Stafford Receives Grant Money To Improve Walking, Biking To School

STAFFORD, NJ — Stafford was awarded federal grant money to improve walking and biking routes to encourage students to stay active while going to school, officials said.

Stafford received $992,000 in grant money for the "Safe Routes to School" (SRTS) program, the New Jersey Department of Transportation announced.

"The Safe Routes to School program is a great example of how NJDOT, working with the state’s three regional planning authorities, helps our communities access federal funding for local transportation projects," NJDOT Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti said in a release. "These grants will provide resources to improve sidewalks and bike paths to encourage children to stay active by walking and biking to school."

"We look forward to working with NJDOT, the Stafford Township School District and Greater Mercer TMA on the grant," Stafford officials said.

The SRTS program is federally-funded. It is administered by NJDOT in partnership with the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA), Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) and the South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization (SJTPO).

The program was created to encourage children, including those with disabilities, to walk and bike to school, NJDOT said in a release. NJDOT said that the goal is to make bicycling and walking to school a safer and more appealing transportation alternative, encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle from an early age. Projects are designed to improve safety, as well as reduce traffic, fuel consumption and air pollution near schools.