Easton Students Celebrate Completion of Safe Routes to School Walkway

Sometimes walking, running, or biking can be the best form of transportation.

At least that was a message to third, fourth and fifth graders in Easton today.

Students at H.H. Richardson and F.L. Olmsted Schools officially celebrated the completion of the new campus path connecting Lothrop Street to the Olmsted-Richardson and Easton Middle School parking lots Thursday morning.

"Today marks the celebration of something that has been in the works for 4-5 years," Olmsted-Richardson Principal Gary Mazzola told the large group of students.

After a ribbon cutting ceremony, the students walked the path with administrators, students and representatives from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

Easton received a $400,000 federal grant from the Safe Routes to School Program. The project had been in the works since 2009. Mazzola said final touches were put on the walking path this week when landscaping was completed.

He also recognized fifth grader Grace O'Leary for receiving third place in the state for the Safe Routes to School bicycling poster contest.

In addition to Mazzola and assistant principal Frank Rich, the project's engineer Mike Meyers addressed the students, as did Miss Commonwealth Courtney Stern.

Stern's speech emphasized the importance of exercise.

"The healthy lifestyles that we are promoting will follow through into adulthood," she said.

The Safe Routes to School program is a national initiative to "improve safety on walking and bicycling routes to school and to encourage children and families to travel between home and school using these modes," according to the Safe Routes to School website.