MILTON — At the Tuesday meeting, the City Council approved contributing an additional $25,000 to the previously approved sidewalk project for Hobbs and King Middle Schools funded by a $75,000 Safe Routes to School grant.
The council voted to add an additional $25,000 of city funds to the project. Of the total $100,000, $79,519 is contractor cost. The remaining funds are earmarked for easement purchases, according to the city.
Milton and Santa Rosa County applied for the grant as a joint program. Council first took action on this item in August 2016 and approved a resolution relating to the acquisition of eight parcels in November 2017.
“Simply put, the city is working with the county on the project and paying for right-of-way acquisitions within city limits,” Milton Public Information Officer Pamela Holt said. “There are eight easements to be acquired.”
The parcels are located near King Middle at 6608 Magnolia St., 6606 Dearborn St., 6609 Dearborn St., 6604 Applegate St., 6601 Plymouth St., 4380 Ponderosa Rd., 6605 King St. and 5909 Stewart St.
According to the guidelines for the program, applicants must partner with a government agency which is able to:
• enter into a legal agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation
• design and/or construct the project in accordance with all federal requirements
• provide the initial funding for the project before being reimbursed
• maintain the completed infrastructure project
Starting a Safe Routes to School program is an opportunity to make walking and bicycling to school safer and more accessible for children, including those with disabilities, and to increase the number of children who choose to walk and bicycle, according to the National Center for Safe Routes to School.
The Florida Department of Transportation offers SRTS lessons for students.
Elementary school lessons focus on pedestrian, bicycle and school bus safety skills. According to the FDOT website, grades K-5 will receive pedestrian and school bus education, while grades 3-5 will receive bicycle education.
Middle school students are taught pedestrian and bicycle safety with a focus on distractions while walking and biking. Since middle school-aged children may have more independence, the lessons will focus not only on safety and healthy transportation, but also the fact that a bicycle is their first vehicle. Lessons progress more than elementary in using a bicycle for transportation and how to interact in traffic as a vehicle.
High school students will be taught how to walk and bicycle safely, with skills similar to those taught in middle school. There will also be a driver’s education unit focusing on sharing the road responsibly with pedestrians and bicyclists.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: City Council approves additional sidewalk funding