2 SLO County cities want to make it safer for kids to walk to school. Here’s how
A pair of San Luis Obispo County cities received grants to make pedestrian travel safer — including near some of the area’s larger schools.
This week, Arroyo Grande and Paso Robles both announced they received Highway Safety Improvement Program grants from CalTrans to make walking a safer way to travel.
In Arroyo Grande, the $340,560 award will pay for curb extensions to shorten crossing distances, flashing lights to alert drivers, a safe area in the middle of the street for pedestrians to wait and additional signage for crossings at two intersections, according to a news release from the city.
Pedestrian improvements are planned for East Branch Street in Arroyo Grande between North Mason Street and Le Point Terrace, with planned improvements ending around a block from Paulding Middle School — a high-traffic area for students walking home at the end of the day.
Further improvements are planned for the intersection of Huasna Road and Rosewood Lane near Strother Park, according to the release.
“We are grateful for this funding, which will allow us to enhance pedestrian safety and make much-needed infrastructure improvements in our community,” city engineer Shannon Sweeney said in the release. “These projects align with our ongoing commitment to improving accessibility and safety for Arroyo Grande residents and visitors.”
On the opposite end of the county, similar improvements are coming to Paso Robles streets.
According to a news release from the city, the Highway Safety Improvement Program awarded Paso Robles a $380,530 grant to make a pair of intersections safer by installing new rectangular rapid flashing beacons.
These “beacons” are essentially a call button attached to a pedestrian crossing sign with lights that tell drivers to slow and yield to pedestrians, which are in service across San Luis Obispo County at unprotected stops.
The new beacons will be placed at the intersection of Union Road and Montebello Oaks Drive and Nickerson Drive where the Centennial Trail crosses the road, which runs along the western side of Paso Robles High School’s sports fields, according to the release.
Existing pedestrian beacons on Spring Street at the intersections of 17th and 21st streets will be upgraded to match the incoming beacons, according to the release.
All told, the grant will cover around 90% of the installation and upgrade costs for the new pedestrian beacons, with the city filling in the remaining 10%, according to the release.
Traffic signals at Golden Hill Road and Creston Road will also receive upgrades through the grant, which will pay 50% of the upgrade cost, according to the release.
“We are thrilled to receive this grant and look forward to implementing these safety measures,” interim city manager Chris Huot said in the release. “By leveraging these funds, we can continue to prioritize pedestrian safety and make important improvements that benefit our community.”
