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Sidewalks to be installed on Neff, Hilltop and Montridge near Hilltop Elementary
By ROBERT CONNELLY
CANFIELD
State funding is approved for a sidewalk project in neighborhoods near a Canfield elementary school.
City Manager Joe Warino said Canfield was approved to receive funding from the Safe Routes to Schools program, with the work to be done next year. It’s a grant program that gives the communities funding to build sidewalks to schools to encourage students to walk for health and environmental reasons. It is 100 percent funded through the Ohio Department of Transportation and could be up to $500,000.
The city had been denied last year, but was encouraged by the state to re-apply, Warino said. It will include sidewalks for Neff Drive, Montridge Drive and part of Hilltop Boulevard (Montridge links Neff and Hilltop). Hilltop Elementary is on HIlltop Boulevard.
Those streets could be part of a first phase, Warino said, as “$500,000 doesn’t really get you too far – and we’re targeting the middle school” too, possibly a second phase.
He further explained that streets will be prioritized based on student population from a school safety plan to be done along with engineering work.
The project would begin after July 1, 2016, once fiscal 2017 funds become available, and will most likely feature sidewalks on one side of the street, Warino said.
“We don’t recommend our youngsters walk to school, especially the youngest of kids, but our parents sometimes will walk their youngsters to school [who] might come back to the school for after-school activities and walk,” said Alex Geordan, Canfield schools superintendent.
“And to know that they will have safe walkways is nice to know.”
Warino explained Neff Drive residents petitioned for sidewalks three years ago, which began the process for looking for available grant money.
Canfield schools implemented door-to-door busing for students in kindergarten through fourth grade, the students who attend Hilltop. That was done after Canfield residents supported the school district in November 2013 by approving a five-year, 5.9-mill operating levy.
“I’ve never seen any kids walk to school,” said Mario Finocchi, 66, of Montridge Drive.
“What I don’t understand is putting in a sidewalk to alleviate a problem that doesn’t exist.”
Mario’s wife, Nicki, 64, also said residents on their street get bused to the school when “the school is right there.”
She did say, however, that she would enjoy the sidewalks to be able to walk with her granddaughter.
Eszter Kady, 32, lives with her husband, Joshua, 36, on Montridge with a 2-year-old son and Eszter said she is 28 weeks pregnant with their second child.
“There aren’t many houses on this street, but I know many of them would use” sidewalks, she said.
Eszter Kady said she would enjoy walking on sidewalks with her son and also using a stroller. She said she frequently sees runners, joggers and other young parents pushing strollers throughout the day.
“We were hoping that” sidewalks would be installed “at some point,” she said.
“I’ve seen places where there are sidewalks and people don’t use them,” said Al Schafer, 66, of Neff Drive. “I never thought about [sidewalks] much ... but this is a pretty busy street.”
Schafer has lived on Neff Drive for four years and said “it’s a good idea” to install the sidewalks as it will make the neighborhood more safe for children at play.