In this week’s Friday Memo (it’s available on the City website’s News and Announcements section each week) there’s an item announcing a public open house at the NCRC on June 10, 6-8 pm to present the preliminary findings and recommendations on pedestrian and bike safety near our schools which has been funded by a Safe Routes to School planning grant.

I’m very please to know that the Jefferson Parkway/Division Street (TH 246) intersection received major attention in the study and I’m looking forward to learning about possible changes that will make that intersection safer and easier to navigate by cyclists and pedestrians.

The goal of Safe Routes to School is to encourage more students to walk or bicycle to school.  The program seeks to provide coordinated solutions involving education, engineering, encouragement and enforcement.

Public involvement is needed to make it work and pressure “us” (which includes elected officials at all levels) to follow through on the planning recommendations.