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GOVERNOR SPITZER ANNOUNCES ‘SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL’ INITIATIVE
$32 Million in Federal Funding Will Promote Walking and Bicycling to School
Governor Eliot Spitzer today launched a new initiative that will use $32.1 million in federal funding to support school-based transportation infrastructure improvements and public education campaigns across the state to promote safe routes to school. The intent of Safe Routes to School is to enable and encourage children to walk or bicycle to school; help children adopt a more healthy and active lifestyle by making bicycling and walking a safer and more appealing transportation alternative; and facilitate the planning, development and implementation of transportation projects that will improve safety while reducing traffic, fuel consumption and air pollution in the vicinity of schools.
“The Safe Routes to School program will provide communities with the critical resources needed to make walking and bicycling to school safer for our children,” said Governor Spitzer. “By implementing Safe Routes to School we are not only making our neighborhoods safer for school children, but we are encouraging children to adopt healthy habits. Promoting walking and bicycling along safe routes will also help reduce traffic, fuel consumption and air pollution near schools and increase awareness of these viable transportation alternatives.”
New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Commissioner Astrid C. Glynn said: “With the leadership and support of Governor Spitzer, the Department of Transportation will work to provide communities with transportation options that promote a healthy lifestyle and at the same time help improve air quality and protect our environment.”
Under this program, which was created by federal law in 2005, federal funding is made available to each state based upon its population of kindergarten through eighth grade students. NYSDOT, which administers the program, will reimburse 100 percent of project costs for successful applicants.
By law, 70 and 90 percent of funding will be used on targeted infrastructure improvements located within a two-mile radius of an elementary or middle school. This could include installation of traffic signals or crosswalks, construction or rehabilitation of sidewalks and traffic mitigation measures.
Between 10 and 30 percent of funding will be provided to local municipalities, school districts, police agencies and non-profit organizations for non-infrastructure public education and outreach projects. This may include conducting police enforcement operations and developing education programs for parents and children on the benefits of walking or bicycling to school.
In September, NYSDOT will make applications and guidebooks available to all municipalities in the state and will conduct regional information sessions. Applicants must submit projects to NYSDOT for approval by early 2008, with project selection announcements made in the summer of 2008.