, click here. For more information on Safe Routes to School, visit: www.dot.state.oh.us/SafeRoutes

POSTED: 05/31/12 at 6:09 am. FILED UNDER: News