As Kids Head Back to School

With many Idaho families preparing for the end of summer and beginning of the school year, we want to remind everyone of an investment Idaho made in the 2022 Legislative Session. After many years of work the Legislature allocated an additional $10 million in funding for the Child Pedestrian Safety Project Program. This is a grant-based program we worked with our partners to help get established to fund upgrades to community walking and biking paths, pedestrian crosswalks, and other active transportation options focused on children under the Safe Routes to School and Complete Streets projects.

These projects help make it possible for more children to walk or bike to school safely, as well as helping build more walkable communities for everyone to enjoy. There is also the potential to help keep local property taxes lower as these projects won’t have to be covered by city budgets, but help improve infrastructure for the community. This is included in the larger transportation package as part of Governor Little’s “Leading Idaho” initiative. The projects are a partnership between the Idaho Department of Transportation and the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council, who assist in the development and implementation of the projects across the state. Many of these projects have requested funding in the past, but with only $2 million available annually, there has been a backlog of potential projects. This additional funding will allow 45 projects across the state to move forward, most receiving the full grant amount available (up to $250,00 per project).

To see the approved projects in your area, please visit approved Child Pedestrian Safety Application rankings here. If you have any questions or you’d like to be more involved in your community, please contact us at [email protected].