Hicksville Safe Routes to School

The Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program serves to increase the number of walkers and bikers for K-8 students. Ohio began the program in 2007 and will spend over $20,000,000 on school travel plans, infrastructure improvements, and non-infrastructure programs.

DGL was one of three consultants hired by the Ohio Department of Transportation for their 2007-2009 Statewide SRTS Program. DGL was assigned to ODOT Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 8. In all, DGL completed engineering assignments for 31 school districts in this program. School districts included Anna, Antwerp, Arcadia, Colerain Township, Elyria City, Elyria Township, Green, Hamilton, Hicksville, Marion Local, Napoleon, New Madison, Perrysburg, Pettisville, Swanton, Urbana, Van Buren, Vermilion, Wapakoneta, and Wilmington.

DGL collaborated with local SRTS task forces to identify barriers to active transportation and develop effective engineering solutions for safer paths to school. DGL also worked with several school districts outside of the ODOT program to prepare School Travel Plans in preparation for the infrastructure application process. DGL has successfully prepared applications for both infrastructure and School Travel Plan funding.

The Village of Hicksville and the Hicksville Exempted School District teamed to study the barriers to active transportation for the new Hicksville K-12 School. The former Hicksville buildings were located just north and west of downtown. The new school was constructed on the Village’s northeast edge and new walking patterns needed to be established for students. As an ODOT SRTS consultant, DGL led the Hicksville SRTS task force through the 12-step School Travel Plan process. The School Travel Plan was approved by ODOT in 2008. Hicksville was awarded funding to support sidewalk installation and culvert extensions, improving access for students traveling to the new school. DGL completed design and coordinated right-of-way acquisition for the project.