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North Branch parks coordinator Nate Sondrol returned from a mid-winter vacation last week, and was greeted by the news his application submitted to MnDOT for funding to begin developing "Safe Routes to Schools" has been accepted. The city of North Branch gets $173,500 from the safe routes grants program that Congressman James Oberstar has championed.

North Branch applied once before but didn't make the funding cut. Sondrol said he revised the application and resubmitted and this time was successful. The way the program works is North Branch completes the projects and is reimbursed up to the maximum level approved. Sondrol hasn't run the projects by the city council as far as its priorities; but he guessed the city will tackle the trail proposed on County Road #14 from Hemingway to Grand Ave. (by the middle school) as one of the first projects.

What gets built or improved under this grant depends on how bids come in, and other considerations, Sondrol added. There's still some work to be done before the projects break ground.

North Branch's grant is one of the largest ones the state transportation department administered. The grants range from a few thousand dollars to finance bike riding trainings-- to the $100,000-plus amounts for large scale capital projects. Nine projects funded in this grant release round are to make crosswalk improvements.

Kristie Billiar, MnDOT program coordinator, said fewer than 15 percent of students are walking or riding bikes to school. She added, "The Safe Routes program works with schools, students and parents at a grassroots level to identify improvements that can make biking and walking to and from school a routine part of Minnesota students' experience."

Of $2 million being distributed in this round 19 applications chosen for funding are outside the metro area and eight are in the metro.

There was a total of 105 applications submitted, according to information from MnDOT. The next round of funding opens later this year. A total of $8 million is in this program.

Other items in the North Branch Safe Routes overall plan include completing sections of sidewalk on Elm Street, installing feedback signs that inform drivers of speed, etc., improving walking routes and crosswalks on busy roads. The police bike rodeos and "pedal with police" program are also possible programs that might benefit.

For application information and details about the Safe Routes to School granting program: www.dot.state.mn.us/saferoutes/index.html.

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