Contact: Shalanda Cole

                                                                                                             shalandacole@dotd.la.gov

BATON ROUGE, La. – Eleven Safe Routes to School projects have been awarded throughout Louisiana including Lockport, Lafayette, Bossier City, Sterlington, Eunice, Vinton, Walker, Franklin, and Napoleonville. Please visit http://www.dotd.louisiana.gov/planning/highway_safety/safe_routes/ for more information about the funded projects.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development has received approximately 9 million dollars to fund Safe Routes To School projects throughout the state over the next two years.

Safe Routes To School programs aim to improve the health of kids and the community by making walking and bicycling to school safer, easier and more enjoyable.  They work to assess the safety of school travel routes; make changes to current conditions; educate students and drivers about safe travel and encourage walking and biking to school.

The next funding cycle begins January 3, 2008.  The new application will be posted on the Louisiana Safe Routes to School website.  Interested organizations will have an opportunity to apply for up to $250,000 to conduct Safe Routes to School programs in their areas.

For more information about the program, email Shalanda Cole at shalandacole@dotd.la.gov

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