What Happened?
As municipalities experience increased demand for pedestrian-centered transportation developments and accessibility, state and federal grants are being utilized to support safe, multimodal transit networks.
Narrow Streets
The Washington Department of Transportation is awarding a $3.7 million traffic safety grant to Spokane to fund the narrowing of a portion of a major roadway. Monroe Street will be converted from a four-lane street plus a turn lane to a two-lane plus a turn lane along a stretch of the road where a recent accident occurred, The Spokesman-Review reported.
By narrowing the street along key city arterials, Spokane will be able to construct:
- Wider sidewalks
- Safer crosswalks
- Roomier parking
- More efficient bus stops
The city is also investing in improved pedestrian lighting and landscaping along portions of the street where local businesses want to attract more foot traffic. The construction and improvements are part of the city’s new road diet that places greater emphasis on pedestrian-friendly designs and walker safety, The Spokesman-Review reported.
Safe Route To Schools
The Colorado Department of Transportation announced a $250,000 grant will be awarded to Fort Morgan to aid in adding new sidewalks and improving existing crosswalks throughout the community. The grant comes from state funding set aside for “Safe Routes to School” programs that make it easier for students and pedestrians to navigate the city through connected networks of sidewalks, Fort Morgan Times reported.
Fort Morgan was one of 58 applicants from across the state seeking state funding for a variety of pedestrian-focused projects. Despite more than $40 million asked for by local governments, only $7 million was available for the grant program, which receives its funding from the federal Transportation Alternatives Program, The Spokesman-Review reported.
Pedestrian Projects
Also leveraging federal Transportation Alternatives Program grant dollars, the Missouri Department of Transportation selected 14 applicants in its central district to receive a total of $3 million, out of the available $18 million, for eligible transit projects such as:
- Repairing or constructing sidewalks
- Pedestrian paths
- Bicycle trails
Throughout Missouri, competition for grants from federal transportation programs is intense. Several communities awarded funding submitting a formal, comprehensive application outlining the proposed project, as well as letters of support from members of the community and local businesses. In the central district, less than half of all applicants received TAP funding, KBIA reported.
Senior Transportation
The Federal Transit Administration and the National Center on Senior Transportation recently allocated a $100,000 federal grant to Dane County in Wisconsin to support the planning of a new strategy to help local seniors take advantage of public transportation. The federal grant is not designed to pay for the actual rides of seniors, but fund the planning process for developing a more efficient system to meet the population’s needs, The Waunakee Tribune reported.
Employees at the Dane County Department of Human Services will experiment with ways to introduce public transportation options to the senior community and assist them in trying out the local offerings. Once local seniors are comfortable with public transportation, officials expect ridership will increase. This, in turn, may make it easier for seniors to attend follow-up medical appointments and improve their outcomes after a treatment or procedure, The Waunakee Tribune reported.
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