The town has won a $450,000 grant under the federally sponsored Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program, citing the need for better, safer traffic and pedestrian options in and around Essex Elementary School. On Thursday, April 8 the town will conduct an informational meeting

about the grant and seek community input into the planning.

First Selectman Philip Miller said, "It is the town's policy and the state's policy to keep persons informed and involved when we undertake projects such as this. It is important that the community share its comments to assist in the project's development."

He added, "We also have a $150,000 grant from the state Department of Transportation [DOT] to conduct a traffic study. We have hired the firm of Fitzgerald & Halliday, Inc., of Hartford as our traffic consultants. We have long wanted to study traffic patterns in Centerbrook. We think with this SRTS grant, the combination will allow us to address safety issues in Centerbrook and around Essex Elementary School in greater detail."

To do that, Miller says town officials and planners want to hear from parents and

residents. Earlier this year Miller said further planning was needed "before the town commits any funds to brick and mortar…I think, though, the next year we'll be doing the planning. I don't think there will be any construction before the spring of 2011."

Miller noted that the town has been discussing the need for sidewalk upgrades and new sidewalk links from Ivoryton to Centerbrook and from Centerbrook to other areas for several years.

In its grant application, the town offered a series of recommendations for improved safety for pedestrians, bikers, and drivers on routes near and at Essex Elementary School, Centerbrook Center, the intersection at Westbrook and Bokum roads, and others.

"These are options under discussion. We would like to know what residents think," Miller explained.

Last July, the town, with the support of school officials, parents, a transportation engineer, two planners from the regional planning agency, and Town Planner John Guszkowski, drafted a plan and submitted an application for the federal monies. The SRTS application outlined the major issues related to walking and biking to school and it recommended strategies that could alleviate them.

Currently just a small percentage of the school's approximately 590 students walks or bikes to school, largely because of actual and perceived unsafe conditions, a survey of parents and students discovered. To address this, the town will plan improvements to sidewalks, crosswalks, traffic flow, and parking patterns.

"The projects are in the concept stage. If supported by town officials and the community, they will be designed by the town. It is our plan to improve both the physical travel environment and the community and institutional view of pedestrian and bicycle travel to school," the first selectman said. "We anticipate the Federal Highway Administration will provide 100 percent of the construction costs up to a maximum limit the agency determines."

The Safe Routes to School informational meeting is on Thursday, April 8 at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall auditorium. Residents interested in obtaining further information or providing input may contact Miller at 860-767-4350.