Twin Ports Area Schools Receive Grants From The Minnesota Department Of Transportation; Money To Be Used For Safe Walking And Biking Routes

Schools in Duluth, Two Harbors, Cloquet, Carlton, and Esko were included in a recent grant-presentation from the Minnesota Department of Transportation.  The mini grants were awarded as part of MNDOT's Safe Routes To School program

Mini-grants totaling $125,000 will support the Safe Routes to School program at 64 schools, reaching nearly 40,000 students. An additional $125,000 will fund bicycle fleets, trailers and supplies in four communities committed to working with 37 schools to teach bicycle safety.   Regional partners from across Minnesota will help administer grants in their region.  The Safe Routes to School grants will support non-infrastructure activities such as training and supplies for school patrol programs, incentives and materials for events that encourage walking and biking, bicycle racks and trailers, and teacher curriculum training.

In 2013, Gov. Dayton and the legislature authorized $500,000 in general funds for Safe Routes to School non-infrastructure activities over the biennium.

In January, Gov. Dayton proposed an additional $5 million investment over the next two years to continue to support biking and walking infrastructure and Safe Routes to School programs.

This year, schools received non-infrastructure grants in two categories:

• Mini-Grants – These grants of up to $2,500 can be used for crossing guard supplies, bicycle maintenance equipment, and incentives for walking and biking.
• Bicycle Fleets and Trailers – Grants can be used to purchase a fleet of bicycles and trailer and supplies. These bicycles help implement the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota’s Walk! Bike! Fun! Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety curriculum. Each bike fleet recipient will also receive Walk! Bike! Fun! teacher training.

MNDOT announced the available grants in October 2014. The agency received 85 applications requesting approximately $538,000; it funded 68 grants. A $1 million infrastructure solicitation was also announced in October. Those state-funded awards will be announced in March.

The following schools received grant money:

Regional Applications

Southwest Regional Development Commission: Riverside Elementary, Jackson; Windom Area Public Schools, Windom; Prairie Elementary, Worthington; Pipestone Area School District, Pipestone; Pleasantview Elementary, Lakeview; Jackson County Central Middle School, Lakefield; Heron Lake, Okabena and Okabena/Heron Lake; Jackson County Central High School, Jackson; Worthington Middle School and High School, Worthington

Arrowhead Regional Development Commission:

Grand Marais, Moose Lake, Fond du Lac, Esko, Barnum, Duluth, Hermantown, Proctor

CentraCare Health Foundation, BLEND

Rice Elementary, Rice; Pleasantview, Sauk Rapids; Sartell Police Department, Sartell; Melrose Public Schools, Melrose

Minneapolis Public Schools

Jefferson Elementary, Pillsbury School, Whittier Community School, Bethune Community School, Seward Montessori, Bancroft Elementary School, South High School, Roosevelt High School

Mid-Minnesota Development Commission

Glencoe Silverlake School District, Glencoe; New London Spicer School District, New London; Willmar School District, Willmar

East Central Regional Development Commission

Kanabec County Safe Roads Coalition (five schools), Mora; North Branch Area Public Schools, North Branch

Arrowhead Development Commission

Minnehaha, Two Harbors; Great Expectations School, Grand Marais; Fond du lac Ojibwe School, Cloquet; Congdon Park Elementary, Duluth; William Kelley Elementary and High School, Silver Bay; Sawtooth Elementary School, Grand Marais; Washington Elementary, Cloquet; Churchill Elementary, Cloquet; Moose Lake School, Moose Lake; South Terrace Elementary, Carlton; Esko Public Schools, Esko; Myers-Wilkins Elementary, Duluth; Rippleside Elementary, Aitken; Hill City School, Hill City

West Central Initiative

Rothsay Public Schools, Rothsay

St. Paul Public Schools

American Indian at Mounds Park; Highwood Hills Elementary; Jackson Elementary; L'Etoile du Nord Lower; L'Etoile du Nord Upper; Linwood-Monroe Arts Plus; Paul and Sheila Wellstone; The Heights Community School

Live Healthy, Red Wing

Sunnyside School, Burnside School

Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission

Stevens Elementary School, Dawson; Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg, Murdock; Clarkfield Area Charter School, Clarkfield; Ortonville School, Ortonville

Individual Schools

St. Mark’s School, St. Paul; Pine River-Backus School District, Pine River; Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial School District, Lake Crystal; St. Anthony Park Elementary School, St. Paul

 Bike Fleet Awards

Duluth Area Family YMCA, Duluth

Myers-Wilkins Elementary; Piedmont Elementary; Congdon Park Elementary; Lester Park Elementary; Laura MacArthur Elementary; Damiano Center; KEYzone; U of M Duluth Recreational Sports Outdoor Program; YMCA out of school time programs; YMCA Camp Miller; Duluth Police Department

Perham-Dent Public School District, Perham; and Battle Lake Public School District, Battle Lake

Heart of Lakes Elementary School; Prairie Wind Middle School; Boys and Girls Club; St. Henry’s Catholic School; St. Paul’s Lutheran School; Perham Area Community Center-Summer Rec; Battle Lake Public School District

St. Charles Public Schools ISD 858, St. Charles

St. Charles Elementary; St. Charles High School; St. Charles Park and Recreation; Get Active Club; Project FINE; Whitewater Country Coalition; St. Charles Community Education

Three Rivers Park District, Plymouth

Brooklyn Center Secondary Arts and IB World School; Earle Brown Elementary; Evergreen Park World Cultures Community School; Northport Elementary; Plymouth Middle School; Independent Charter; Odyssey Academy; Park Brook Elementary; Three Rivers Park District Programs; City of Brooklyn Center (Parks and Recreation, Police Department); City of Brooklyn Park (Parks and Recreation); Venture North Bike Shop

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