The City of Billings is seeking a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) grant in the amount of $120,000 to build a trail connection to Will James Middle School from the trail that will be built along the north side of Broadwater between Lillis/Descro Park to Zimmerman Trail. The Broadwater trail segment was selected for funding by the City Council and then approved at the October 19th Policy Coordinating Committee meeting for CTEP funding. The City Council also recommended to PCC that the Will James Connection portion be funded through a combination of CTEP project savings and an SRTS grant. The deadline for the SRTS grant application is December 31, 2010.

Safe Routes to School grants are made available through the Montana Department of Transportation to help encourage walking and biking to and from school. Applying for this grant would give the community an opportunity to create a better link for students living south of Will James School to access the school through the City right of way between the subdivision and the Peter Yegen golf course. Students are already using an unimproved alley through this corridor, but it can get muddy and weedy depending on the weather and a hard surface trail would provide a more permanent and safer access corridor. The residents in the subdivision also use this corridor for walking and biking access from their homes.

The Safe Routes to School grant requires no local match. It is a reimbursable funding program and could be combined with the trail project and CTEP funds that have been locally approved for the trail between Lillis/Descro Park and the trail along Zimmerman Trail.

Staff recommends that Council approve the submittal of the application for the Safe Routes to School application for the Will James Middle School Trail Connection.