The City of Lafayette has been awarded a $298,328 Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Grant by the Colorado Transportation Commission. Lafayette is one of eight infrastructure projects awarded through a state-wide competitive process that provides funding to enable and encourage children to walk or bicycle to and from school.
Lafayette’s project will positively impact students at Alicia Sanchez International Elementary School, Peak to Peak Charter School, and residents of the surrounding neighborhoods by constructing a public trail adjacent to Drainageway No. 4. Undeveloped social trails are currently used by children to travel along this ditch corridor to and from school. The project has connectivity opportunities which will link isolated neighborhoods on the east side of town to Public Road and will also serve as a first step towards a connection with the BNSF and Coal Creek Trails. The proposed Drainageway No. 4 project is located at the center of the newly developed Lafayette Walk and Wheel Loop and will continue to enhance the purpose of this route by providing additional off-street connections. The Drainageway No. 4 project is also an integral component supporting the GoCo Inspire/Nature Kids Jovenes De La Naturaleza (NKJN) project.
“Communities across Colorado are making a commitment to support safe routes to school for their school children,” said Safe Routes to School program manager Leslie Feuerborn. “For the eleventh straight year, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) received more requests for funding than it had available. That’s very encouraging since it indicates a strong interest in getting more students walking and biking to and from school, teaching children pedestrian and bicycling safety, encouraging healthy living, and improving the built environment to support active transportation.”
“This project will help provide a solution to the lack of bike and pedestrian routes by improving the trail so children can walk safely to and from Sanchez,” said Sanchez Elementary principal Lora de la Cruz. “Another benefit will be to provide safe passage for children attending Peak to Peak and an alleviation of traffic congestion.”
The Safe Routes to School program was originally established by Congress in August 2005. This year’s projects are funded with federal funds and managed by the Colorado Department of Transportation. A full list of funded projects can be found on the CDOT website.