December 22, 2024
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Spring Valley, Peru, Oglesby and Ladd receive federal funds to install sidewalks in school neighborhoods

Grant money will create path from apartment complex in Spring Valley to JFK school, downtown

By Derek Barichello
The city of Spring Valley plans to utilize the Safe Route to School grant to connect Ponsetti Drive with John F. Kennedy School, creating a safe path for residents who walk from the Heather Apartments along U.S. 6, where there are no sidewalks (as seen in the photo).

The city of Spring Valley plans to utilize the Safe Route to School grant to connect Ponsetti Drive with John F. Kennedy School, creating a safe path for residents who walk from the Heather Apartments along U.S. 6, where there are no sidewalks (as seen in the photo). (Derek Barichello - dbarichello@shawmedia.com)

Spring Valley, Peru, Oglesby and Ladd were awarded funds Wednesday to create safer routes to school.

The communities applied for the Safe Routes to School grant, which is a federally-funded program designated to improve safety and promote walking and bicycling as transportation options for school children in Illinois.

The grants fund 80% of a project, with local communities funding 20% of the cost.

Spring Valley was awarded $244,042. The proposed project would install a 6-foot-wide sidewalk running from Heather Apartments east to John F. Kennedy Elementary School. The multi-use path would connect Ponsetti Drive with JFK.

The Safe Route to School grant awarded to Spring Valley would create a path from the Heather Apartment complex to John F. Kennedy School.

The Safe Route to School grant awarded to Spring Valley would create a path from the Heather Apartment complex to John F. Kennedy School. (Derek Barichello - dbarichello@shawmedia.com)

The project is significant because it creates not only a safe path for the northwest residential area to JFK, but also one to the city’s downtown. Spring Valley Mayor Melanie Malooley Thompson said she’s seen mothers with baby carriages traveling along busy U.S. 6 where there are no sidewalks along the roadway, and this will create a safer, alternative path.

“I’m super excited,” Thompson said. “This is a great opportunity for Spring Valley and I’m thankful for all the residents who wrote letters advocating for it as part of the grant application. We had a lot of people write.”

Peru also was awarded $97,687 to construct a sidewalk from Parkside School to Sycamore Lake Subdivision. City Director of Engineering and Zoning Eric Carls has said the project would help students from nearby residential areas have better access to the school. The grant will help the city add and replace sidewalk on the west side of Shooting Park Road, beginning at Parkside Middle School, across Cedar Lane and ending at Sycamore Street.

Receiving a $249,891 award, Oglesby plans for new sidewalks on Clark Street, Oakwood Avenue, Bennett Avenue, Swift Avenue, Durant Street and Morris Street. The plan is to replace existing sidewalks on Swift Avenue, Durant Street and Morris Street, including new Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant pedestrian ramps. The project will provide improved access to Lincoln Elementary, as well as Washington Junior High School and Holy Family School.

Finally, Ladd was awarded $249,932 for sidewalk replacement on the north side of Locust Street and Peru Avenue, including the installation of ADA-compliant ramps. Pedestrian flashing beacons will be added on Cleveland Street and Peru Avenue.

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.