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ODOT approves 28 new Safe Routes to School projects; several planned in Central Oregon

ODOT

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) --The Oregon Transportation Commission invested at its Thursday meeting in new sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, curb ramps, and improvements that will make school communities safer and more accessible for everyone, including several Central Oregon projects.

The commission approvedĀ 28 Safe Routes to School projects, with a total investment exceeding $31 million. These projects focus on making travel safer within a two-mile radius of schools, prioritizing under-resourced communities to ensure a safer journey for all students.Ā 

ā€œItā€™s important to us to help students and their families get to school safely by foot or bike or mobility device,ā€ said ODOTā€™s Public Transportation Division Administrator Suzanne Carlson. ā€œWe are excited to support cities and counties who want to make these improvements in their communities. Theyā€™re making an amazing difference around the state.ā€ 

These projects are funded through ODOTā€™s Safe Routes to School Competitive Construction Grant Program. ODOT received 89 applications for this round of funding, totaling $138.2 million in safety improvements around the state. ODOT and the Safe Routes to School Advisory Committee had to weigh available funding with projects that addressed the highest safety risks, removed barriers for students at low-income schools, and were likely to be completed within five years.  

Hereā€™s an overview of some of the projects approved for funding: 

  • The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation will receive funding to transform Mission Roadā€”a rural highway that is the primary east-west road through Missionā€”into a more community-oriented corridor. By enhancing the road to better accommodate diverse travel modes, the project will improve functionality, access and safety for residents and students at the communityā€™s two schools.Ā 
  • The city of Redmond will receive funding to improve safety for students, workers and families at Sage Elementary School. The safety improvements will include better marking of the existing crosswalk and traffic calming strategies to reduce speeding in the school zone.Ā 
  • The city of Florence will receive funding toĀ improve 35th Street, a vital roadway connecting U.S. 101 to Rhododendron Drive and access point to local schools. To address a lack of sidewalks along this road, the project will include new pedestrian paths to enhance safety and connectivity for all users.Ā 

Other local projects included $2.4 million for safety improvements by Redmond's M.A. Lynch Elementary School -- a multi-use path along Highway 97 and marked crossings at Highway 126. More than $765,000 will go to the city of Bend for shared-use pathways and crosswalk improvements around Bear Creek Elementary School.

At theĀ commission meeting, Administrator Carlson shared that the program has funded 104 construction projects since 2019, with nearly half of those projects completed and the other half in construction or design.

About Safe Routes to School  

ODOTā€™s Safe Routes to School program creates safe, convenient, and fun opportunities for children to walk, bike, and roll to and from school. This includes investments in pedestrian crossings, sidewalks, bike lanes and more, in addition to education and outreach programs that encourage students to walk and roll to school safely.  

Learn more about ODOT's Safe Routes to School program at oregonsaferoutes.org. 

Article Topic Follows: Redmond

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