Safe Routes to School Travel Plan Completed

(The following is an excerpt from the June issue of the Community Development Connection from Amherst Community Director Sarah Marchant. Download the full issue above.)

The Nashua Regional Planning Commission (NRPC) has completed the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Travel Plan for the Clark-Wilkins Elementary and Amherst Middle School.

The Travel Plan was developed in partnership with the Town of Amherst, SAU 39, and NH DOT and dedicated volunteers through the Amherst Safe Routes to School Committee. The purpose of the plan is to develop a strategy for encouraging a greater number of students to walk and bicycle to and from school.

The plan includes a prioritized list of recommendations including infrastructure improvements near the schools, education and encouragement efforts, and traffic calming measures. This fall the next round of SRTS grant funding will become available.

As the Town of Amherst has completed this plan, the Town will now be eligible to apply for up to $250,000 towards completing recommended infrastructure projects. The SRTS is a 100% reimbursement program for municipalities. The Amherst Safe Routes to School Committee will be working with the Town later this summer to develop an application for the upcoming round of SRTS funding.

For more information on this project or to view the plan please check out DPW’s Road Improvements webpage.