Oklahoma City's commitment to enhancing pedestrian safety near schools has recently secured a significant financial boost. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) has awarded the City of Oklahoma City nearly $2 million in Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grants specifically intended to fund pedestrian improvements around five elementary schools. This move is set to directly affect students' routes to school.
The TAP grants are designed to support projects that enhance non-motorized transportation and, as part of this initiative, Oklahoma City will soon be able to build new sidewalks around these educational institutions. These five schools, chosen due to their urgent need for pedestrian enhancements, are spread across various wards—2, 4, 5, 6, and 8—and have been highlighted in the bikewalkokc plan as top priorities. To quickly go forward with these improvements, the city plans to combine these TAP funds with the MAPS 4 sidewalk funding.
In a statement obtained by the City of Oklahoma City's official news release, Transportation Program Planner Justin Henry addressed the impact of these grants: "Our recent update to bikewalkokc identified several schools across the city where sidewalks are needed, and this grant, with the MAPS 4 sidewalk funding, will reach more schools." Henry expressed continuous pursuit in finding opportunities to fund vital safety infrastructure around Oklahoma City and gratitude towards ODOT for selecting these specific projects for funding.
TAP grants require a local funding match of at least 20%, which for Oklahoma City will be provided by MAPS 4. This funding mechanism was backed by OKC voters in 2019, including $61 million allocated for constructing sidewalks and amenities to enhance pedestrian experiences.
The affected schools in this round of funding include Bodine Elementary, Fisher Elementary School, James L. Dennis Elementary, Rockwood Elementary School, and Rollingwood Elementary School. The targeted areas will see the construction of sidewalks along several streets, making it safer for the community's children to walk to school.
