NYSDOT Announces Safe Routes To School Funding Awards For Towns And Cities Across New York

ALBANY, NY (01/04/2013)(readMedia)-- New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Commissioner Joan McDonald today announced $26.5 million in federal Safe Routes to School (SRTS) funding for 64 project sponsors to implement infrastructure improvements and public education campaigns across the State to encourage elementary and middle school children to safely walk and bike to school.

"The projects supported by this round of federal funding will help children get to school safely by providing features such as sidewalks, multi-use paths, crosswalks and pedestrian signals near schools," Commissioner McDonald said. "The education component of the program can help families make healthy, sustainable transportation choices and teach kids how to safely use the infrastructure in their communities."

Eligible projects must be located within two miles of a primary or middle school, be located on public right-of-way, benefit the public interest and address at least one of the five SRTS categories. Categories include engineering (infrastructure) efforts, as well as education, enforcement, encouragement and evaluation of program impact (non-infrastructure) efforts.

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.

Federal funding was made available to NYSDOT, which administers the SRTS program and will reimburse 100 percent of eligible project costs for these successful programs.

Funding can be used for targeted infrastructure improvement projects 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.

Funding can also be used for non-infrastructure public-education and public-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.

Commissioner McDonald announced the availability of applications for the Safe Routes to School program in May and applications were due October 5, 2012.

Information about the NYSDOT Safe Routes to School program is available on the NYSDOT website at https://www.dot.ny.gov/safe-routes-to-school.

The following is a list of project awards by Region.

Capital District

• City of Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County: $246,617 for sidewalk, crosswalk and pedestrian signal installation near Geyser Road Elementary School, and for safety education.

• City of Schenectady, Schenectady County: $379,742 for sidewalk, crosswalk and pedestrian signal installation near Zoller Elementary School, and for safety education.

• Town of Bethlehem, Albany County: $500,000 for sidewalks, ADA ramps and crosswalk markings near Bethlehem Middle School, Hamagrael Elementary School and St. Thomas the Apostle School.

• Town of Fort Edward, Washington County: $488,000 for sidewalk installation and replacement near the Ford Edward Union Free School District.

• Town of Halfmoon, Saratoga County: $259,000 for crosswalk striping and for a multi-use path connecting a local neighborhood to the middle school.

• Town of Malta, Saratoga County: $250,000 for sidewalk, crosswalks and school zone signs near the Chango Elementary School.

• Town of Stillwater Police Department, Saratoga County: $14,485 for a driver speed feedback trailer near Stillwater Central School.

• Town of Warrensburg, Warren County: $249,900 to replace and install sidewalk and bike racks at the Warrensburg Elementary School and Jr./Sr. High School, and for safety education.

Mohawk Valley

• City of Utica, Oneida County: $300,639 for curb ramps, crosswalks, signage and driver feedback signs near Utica City School District elementary schools, and for safety education.

• Village of Cazenovia, Madison County: $30,401 for a speed data collection study near schools in the Cazenovia Central School District.

• Village of St. Johnsville, Montgomery County: $195,457 for curb ramps, crosswalks and signage near the DH Robbins Elementary School and St. Johnsville Jr./Sr. High School.

North Country

• Clinton County: $371,844 for a multi-use path, guiderail, speed limit signs and crosswalks near the Saranac Elementary School and Saranac Middle/High School.

• Franklin County: $309,439 for sidewalks and crosswalks near St. Joseph's Elementary School.

• Franklin County: $133,900 for sidewalks and crosswalks near the Petrova Elementary and Middle schools.

• Franklin County: $61,750 for safety education in the Malone and Saranac Lake central school districts.

• Town of Peru, Clinton County: $235,478 for sidewalks and pedestrian safety improvements in the Peru Central School District.

Central NY

• City of Cortland, Cortland County: $275,000 for sidewalk improvements and safety education at the Barry Elementary School.

• City of Ithaca, Tompkins County: $297,950 for pedestrian improvements and safety education at the Beverly J. Martin Elementary, Fall Creek Elementary and Boynton Middle schools.

• City of Syracuse, Onondaga County: $388,001 for traffic calming devices, including roundabout and median construction, sign and signal upgrades and safety education at the Most Holy Rosary Catholic, Bellevue Elementary, J. T. Roberts Elementary and Danforth Magnet schools.

• Town of Ithaca, Tompkins County: $41,600 for speed enforcement near Dewitt Middle and Northeast Elementary schools.

• Village of Interlaken, Seneca County: $458,890 for replacing and installing sidewalk near South Seneca Elementary School.

Finger Lakes

• Monroe County Department of Transportation: $418,100 to enhance pedestrian safety at intersections near schools in the Rochester City, East Irondequoit Central, East Rochester, Greece Central, Penfield Central, Rush-Henrietta Central and West Irondequoit Central school districts.

• Town of Victor, Ontario County: $389,816 to install sidewalk, sings and crosswalks in the Victor Central School District.

• Town of Williamson, Wayne County: $144,440 for sidewalk replacement near Williamson Elementary and Middle schools.

• Village of Albion Police Department, Orleans County: $10,000 for a driver speed feedback trailer to be used near the Albion primary, middle and high schools.

• Village of Arcade, Wyoming County: $224,000 for sidewalk replacement and crosswalk installation near the Arcade Elementary School.

