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The Department of Transportation & Public Facilities announced today that it has approved 10 applications for grants to the department-administered Safe Routes to School program.

SRTS programs encourage children in kindergarten through eighth grade to walk or ride bikes to and from school by creating safer walking and biking routes. The programs are funded through the federal transportation act known as the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users. The legislation, signed into law Aug. 10, 2005, provides funding to state transportation departments to create and administer SRTS programs. The SRTS programs are designed to promote and improve healthier lifestyles in children at early ages and decrease auto-related emissions near schools.

According to Steve Soenksen, the Alaska SRTS coordinator, more than $710,000 in grants will be disbursed to the communities whose applications were approved. A new round of grant applications will be available between now and the spring of 2009 for communities to apply for SRTS planning funds, infrastructure or non-infrastructure activities. Approximately $1 million will be available in the next grant round.

"These available grant monies provide an opportunity for schools and communities to help address planning, design and construction improvement near their schools," Soenksen said.

The following communities will receive reimbursable grants in various amounts: Anchorage - $265,191; Planning Grants: Kodiak North Star Borough, $5,000, Seward - $5,000, Haines - $5,000, Cordova - $5,000, Sitka - $5,000, Dillingham - $5,000.

DOT&PF's Southeast Region was also awarded several grants including $320,000 for a SRTS project near Floyd Dryden Middle School, $17,165 for SER crossing guard equipment and $78,495 for school district walking route maps.