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Marion receives $200,000 Safe Routes grant years ago

Grant promotes exercise, safety for students

Staff reporter

Marion will be getting some new sidewalks — for free!

As part of the Kansas Safe Routes to School program, the City of Marion recently was awarded $200,000 to be used to promote activities and improve routes that will enable children to walk and ride their bicycles to school.

The components to the program are engineering, education, enforcement, encouragement, and evaluation.

Improvement to existing and the construction of new sidewalks are among the expenses covered in the grant.

Through the efforts of the city and Marion Economic Development Director Jami Williams, the city secured the funds after completing the necessary surveys and providing sufficient documentation to encourage a healthier lifestyle for children and adults.

Engineering consultants Bucher, Willis, and Ratliff has assisted the city with the process.

Marion Police Department and Marion County Safe Kids assisted with the application process and will continue to be involved in the program when it is implemented.

The next step is to conduct another survey regarding the route most traveled by students.

The program focuses on kindergarten through eighth grade which means adequate routes had to be devised to Marion Middle School and Marion Elementary School.

Other improvements besides sidewalks include new signs, programs to promote walking and bicycling to school, and educational programs to teach children the safe way to walk and ride bicycles.

Another addition will be more crosswalks which includes enforcement of drivers yielding to pedestrians.

Williams said some sidewalks, probably along Eisenhower Drive, will have to be eliminated from the initial plan because the city did not receive the entire $250,000 that was requested.

The city hopes to have the program completed when the 2008-09 school year begins.

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