Politics & Government
Safe Pathway for Children Trail Grant Approval
The Safe Pathway for Children Trail would run from the intersection of Diablo Blvd. to the Deer Hill Rd./Stanley Blvd. intersection.
LAMORINDA, CA — The Lafayette City Council will likely take the next step toward creating a bicycle and pedestrian path down the center of Pleasant Hill Road to Acalanes High School by approving a grant application to help pay for the plan on Monday.
The Safe Pathway for Children Trail would run from the intersection of Diablo Blvd. to the Deer Hill Rd./Stanley Blvd. intersection, in front of Acalanes.
The state has authorized $238,000 grants for the project. The money would go to the design and environmental work of the proposed pathway.
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The council's approval Monday would mean the city officially agrees to the grant terms, confirms the city has the money to complete the pathway, and will operate and maintain it once constructed.
Once the grant money is confirmed, the council will decide whether to take staff's recommendation to hire contractor Kittelson & Assocates to do the work.
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The council endorsed the project earlier this year. It's estimated to cost $3.2 million.
The pathway is the brainchild of Lafayette resident Eric Law, who leads the innovation team at San Francisco-based Swinerton commercial construction. He got the idea in July 2017 while bicycling from his home near Stanley Middle school to Briones Regional Park, near the high school. With two sons likely attending Acalanes in the future, he realized how dangerous it is for children to cross multiple freeway on and off-ramps.
The city estimated earlier this year that stretch of Pleasant Hill Road serves as many as 36,000 vehicles per day.
Law's group is raising private funds for the project. The city will also likely apply for federal grants and could include future developer's fees and money designated for city art projects, should the path include an art component.
See more information on the Safe Route to Acalanes High School Project.
The Lafayette City Council meets virtually at 6:30 p.m. Monday. The meeting can be viewed online. If you want to take part in the meeting, use this link with the passcode 294668.
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