COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Two grant-funded Safe Routes to School (SRTS) projects are under way that aim to promote and encourage students to opt to walk or bike to class rather than take the bus or have a parent drop them off.

Prior to the project, discontinuous sidewalks lined North Hancock Avenue. With the $104,160 being funded by SRTS and Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority, new curbs, gutters and sidewalks will be implemented along with a new mid-block pedestrian hybrid beacon signal. It will be the first signal of its kind to be installed in the city and has been shown to reduce pedestrian accidents by more than 50 percent according to a study published in Transportation Research Record by controlling traffic with a series of flashing lights until the pedestrian is safely across the street.

Residents throughout the Ridgeview at Stetson Hills neighborhood have voiced concerns regarding speeding and cut-through traffic as it affects the safety of students walking to Ridgeview Elementary and Skyview Middle School. This concern initiated the project that intends to mitigate traffic and improve school crossing zones.

The Safe Routes program granted this project with $102,375. The city will also tapping into a small amount of the remaining money from the Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program, a program which is no longer in operation.

December is the anticipated completion date of this project, which began this month.

The National State Routes to School Program was established in 2005 and since its inception, has designated $612 million with the goal of promoting walking and biking.

Between grants, $1.41 million spread 11 has been awarded to the city of Colorado Springs since the program was established.