Grant Funds Will Build Simms Sidewalk

A much-needed sidewalk will be built along the west side of Simms Street between Ralston Creek and W. 72nd Avenue, thanks to the diligent work of City staff who applied for and received a highly competitive grant from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).

The grant, in the amount of $101,000, comprises seven percent of the total annual CDOT grant pool of $1,450,000 available to applicants across the State of Colorado. This relatively new grant program, called Safe Routes to School, was formed as a means of encouraging walking and biking for elementary and middle school children.

Arvada’s grant funds will pay for a key missing link in Oberon Middle School’s suggested walking route for seventh and eighth graders. Oberon Middle School Principal Dana Ellis was instrumental in providing school support, a factor in CDOT’s selection process. "We are thrilled that this sidewalk will be built," Principal Ellis stated. "We have a high percentage of kids who attend Oberon that walk or bike to school along this route, so the construction of the sidewalk will positively impact many of our students. Speaking for myself, I often ride my bike to school along Simms Street on what is currently a dirt path, so I am personally very excited to see this accomplished," Ellis concluded.

The sidewalk will be a shared bicycle/pedestrian path, which will link with existing sidewalks in the area. The project should greatly improve pedestrian/bicyclist safety in this area in addition to adding a much needed link to the City’s bicycle trail system. It also benefits users of RTD’s Access-a-Ride program in enabling handicapped persons to better access nearby public facilities.

Timing for construction of the sidewalk has yet to be determined. The City does not anticipate construction to begin until at least 2009.