• Village of Clyde, Wayne County: $249,600 for sidewalk, crosswalks and sign installation and replacement near the Clyde Primary School and Clyde-Savannah Middle/High School.

• Village of Fairport Police Department, Monroe County: $8,661 for driver speed feedback trailer and safety education for Brooks Hill Elementary School, Johanna Perrin Middle School and Minerva DeLand School.

• Village of LeRoy, Genesee County: $421,000 for sidewalk replacement near the Wolcott Street School and LeRoy Jr/Sr High School.

Western NY

• City of Buffalo, Erie County: $494,420 for sidewalks, ADA compliant curb ramps, crosswalk striping and pedestrian signal improvements near the Pinnacle Charter School, Bennet Park Montessori School, PS 6 Buffalo Elementary School of Technology, and Enterprise Charter School.

• Town of Amherst, Erie County: $641,983 for sidewalks, curb ramps, crosswalks and safety education in the Sweet Home and Amherst Central school districts.

• Village of Gowanda, Erie and Cattaraugus counties: $650,000 for pedestrian safety improvements and education at the Aldrich Street Elementary School and Gowanda Middle/High School.

• Town of Grand Island, Erie County: $205,004 for sidewalks, crosswalks and signage near the Veronica E. Connor Middle School.

• Town and City of Lockport, Niagara County: $570,219 for sidewalks and safety education at schools in the Lockport City School District.

• Town of Porter, Niagara County: $15,000 for pedestrian improvements near the WH Stevenson Elementary School.

• Village of Orchard Park, Erie County: $391,867 for sidewalks, curb ramps and safety education at the South Davis Elementary, Eggert Road Elementary and Orchard Park Middle schools.

• Village of Williamsville, Erie County: $462,947 for sidewalk improvements and safety education in the Williamsville School District.

• Lewiston Police Department, Niagara County: $55,000 for a driver speed feedback trailer for use in the Lewiston Porter Central School District.

• Chautauqua Children's Safety Education Village, Chautauqua County: $150,000 for safety education in county school districts.

• Green Options Buffalo/Go Bike Buffalo, Erie County: $150,000 for safety education at the Buffalo Public School District.

Hudson Valley

• City of Beacon, Dutchess County: $514,376 for pedestrian improvements and safety education at the J.V. Forrestal Elementary School.

• City of Hudson, Columbia County: $415,352 for pedestrian improvements and safety education in the City of Hudson School District.

• City of Kingston, Ulster County: $489,000 for pedestrian improvements in the Kingston City School District and near St. Joseph's Catholic School.

• City of Rye, Westchester County: $223,952 for pedestrian improvements in the Rye City School District.

• Town of Crawford, Orange County: $350,788 for pedestrian improvements and safety education at the Pine Bush Central Schools.

• Village of Briarcliff Manor, Westchester County: $500,000 for pedestrian improvements and safety education in the Briarcliff Manor Union Free School District.

• Village of Dobbs Ferry, Westchester County: $118,000 for safety education at the Dobbs Ferry Elementary and Middle schools.

• Village of Ellenville, Ulster County: $233,000 for pedestrian improvements and safety education in the Ellenville Central School District.

• Village of Sleepy Hollow, Westchester County: $219,950 for pedestrian improvements and safety education in the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns.

• Village of Warwick, Orange County: $498,623 for pedestrian improvements in the Warwick Valley Central School District.

• Nyack Union Free School District, Rockland County: $33,781 for pedestrian improvements and safety education in the Nyack Central School District.

Southern Tier

• Village of Canisteo, Steuben County: $175,000 for sidewalks, curb ramps, crosswalks, signs and radar feedback devices in the Canisteo-Greenwood Central School District.

• Village of Morris, Otsego County: $124,400 for sidewalks near the Morris Central School.

• Village of Oxford, Chenango County: $215,000 for sidewalks near the Oxford Academy and Central Schools.

• Village of Rushville, Yates County: $292,830 for sidewalks and a bicycle path near the Middlesex Valley Primary School.

• Village of Sharon Springs, Schoharie County: $161,352 for sidewalks in the Sharon Springs Central School District.

• Village of Windsor, Broome County: $160,000 for sidewalks in the Windsor Central School District.

Long Island

• Town of East Hampton, Suffolk County: $554,310 for sidewalks and intersection improvements and safety education in the Springs Union Free School District.

• Town of Islip, Suffolk County: $358,022 for a multi-use path and sidewalks near the O'Neill Elementary School.

• Town of Smithtown, Suffolk County: $150,000 for safety education in the Commack School District.

• Village of Southampton, Suffolk County: $498,374 for intersection improvements near the Southampton Elementary and Intermediate schools.

• NY Coalition for Transportation Safety, Nassau County: $150,000 for safety education in the Long Beach School District.

New York City

• New York City DOT: $7.9 million for safety improvements near PS 154 Harriet Tubman School, PS 347 American Sign Language School, Park Avenue Christian Church Day School, Ramaz Lower School and St. Joseph's School in Manhattan (New York County), and at MS 136 Charles O'Dewey School, PS 13 Roberto Clemente School, PS 226 Alfred de Baron Mason School and PS 398 Walter Weaver School in Brooklyn (Kings County).

• New York City DOT: $987,000 for safety education at New York City public schools in New York, Kings, Richmond, Bronx and Queens Counties.

###