If your community is interested in encouraging kids to walk or bicycle to school safely, you may be interested in a federal grant program that is 100% federally funded and requires no local match. To apply for the grants however, the Tennessee Department of Transportation is requiring applicants to attend training in order to receive funds. You can find out more about this program at this website: http://www.tn.gov/tdot/bikeped/saferoutes.htm.
A series of workshops on these grants begins next week on December the 4th and runs through December 14th. You can find a schedule of the workshops on the webpage listed above. The following is from a TDOT press release on this issue.
Applicants Must Attend Training In Order to Receive Funds
Nashville, TN — The Tennessee Department of Transportation will hold training sessions in December for communities interested in applying for Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program funds. The Safe Routes to School program is a statewide initiative designed to make bicycling and walking to school a safer, more appealing and healthier alternative for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. This year, any agency interested in obtaining SRTS funds must attend one of eight training sessions in order to be eligible to receive a SRTS grant.
“The Safe Routes to School program integrates health, fitness, traffic relief, environmental concerns, and safety all under one umbrella,” said TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely. “These training sessions are an excellent opportunity for communities to learn more about Tennessee’s Safe Routes to School program, and how to develop a successful project.“
In 2007, Tennessee awarded $4.4 million in SRTS funds to 26 schools across the state for a variety of projects from sidewalk construction to installation of traffic calming devices to educational activities. The SRTS program is 100% federally funded. TDOT has received $10.7 million for the program through 2009.
“In 2007, we were discouraged to see that 20% of the applications we received were ineligible. Therefore, we are making it mandatory for applicants to attend one of our training sessions,” said SRTS Coordinator Diana Benedict. “These funds can be used for a variety of projects and activities, so it’s important for those interested in receiving Safe Routes to School funds to know what is eligible and what is not eligible for Tennessee’s program.”
Training sessions will be held in Knoxville, Johnson City, Chattanooga, Cookeville, Nashville, Waynesboro, Memphis, and Martin in December. The training sessions are free and open to the public. A list including the time, date and location of each training session is attached to this email.
To learn more about the Safe Routes to School Program and upcoming training sessions, please visit http://www.tn.gov/tdot/bikeped/saferoutes.htm or email the program coordinator at tdot.saferoutestoschool@state.tn.us or call (615) 253-2421.
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