Safe Routes to School Grant

I am very happy to report that the school district, working with a committee from the township was awarded an $8,000 grant to help us promote students walking and riding their bikes to school. It would have been nice to get the full amount we were looking for, $103,000, but this grant is a start in helping us promote more students walking to school. Governor Jon Corzine issued a press release that describes the idea behind the SRTS program:

NJDOT’s 2008 Safe Routes to School initiative will provide grants for projects in 33 municipalities in amounts ranging from $8,000 to $300,000. The grants will be used for local projects designed to encourage children to walk and bike to school, including the creation of safer walkways, bikeways and street crossings near schools.

New Jersey's Safe Routes to School Program helps communities develop and implement projects that encourage walking and bicycling to school while enhancing the safety of these trips. The program increases pedestrian safety awareness among motorists and schoolchildren. Safe Routes to School also improves environmental health and quality of life by reducing traffic jams and air pollution. In addition, Safe Routes to School improves pediatric health by providing regular physical activity.

We are very happy to be receiving this grant and we will continue to work to bring more money to the school district and township to further promote the Safe Route to School initiatives.

Till next time...