City completes Safe Routes to School sidewalk project near Briarcrest Elementary

New sidewalk for Briarcrest students
Photo courtesy City of Shoreline

Thanks to grant funding from WSDOT’s Safe Routes to School program, students walking to Briarcrest Elementary now have safer options. As part of the 2011-2013 transportation budget, the State awarded the City $385,000 to construct sidewalks along 27th Avenue NE between NE 150th Street and NE 155th Street, and on NE 156th Street between 25th Avenue NE and 28th Avenue NE. In addition to the construction of sidewalks, the project also has an education and enforcement component. City staff have been working closely with Briarcrest Elementary and Shoreline Police on the design and implementation of those components.

Working cooperatively with the Shoreline School District and the Shoreline Police, the City has identified pedestrian routes near schools that need sidewalk improvements and worked aggressively to identify grant funding to install them.

"Safety of our students is our top priority and we appreciate the opportunity to partner with the City to create sidewalks near Briarcrest," said Shoreline Schools Superintendent Sue Walker.

Funded under Safe Routes to School money
Photo courtesy City of Shoreline

“This is a great example of how local jurisdictions can work together to leverage Shoreline taxpayers dollars and benefit the community in ways we couldn’t when acting alone,” stated Shoreline Mayor Keith McGlashan.

The purpose of the Safe Routes to School program is to improve safety and mobility for children by enabling and encouraging them to walk and bicycle to school. Funding from this program is for projects within two-miles of primary and middle schools (K-8). It is a highly competitive funding program; only 29 projects of the 124 submitted from throughout the state were selected for funding in the 2011-2013 biennium.

Money has been awarded in the next budget for sidewalks around Einstein.
Photo courtesy City of Shoreline

As part of the of the 2013-2015 Transportation Budget, the City has been selected again by WSDOT to receive another $435,000 in Safe Routes to School funding to build sidewalk improvements around Einstein Middle School. Through its aggressive grants program, the City continually looks for ways to leverage local taxpayers’ dollars.

Visit the City’s website for a map of the completed improvements.