MnDOT announces Safe Routes to School grants that support 105 Minnesota schools

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Transportation today announced the recipients of $3.8 million in federal grants for Safe Routes to School. The grants will support Safe Routes to School at 105 schools in 61 communities.

“These projects will help communities increase opportunities for children to walk and bike to school,” said MnDOT Commissioner Charlie Zelle. “More students walking and biking means less traffic on the road and in front of schools, improving safety and promoting healthier kids.”

Schools received grants in three categories:

- Planning – Funding to complete a Safe Routes to School plan to help analyze existing conditions, gather public input and identify potential infrastructure and non-infrastructure solutions at K-8 schools.

- Non-Infrastructure – Funding for education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation activities.

- Infrastructure – Funding for improving the environment and infrastructure around the schools such as crosswalks and trails.

 

MnDOT announced the available grants in October 2012. It received 102 applications and funded 43 applications. The total amount requested was $15,451,103.

All Safe Routes to School grants in this solicitation are federal funds, and no local match is required. Each grant includes a resolution of support from the local governing body to ensure community support.

Since 2005, MnDOT has awarded nearly $15.5 million in federal funds to communities to support Safe Routes to School. The majority of funding—$13.1 million—was awarded for infrastructure projects. The remainder is allocated for non-infrastructure items and activities. MnDOT has about $1 million left from the federal SAFETEA-LU authorization act to distribute in 2015. Safe Routes to School projects occur in all 50 states.

Funding opportunities for future grants is unclear. MnDOT and the state Legislature are currently discussing new ways to fund projects at the state level.

The list of grant recipients is below. More information is available at www.mndot.gov/saferoutes.

Safe Routes to School 2013 grants

Planning

- Austin, Mower County - 6 schools

- Bigfork, Itasca County - 1 school

- Blackduck, Beltrami County - 1 school

- Carlton, Carlton County- 1 school

- Clarkfield, Yellow Medicine County - 1 school

- Cromwell, Carlton County - 1 school

- Crosby, Crow Wing County - 2 schools

- Frazee, Becker County - 2 schools

- Floodwood, St. Louis County - 1 school

- Glenwood, Pope County - 1 school

- Kelliher, Beltrami County - 1 school

- Lake Crystal, Blue Earth County - 1 school

- Lake Park, Becker County - 2 schools

- Le Sueur, Le Sueur County - 2 schools

- Montevideo, Chippewa County - 2 schools

- Montgomery, Le Center and Lonsdale (Tri-City United Public Schools); Le Sueur & Rice counties - 4 schools

- Parkers Prairie, Otter Tail County - 2 schools

- Rice, Benton County - 1 school

- Rushford, Fillmore County - 1 school

- Sartell, Stearns & Benton counties - 2 schools

- St. Anthony Village, Hennepin County - 1 school

- Wrenshall, Carlton County - 1 school

 

Non-Infrastructure

- Better Living Exercise and Nutrition Daily (BLEND), Stearns & Benton counties, 5 schools - Hire a coordinator to implement education and enforcement activities, provide support for crossing guards and purchase supplies/materials for SRTS programs.

- Carlton County Public Health & Human Services, Carlton County, 8 schools - Increase student access to bicycles and bicycling education in Carlton County by purchasing a bicycle fleet and trailer, funding one year of maintenance and purchasing of helmets/ tools needed for bicycling maintenance.

- City of Red Wing, Goodhue County, 1 school - Fund a part-time SRTS coordinator to collaborate and implement “Out Your Front Door” walking and biking to school maps and posters; National Walk/Bike to School Day; Park & Walk-Walking Wednesdays; neighborhood “bus hubs;” bike safety training; Fix a Bike program; publicity; digital speed signs and crosswalk “stings;” and evaluation.

- Columbia Heights Public Schools, Anoka County, 4 schools - Provide access to bicycles and bicycle education through purchasing a bike fleet, bike maintenance training for staff and students and tools for bicycle repair.

- Mankato Area Public Schools, Blue Earth County, 6 schools - Hire a part-time SRTS coordinator to manage education and encouragement activities, develop walking maps and assist with additional SRTS activities.

- Minneapolis Public Schools, Hennepin County, 5+ schools - Hire a SRTS coordinator, purchase a district-wide bicycle fleet and provide education and encouragement activities.

- Rochester-Olmsted Planning Department, Olmsted County, 5+ schools - Develop education and encouragement materials, provide a coordinator and resource support for a middle school student bicycling cooperative and provide safety campaign marketing materials.

- South Washington County Schools, Washington County, 8 schools - Hire a SRTS coordinator to assist the school SRTS teams, purchase safety equipment and training for school safety patrols, purchase incentives for students and pay for SRTS safety campaign materials.

- Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission, Swift, Chippewa, Yellow Medicine, & Lac qui Parle counties, 7 schools - Hire a regional coordinator to provide support for education, encouragement and school patrol safety campaigns.

Infrastructure

 - Barnesville, Clay County – Improve conditions for walking and bicycling for Atkinson Elementary and Barnesville Middle/High School by adding accessible sidewalks and improving crossings.

- Brainerd, Crow Wing County – Improve safety for children walking and bicycling to Garfield School by adding sidewalks and curb extensions.

- Byron, Olmsted County – Fill-in sidewalk gaps and complete connection for Byron Elementary and Middle School.

- Delano, Wright County – Connect existing paths on the elementary and middle school campus and separate pedestrian and bicyclist traffic from motor vehicle traffic.

- Dilworth, Clay County – Construct a path that will connect students in northeast Dilworth to Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton School.

- Grand Rapids, Itasca County – Construct sidewalk and fill in gaps for Murphy Elementary and R.J.E. Middle School.

- Mankato, Blue Earth County – Construct sidewalks and curb extensions for the students of Kennedy Elementary and Franklin Elementary School.

- Minneapolis, Hennepin County – Provide bike storage, improve median and crossings for Lucy Craft Laney School.

- Pipestone, Pipestone County –Improve crossings and construct trail connections for Pipestone Elementary, Pipestone Middle/High School and residential neighborhoods.

- Princeton, Mille Lacs County – Construct sidewalks and improve crossings for North Elementary and Middle School.

- Sauk Rapids, Benton County – Construct sidewalks and improve crossings for Pleasantview Elementary.

- Wadena, Wadena County – Build sidewalks and curb extensions, improve crossings and install traffic control devices for Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary and Wadena-Deer Creek Middle/High School.