The Minnesota Department of Transportation this week has awarded $250,000 in grants to more than 100 schools to support walking and biking programs for students.
Grants totaling $125,000 will support Safe Routes to School programs at 64 schools, reaching nearly 40,000 students. Another $125,000 in mini-grants will be used to pay for bicycle fleets, trailers and supplies in four communities and to teach bicycle safety at 37 schools.
The Safe Routes to School grants will cover costs for training and supplies for school patrol programs and for materials and incentives to encourage students to walk or bike to class. The money can also be used for things such as providing bike racks, trailers or curriculum training for teachers.
The mini-grants totaling about $2,500 each will be used for crossing guard supplies, bicycle maintenance equipment and to provide incentives to encourage students to walk or bike to class.
A total of 68 grants covering more than 100 schools was awarded, the Department of Transportation said.
More than 100 schools across the state are now supporting the Safe Routes to School program and increasing opportunities for children to walk and bike to school," said MnDOT Commissioner Charlie Zelle. "More students walking and biking means less traffic on the road and near schools, improving safety and promoting healthier kids."
Since 2005, MnDOT has awarded nearly $20 million in federal funds to communities to support Safe Routes to School. The majority of funding was for infrastructure projects.
Here are the grant winners
