Sidewalk grant sought to add safety for kids

Some new sidewalks could be in the future for Rector. The city council met in special session Tuesday night, Oct. 27, to approve the application for a grant to improve walkways to and from the school.

Spearheaded by water department office manager Kim Romine, the city has applied for funds from the Safe Routes To School program, offered by the Arkansas Department of Highways and Transportation. Safe Routes To School was created in 2005 when Congress appropriated $612 million for the program to focus on providing safe walking and bicycling avenues to and from school for American children.

The program also focuses on increasing healthy, active lifestyle for children. According to information provided by the Arkansas Children's Hospital Injury Prevention Center, less than 15 percent of school age children in the state currently walk or bike to school, as opposed to more than 50 percent doing so in the 1970s.

The current proposal for the city would include the removal of current sidewalks and construction of new paths at the corner of South Stewart and East Fourth to West Fourth and Pine; Main and Fifth to Fifth and Greenville, and a new intersection from Pine and Calvin Lane to Fifth and Pine.

The bulk of the project would replace dilapidated sidewalks in the city, many of which were originally built in the 1930s. The grant request is in the amount of $330,480 for a total of 6,400 linear feet of sidewalks. If approved the grant will go a long way toward updating the infrastructure within city limits.

"We're working to improve the current sidewalk situation," Romine said. "If we get this grant, we can do a lot in making it safer for our children and residents to get around town."

Romine has been working with the Rector School District for several months on the application. The special meeting was held to make certain the process could move forward prior to the Oct. 30 deadline.

"We are hopeful that we can get a significant amount of sidewalk improvement funded through this grant program," said Mayor Ron Kemp. "We look forward to the possibility of working with the school to make these walking avenues available for students as well as others in the community."

Kemp also praised the efforts of Romine.

"I want to thank Kim Romine for all of her hard work on this grant application. She has done an outstanding job."