Pequot Lakes ISD 386, City of Brainerd awarded MnDOT ‘Safe Routes to School’ grants

By Paul Vold kkin@rjbroadcasting.com (3/25/22)

(Minnesota) — Nearly 180 schools around Minnesota were awarded funding to help benefit planning, programming, and infrastructure through the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School grants.

Pequot Lakes Public Schools ISD 386 applied and was granted a Planning Assistance grant to provide communities the resources to convene a team, understand key issues, prioritize, strategies and identify solutions that fit their local need.

The City of Brainerd was awarded an Infrastructure grant to provide construction funding for projects that promote and encourage more students to walk or bicycle to schools. Ways to make routes safer and more accessible include adding sidewalks, trails, crosswalk markings, flashing beacons, and other traffic control devices.

Safe Routes to Schools grants in this solicitation are funded with state and federal Safe Routes to School dollars. Historically, nearly 70 percent of these funds have supported work within Greater Minnesota communities.