Streator will receive $240,000 to install sidewalks in Riverside neighborhood near Kimes School

A federally-funded Safe Routes To School grant will help connect the Riverside neighborhood around Kimes School in Streator with its downtown.

The city was awarded $240,000, with a local match of 20% required. The total project is slated to cost $300,000.

New sidewalks are proposed on the east-west routes of Riverside Avenue, Sundown Street and Carroll Street connecting the Main and Bridge streets bridges, as well as the Hopalong Cassidy River Trail, with pathways to the north-and-south route Clark Street.

The idea of the project is to connect the Riverside neighborhood to the city’s downtown.

“This will enhance the safety for the students at Kimes,” said City Engineer Jeremy Palm. “It is the elementary school with the youngest kids. This will provide safe routes for students to walk with their parents or siblings and get them off the streets.”

Constructing sidewalks on Columbus Street was avoided due to the high traffic. Palm and school officials preferred creating a sidewalk route on Clark Street that would lead up to the school’s entrance for a safer path.

A sidewalk also is planned on Reading Street across from the school to accommodate a bus stop.

Safe Routes To School is is a federally-funded program designated to improve safety and promote walking and bicycling as transportation options for school children in Illinois.

In total, 102 Safe Route to Schools applications were received across the state requesting more than $21.3 million. After review, 57 projects were chosen totaling more than $12.3 million in federal funding. Nearby Peru, Oglesby, Ladd and Spring Valley also were awarded funds from the Safe Routes to School program.