A dozen Rhode Island schools and communities will receive a total of more than $2.1 million in federally funded grants to help create safer routes for students to get to school and to encourage walking and biking as transportation choices for students.
On Wednesday, October 6, the Rhode Island Statewide Planning Program, Rhode Island Department of Transportation and the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Steering Committee announced grant recipients for the 2010 Safe Routes to School Program. These grants are 100% federally funded with a goal of creating comprehensive Safe Routes to School programs in individual elementary and middle schools.
Not long ago, walking and bicycling to school was a part of everyday life. But today many children are driven in a private vehicle even if they live close to the school. Childhood obesity rates have more than tripled in the past 30 years resulting in children being at greater risk for a variety of health problems such as heart disease and diabetes, while the number of children walking and biking to school has declined.
CTC looks forward to working with Rhode Island Statewide Planning Program, Rhode Island Department of Transportation, and the selected municipalities and schools to implement the many projects and programs designed to increase biking and walking to school.
This year, CTC worked with these groups and others to promote the October 6 International Walk to School program, where 34 schools across Rhode Island held Walk to School Events to encourage walking to neighborhood schools.
Grant recipients
CTC congratulates the following grant recipients:
* Barrington Middle School, Town of Barrington: $129,700 for sidewalk construction, crosswalks, signage, bike racks, increased law enforcement and various educational and encouragement activities. Contact: Philip Hervey, Town Planner, 247-1900 Ext. 343.
* Primrose Hill Elementary School, Town of Barrington: $138,300 for sidewalk construction, crosswalks, signage, bike racks, increased law enforcement and various educational and encouragement activities. Contact: Philip Hervey, Town Planner, 247-1900 Ext. 343.
* Western Hills Middle School, City of Cranston: $139,685 for new sidewalk from Cranston Street along Ambrose Street, crosswalk, signage, and various educational and encouragement activities. Contact: Anthony Corrente, Principal, 270-8033.
* Kent Heights Elementary School, City of East Providence: $76,000 to continue infrastructure improvements from Round One for sidewalks, signage and various educational and encouragement activities. Contact: Wayne Barnes, City Planner, 435-7537.
* Myron J. Francis Elementary School, City of East Providence: $65,000 for sidewalks, signage and various educational and encouragement activities including materials for school safety patrol. Contact: Wayne Barnes, City Planner, 435-7537.
* Melrose and Lawn Avenue Schools, Town of Jamestown: $203,750 for new sidewalks and various educational and encouragement activities. Contact: Lisa Bryer, Town Planner, 423-7210.
* Narragansett Pier Middle School, Town of Narragansett: $304,424 for sidewalks, bike racks, signage, and various educational and encouragement activities. Contact: Michael DeLuca, Community Development Director, 782-0632.
* Frank E. Thompson Middle School, City of Newport: $238,756 for sidewalks, bike racks, signage and various educational and encouragement activities. Contact: June House, Senior Development Planner, 845-5474.
* Vincent J. Gallagher Middle School and Anna M. McCabe Elementary School, Town of Smithfield: $108,560 for sidewalks, signage, walkway, bike racks, increased law enforcement, and various educational and encouragement activities. Contact: Robert O'Brien, Superintendent 231-6606.
* Hugh Cole Elementary and Kickemuit Middle Schools, Town of Warren: $349,000 for bike path bridge construction, crosswalk, bike racks, signage, and various educational and encouragement activities. Contact: Caroline Wells, Director of Planning and Community Development, 245-2469.
* State Street Elementary School, Town of Westerly: $209,292 for sidewalks, signage, crosswalks and various educational and encouragement activities. Contact: Marilyn Shellman, Town Planner, 348-2604.
* Citizens Elementary and Pothier Elementary Schools, City of Woonsocket, Connecting for Children and Families: $194,225 for sidewalks, signage, bike racks, and various educational and encouragement activities. Contact: Jane Talbot, Deputy Director of Community Planning, 767-1418.
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About the Coalition for Transportation Choices
The Coalition for Transportation Choices (CTC) calls for a 21st century transportation system that enhances our economy and provides all Rhode Islanders with healthy transportation choices. Visit
our website
to get more information about the Coalition for Transportation Choices or to find out how to become a member of the CTC.
Rhode Island's 21st century transportation system must provide all people - employees, tourists, youth, elderly, able and disabled - with safe and dependable access to their community's opportunities for work, education, services, and recreation. The system should be considerably less dependent on cars and fossil fuels as well as efficient, effective and easy to use. It should minimize impacts to land, water and air and improve the health and well-being of all Rhode Islanders. Such a system should be sustained with predictable and consistent funding for operation and future growth.
CTC's work is supported
by the Rhode Island Foundation, The Prospect Hill Foundation and Third
Sector New England's Capacity Building Fund
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Coalition for Transportation Choices
Member Groups
* AARP
* Amalgamated Transit Union
* American Lung Association in RI
* Apeiron Institute for Sustainable Living
* Audubon Society of Rhode Island
* Blueways Alliance
* Blackstone Valley Partnership
* Blackstone Valley Tourism Council
* Blueways Alliance
* Brown emPower
* Childhood Lead Action Project
* City-State, the Urban Design Lab at RISD
* Clean Water Action
* Conservation Law Foundation
* Cornish Associates
* DOT Watch
* East Coast Greenway Alliance
* Ecolect
* Environmental Justice League of RI
* Farm Fresh Rhode Island
* Grow Smart RI
* Head of the Bay Gateway
* LISC-RI
* Narragansett Bay Estuary Program
* Pawtucket Foundation
* Providence Foundation
* Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau
* Recycle-A-Bike
* Rhode Island Bicycle Coalition
* RI Consulting Engineers (RICE)
* Rhode Island Student Climate Coalition
* RI Association of Railroad Passengers
* RI Interfaith Power and Light
* RI Land Trust Council
* RICOSH
* Save The Bay
* SEIU, District 1199
* Sierra Club
* U.S. Open Cycling
* Working Rhode Island
* Youth in Action
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