TPS Awarded 75K Safe Routes to School Grant

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Last year, cycling enthusiasts at The Project School formed the Bicycle Action Group (B.A.G.), a school and community-based partnership that sought to increase awareness around alternative forms of transportation and the health benefits of cycling, and to begin the process of incorporating cycling into the daily life of the school. B.A.G. members surveyed families about concerns for the safety of current walking and biking routes to school, hosted a day-long cycling event, led the inaugural ride of the Bike Train on Bike to Work Day, sponsored two training sessions for students and families on safe cycling practices, and worked with local community members to increase awareness of cycling in this neighborhood.

In the hopes of expanding cycling initiatives and to develop a year-long cycling program at the school, B.A.G. members began to look for additional funding sources. Last spring, we applied for a Safe Routes to School grant to seek funding for the development and implementation of a year-round cycling program. The Safe Routes to School program is a federally sponsored program that channels funds through the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) to support program development at the school level. Our project is one of six proposed projects statewide to receive funding for increased cycling and walking initiatives in the school community. Based on the proposal B.A.G. members submitted, our school is eligible for $75,000 to expand the cycling program. With this grant, we will be able to purchase spinning bikes for the winter months, tools and patch kits for bicycle repair and maintenance, as well as use the funds to increase the presence of cycling at our school. Look for more information to follow in the coming weeks about the new picture of cycling in The Project School community. We welcome new members to the Bicycle Action Group, which will hold its next meeting on Monday, December 14th at 5:00pm.