Earlier this month the Illinois Department of Transportation announced the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Federal grant recipients for the 2011 Funding Cycle. Among the recipients were two projects submitted by the City back in December 2010 as identified in the SRTS Plan for Stratton School.
The City received $122,900 to install pedestrian crossing improvements (raised refuge island, speed feedback signs and some associated sidewalk) at the Neil Street and Eureka Street intersection. The City also received $62,900 to construct sidewalk to fill in a gap along the west side of Neil Street between Edgebrook Drive and Kenyon Road, creating a continuous walking route between Stratton and the Public Health Building and opening up opportunities for collaboration between the two.
Design work will begin later this year, and take approximately one year to navigate through the Federal design review process.
The SRTS Plan was a joint effort between the City’s Planning and Public Works Departments with involvement from Unit 4, Champaign County Public Health, and the Regional Planning Commission. The Plan was discussed and endorsed by Council. A similar plan is currently being developed for Dr. Howard School. If anyone has any questions, or would like more information, please feel free to contact Chris Sokolowski in Public Works or Mishauno Woggon in Planning.