-information courtesy of Kerr-Tar COG and NC DOT
The Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments is among a dozen recipients who will share $3 million in grant funding for educational programs as part of the Safe Routes to School program. KTCOG will get $160,000 in federal funds, with an additional $40,000 in local matches for a total of $200,000, according to Kenia Gomez-Jimenez, KTCOG’s communications & administrative coordinator and SRTS coordinator. Funding is for two years of Safe Routes to School program implementation and operates on a reimbursement basis, which means that once the funds are spent, NCDOT can reimburse the participating organization.
The grant funding comes from the Federal Highway Administration and the money will be used to develop creative and educational programs to teach community members about safe driving, walking and biking practices near schools.
Safe Routes to School promotes healthy and active lifestyles by encouraging children, including those with disabilities, to walk and bike to school. Also, the program facilitates the planning, development and implementation of projects and activities that improve safety and reduce traffic, fuel consumption and air pollution near schools.
“This is an important way to improve child safety and promote the healthy benefits of walking and biking,” said Ryan Brumfield, director of the Integrated Mobility Division.The local SRTS program began in 2019, when the organization was first awarded funds for this project. The Kerr-Tar COG will use funds from the new 2023 SRTS grant cycle to continue the programs endeavors within the region for K-12 students. The project evaluates public, private and charter schools within the five-county region to address how SRTS programs could be implemented or improved.
Recommendations for education, activities and future infrastructure improvements will enhance walking and biking activities around the region, Gomez- Jimenez stated. The intent of these activities will be to make biking and walking fun for students and adults, encouraging healthy behaviors for a lifetime. The target audience for this project will include the following: School Personnel, Students and Parents, Law Enforcement, City/County Employees, Individuals who volunteer and otherwise assist with school activities.
The Kerr-Tar COG’s SRTS program is especially committed to ensuring that its initiatives are benefitting all demographic groups, with particular attention to ensuring safe, healthy and fair outcomes for low-income students, students of color, students of all genders, students with disabilities, and others.
Collaborative partners for the Kerr-Tar COG’s 2023 SRTS grant application include: Franklin County Schools, Granville County Public Schools, Person County Schools, Vance County Schools, Warren County Schools, Henderson-Family YMCA, City of Oxford Parks & Recreation Department, 4-H Vance County, Turning Point Community Development Corporation & NCDOT Division 5 Office.
For more information, visit NCDOT Integrated Mobility Division’s Safe Routes to School.