Caltrans Sending La Mesa $323,400 for Sidewalk Improvements Near Schools

City Hall this week was celebrating a state grant of $323,400—part of nearly $5 million distributed to county agencies by the state Department of Transportation.

“The project is primarily for sidewalks at two segments on Maryland Avenue and improvements at signalized intersections surrounding schools,” said Greg Humora, public works director.

“Improvements at signalized intersections include installation of countdown pedestrian heads, new pedestrian pushbuttons, ADA-compliant curb ramps and new high visibility crosswalks.”

Caltrans on Wednesday awarded a dozen grants in San Diego County to fund projects that will make it safer for children to walk or bicycle home from school—including $769,400 to the city of El Cajon and $500,000 to the San Diego Unified School District.

The funding was provided by the federal Safe Routes to School program, Caltrans said. Since its inception in 2005, Caltrans has awarded $156 million for 356 SRTS projects.

“By improving safety, more children are encouraged to walk and bicycle to school, ultimately resulting in healthier children and less traffic congestion,” said acting Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty.
 
Other grants recipients included:

• The county of San Diego, $670,800 to build sidewalks near Lakeview Elementary School in Lakeside.
• The San Diego Unified School District, $500,000 to create a Southeast San Diego Safety Resource Network that will benefit Bell Middle School, Gompers Charter Middle School, Keiller Leadership Academy, Memorial Preparatory School for Scholars and Athletes and O'Farrell Community Middle School.
• The National School District, $500,000 to conduct safety education and create an incentive program.
• And the city of Encinitas, $331,200 to build raised medians, crosswalks and islands near Flores Elementary School.

The grants will fund similar programs and improvements in Lemon Grove, San Marcos, Santee and San Ysidro.

Public works director Humora said La Mesa’s improvements will occur at:

• 70th and Tower
• University and Parks
• University and Lowell
• Lake Murray and Kiowa
• And Lake Murray and Maryland

“In addition, bulbouts and high visibility crosswalks will be installed at Oakland and Maryland,” Humora said. “And high visibility crosswalks and in-pavement flashing lights will be installed on Kiowa at MacQuarie.”

City News Service contributed to this report.