By Lauren Young
The Village of Fayetteville was recently awarded a $775,000 “Safe Routes to School” grant by the state Department of Transportation to replace existing sidewalks in several areas of the village, from Redfield Avenue to Pine Ridge Road, with ones that are handicap accessibility.
According to the state DOT website, the grant enables children, including those with disabilities, to make walking and bicycling to school safe and more appealing.
“Everybody in the village will now have accessible sidewalks,” said Mayor Mark Olson.
This is the second time the village was awarded the “Safe Routes” grant; its first grant, Olson said, was “second largest, next to the City of Buffalo.”
The project is performed in conjunction with the school district, the village and the police and fire departments.
The project’s preliminary design will extend through early April 2019, with construction beginning that summer during non-school periods.
There is also an alternative pathway being considered where an easement, owned by the village, exists on the corner of Bishop’s Drive between Fairfield Street and Edgemere Lane. This pathway would offer a shortcut and help with traffic safety concerns, said Olson.
“It gets [kids] off that busy road and eliminates the need for that pedestrian bridge over Bishop’s Brook,” he said, adding that it would eliminate the need to cut down trees on Salt Springs Road.
Authorization for the mayor to sign the agreement for architectural engineering to commence for the “Safe Routes to School” project was moved by Trustee Pam Ashby and seconded by Trustee Mike Small.
The next Fayetteville Village Board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 9 at Fayetteville Town Hall.
