Safe Routes to School gets money

The Centreville Downtown Development Authority has agreed to front more than $400,000 toward the Safe Routes to Schools program in Centreville.

The opportunity to provide the up-front funding became available after it was announced a federal grant of $416,000 was conferred to the Centreville Safe Routes to Schools. In order to qualify for the grant, however, the money would be awarded as reimbursement within a 90-day period.

Neither the local Safe Routes to Schools committee nor the village of Centreville was in a position to commit that amount of money for up to three months. The grant was secured, however, thanks to the DDA and its offer to cover the up-front expense.

Chris Sheteron, who has headed up the local Safe Routes to School program, said a key improvement as a result of the funds will be the creation of sidewalks on both sides of Charlotte Street over a six-block stretch, from Davis Street east to South Dean Street.