News from New York State Department of Transportation

For more information contact: Carol Breen, 518-457-6400

NYSDOT ANNOUNCES $27M FOR WALK-TO-SCHOOL PROGRAM

Federally Funded “Safe Routes to School” Promotes Healthy Transportation Alternatives

ALBANY, NY (09/08/2008)(readMedia)-- New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Commissioner Astrid C. Glynn today announced more than $27 million in grants for 70 projects across the state to help students walk and bike safely to school and home again.

The intent of the Safe Routes to School program is to enable and encourage children to adopt a more healthy and active lifestyle by making bicycling and walking a safer and more appealing transportation alternative. The funds also will help schools and other local agencies plan, develop and implement transportation projects that improve safety while reducing traffic, fuel consumption and air pollution in the vicinity of schools.

Governor David A. Paterson said, "Walking and bicycling are healthy, energy-efficient ways for kids to get to school, and these federally funded grants for infrastructure improvements and education will help children to enjoy healthy school days now and to form active habits that will last a lifetime."

NYSDOT Commissioner Glynn said, "Under Governor Paterson's direction, the Department of Transportation is working to improve pedestrian safety throughout New York State. By making safe transportation alternatives available to children, the Safe Routes to School program seeks to encourage our kids to walk and bicycle to school each day."

Under this program, which was created by federal law in 2005, funding is made available to each state based upon its population of kindergarten-through-eighth-grade students. Although federal legislation authorized an apportionment amount of $31.6 million, the amount was reduced to $27,499,133 due to federal budgetary actions.

In making the announcement, Commissioner Glynn thanked U.S. senators Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton and the entire state congressional delegation for their strong support for the Safe Routes to School program.

NYSDOT administers the program and will reimburse up to 100 percent of eligible project costs for successful applicants, up to the award amount. Applicants who were not selected during this round of funding are encouraged to apply again, if the federal program is renewed next year.

By law, 70 to 90 percent of funding will be used on targeted infrastructure improvements located within a two-mile radius of an elementary or middle school. This can 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 can include conducting police-enforcement operations and developing education programs for parents and children on the benefits of walking or bicycling to school.

School districts and municipalities recently awarded funding include:

