Manhattan Seeks $250,000 State Grant for Safe Routes to School Program

Village of Manhattan Board Meeting – October 7, 2025

Article Summary: The Village of Manhattan is applying for a grant of up to $250,000 from the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School program. The funds, which are 100% state and federally funded with no local match required, would be used for infrastructure projects to improve safety for students walking or biking to school.

Safe Routes to School Grant Key Points:

• The Village Board authorized the submission of an application for the Illinois Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program.

• The grant provides up to $250,000 for infrastructure projects and requires no local matching funds.

• Funds can be used for sidewalk improvements, traffic calming, and pedestrian or bicycle crossing enhancements near schools.

• Trustees voiced support for the measure, citing concerns over student safety on local roads.

The Manhattan Village Board on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, unanimously approved a resolution to seek state funding for projects aimed at making it safer for children to walk and bike to school. The board authorized the submission of an application for the 2025 cycle of the Illinois Department of Transportation’s (IDOT) Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program.

According to a memo from Village Engineer Carrie A. Pintar, the program provides grants of up to $250,000 for infrastructure projects. The funding is a combination of federal and state money and is provided at no cost to the village, as no local match is required.

The program’s goals are to enable and encourage more children to walk or bike to school, make pedestrian travel safer, and reduce traffic congestion and pollution near schools. Eligible projects include sidewalk improvements, traffic calming or speed reduction measures, and enhancements to pedestrian and bicycle crossings.

During board comments, Trustee Lucinda Neighbors expressed her support for such safety initiatives, citing recent alarming incidents she witnessed involving young people on electric bicycles and scooters on busy roads, including Route 52. “I’m so glad we are doing something about the traffic to school with the children,” she said, urging parents to talk to their children about road safety.