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Connecticut Department of Transportation (Department) |
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Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Infrastructure |
Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) is a federal program established in August 2005 in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) transportation bill. The legislation makes available $612 million in federal funds over five fiscal years. Each state receives a portion of the funds based on its percentage of the national total of school-aged children in Grades K-8. The Department anticipates receiving approximately $7.0 million in total SRTS funding for fiscal years 2005 to 2009.
The program objectives are:
- to enable and encourage school children (Grades K-8), including those with disabilities to walk and bicycle to school;
- to make bicycling and walking to school a safer and more appealing transportation alternative thereby encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle from an early age;
- and to facilitate the planning, development, and implementation of projects and activities that improve safety and reduce traffic, fuel consumption, and air pollution in the vicinity of schools.
The infrastructure program is a 100% federally funded cost reimbursement program managed through the Department. No funding match is required. Infrastructure grants are made up of seventy to ninety percent of the total Safe Routes to School funds. Grant awards will be made through a statewide competitive process.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants are any state, local, and regional agencies or any political subdivision (school boards, school districts, etc.). Non-profit organizations can apply through a political subdivision. Public or private schools with grades kindergarten through eighth are eligible. Schools with grades that extend higher than Grade 8, but which include any of Grades K-8 that directly benefit from existing SRTS programs are eligible.
Eligible Infrastructure Projects
Infrastructure projects must reduce speeds and improve pedestrian and bicycle safety and access within a 2 mile radius of eligible school.
Eligible projects include:
Sidewalk improvements: new sidewalks, sidewalk widening, sidewalk gap closures, sidewalk repairs, curbs, gutters, and curb ramps.
Traffic calming and speed reduction improvements: roundabouts, bulb-outs, speed humps, raised crossings, raised intersections, median refuges, narrowed traffic lanes, lane reductions, full- or half-street closures, automated speed enforcement, and variable speed limits.
Pedestrian and bicycle improvements: crossings, median refuges, raised crossings, raised intersections, traffic control devices (including new or upgraded traffic signals, pavement markings, traffic stripes, in-roadway crossing lights, flashing beacons, bicycle-sensitive signal actuation devices, pedestrian countdown signals, vehicle speed feedback signs, and pedestrian activated signal upgrades), and sight distance improvements.
Bicycle parking facilities: bicycle parking racks, bicycle lockers, designated areas with safety lighting, covered bicycle shelters.
Signs: directional signing, signs to provide awareness for bicyclists and pedestrians.
On-street bicycle facilities: new or upgraded bicycle lanes, widened outside lanes or roadway shoulders, geometric improvements, turning lanes, channelization and roadway realignment, traffic signs, and pavement markings.
Off-street bicycle/pedestrian facilities: exclusive multi-use bicycle and pedestrian trails within 2 mile radius of schools that are separated from a roadway.
Traffic diversion improvements: separation of pedestrians and bicycles from vehicular traffic adjacent to school facilities, and traffic diversion away from school zones or designated routes to a school.
Planning, design and engineering expenses, including consultant services, associated with developing eligible infrastructure projects are also eligible to receive infrastructure funds.
Application Deadline: End of May 2007
FY 2007 SRTS Application Other Funding Sources