• Shenendehowa Central Schools, Saratoga County - $488,500 for a community trails network;
• Town of Bethlehem, Albany County - $170,000 for improvements on Orchard Street;
• Village of Stillwater, Saratoga County - $393,300 for sidewalk extension on Route 4;
• Village of Fort Ann, Washington County - $215,066 for pedestrian improvements;
• Village of Lake Placid, Essex County - $266,779 for sidewalks improvements;
• Town of Colonie, Albany County - $188,545 for a bicycle/pedestrian program at Sand Creek Middle School;
• Oriskany Central Schools, Oneida County - $109,500 for a pathway project;
• Village of Hamilton, Madison County - $48,836 for sidewalk improvements on Lebanon Street;
• St. Johnsville Central Schools, Montgomery County - $122,500 for stairway replacement and pathway refurbishment;
• Village of Broadalbin, Fulton County - $224,000 for sidewalk improvements on South Second Avenue;
• Van Hornesville Owen D. Young Central Schools, Herkimer County - $99,735 for a sidewalk project;
• Whitesboro Central School, Oneida County - $93,039 for a bicycling and walking project;
• City of Syracuse, Onondaga County - $175,000 for a pedestrian safety project;
• City of Cortland, Cortland County - $193,600 for sidewalk and crosswalk improvements at South Pendleton and Huntington streets;
• Town of Ithaca, Tompkins County - $323,000 for a walkway on Warren Road;
• Village of Fayetteville , Onondaga County - $400,000 for pedestrian safety;
• Town of Manlius, Onondaga County - $28,956 for pedestrian safety law enforcement;
• Village of Sandy Creek, Oswego County - $86,450 for sidewalk improvements on Academy Street;
• City of Rochester, Monroe County - $532,000 for pedestrian safety;
• Town of Irondequoit, Monroe County - $400,000 for sidewalks;
• Village of Palmyra, Wayne County - $113,783 for Palmyra Elementary walking route;
• Town of Pittsford, Monroe County - $93,164 for sidewalks on Calkins and Mendon Center roads;
• Village of Arcade, Wyoming County - $388,466 for safe bicycle and pedestrian paths;
• Monroe County, $251,699 - for traffic control upgrades;
• City of Buffalo, Erie County - $550,000 for bicycle and pedestrian safety projects;
• Olean City School District, Cattaraugus County - $385,000 for bicycle and pedestrian safety projects;
• Town of Amherst, Erie County - $550,000 for bicycle and pedestrian safety;
• Chautauqua County - $93,182 for improvements at the Chautauqua Children's Safety Education Center;
• Town of Grand Island , Erie County - $57,000 for sidewalk improvements at Kaegebein School;
• City of Dunkirk, Chautauqua County - $550,000 for Dunkirk public school's sidewalk safety project;
• Town of Erwin, Steuben County - $49,519 for a bike and walking trail;
• City of Corning, Steuben County - $163,968 for Erwin Valley School walking and biking safety project;
• Village of Van Etten, Chemung County - $44,237 for a pedestrian thoroughfare at Spencer-Van Etten Elementary School;
• City of Elmira, Chemung County - $102,500 for traffic calming;
• Tupper Lake Central School District, Franklin County - $61,550 for bicycle and pedestrian safety;
• Town of Peru, Clinton County - $84,450 for pedestrian improvements on School Street;
• Town of Adams, Jefferson County - $188,498 for sidewalk improvements;
• Village of Canton, St. Lawrence County - $99,737 for the Hike and Bike program;
• Saranac Lake Central School District, Franklin County - $38,000 for the Walk or Wheel program;
• Plattsburgh City School District, Clinton County - $99,887 for pedestrian and bicycle enhancements;
• Watertown City School District, Jefferson County - $25,000 for bicycle safety;
• Town of Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County - $423,500 for sidewalk connections at Violet Elementary School;
• Orange County - $410,000 for Newburgh / Union Avenue connection walkway;
• Village of Ardsley, Westchester County - $468,000 for Ardsley Middle School walk-to-school program;
• Village of Chatham, Columbia County - $396,000 for pedestrian safety enhancements;
• Village of Kaser, Rockland County - $270,000 for sidewalks on Blauvelt Road;
• Town of Plattekill, Ulster County - $400,000 for sidewalks at Plattekill Elementary School;
• Dobbs Ferry Union Free School District, Westchester County - $365,000 for outside stair improvements at Springhurst Elementary;
• Village of Pelham Manor, Westchester County - $330,466 for pedestrian enhancements at Siwanoy and Prospect Hill elementary schools;
• Village of Irvington, Westchester County - $228,723 for pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements;
• Irvington Union Free School District, Westchester County - $115,958 for bicycle and pedestrian safety;
• Clare F. Ostrander Elementary School, Ulster County - $25,930 for bicycle and pedestrian safety;
• Port Chester-Rye Union Free School District, Westchester County- $25,125 for pedestrian safety education;
• Westchester County Department of Public Works - $150,000 for Safe Routes to School public service announcements;
• Village of Sidney, Delaware County - $186,115 for pedestrian safety improvements;
• Village of Spencer, Tioga County - $51,148 for thoroughfare improvement at Spencer-Van Etten Middle School;
• Town of Maryland, Otsego County - $70,000 for pedestrian improvements on Main Street;
• Town of Conklin, Broome County - $118,630 for pedestrian crossing improvements at R. T. Stank Middle School;
• Village of Sherburne, Chenango County - $138,000 for sidewalk installation;
• Village of Afton, Chenango County - $93,881 for sidewalk improvements;
• Village of Southampton, Suffolk County - $421,000 for pedestrian safety improvements;
• Village of Hempstead, Nassau County - $527,753 for pedestrian safety at Jackson Elementary;
• Uniondale Union Free School District, Nassau County - $550,000 for pedestrian safety improvements;
• Village of Hempstead, Nassau County - $535,304 for pedestrian improvements in the Hempstead Union Free School District;
• Town of Riverhead, Suffolk County - $475,019 for a sidewalk enhancement and traffic calming project on North Griffing Avenue;
• Village of Hempstead, Nassau County - $509,905 for pedestrian improvements at Fulton Elementary School;
• Town of Babylon, Suffolk County - $434,700 for a program to increase the number of students walking and biking to school;
• Town of North Hempstead, Nassau County - $410,680 for traffic calming on Plandome Road;
• Port Washington Union Free School District, Nassau County - $521,850 for bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements; and
• New York City Department of Transportation - $10,298,000 for the NYCDOT Safe Routes to School Program.

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