WEST COVINA, CA, January 31, 2023 – The City of West Covina is slated to receive $2.6 Million in Active Transportation Program grant funds for the West Covina Safe Routes to School & Pedestrian Safety Project. The project will go before the SCAG Regional Council in April and the California Transportation Commission in June. The Active Transportation Program is a highly competitive grant application program that was created by California’s Senate Bill 99 to encourage increased use of active modes of transportation such as walking and biking.
The West Covina Safe Routes to School & Pedestrian Safety Project focuses on school and pedestrian safety improvements. The $2.6 million dollar grant will provide funding for school and pedestrian safety improvements at 21 locations citywide at both signalized intersections and uncontrolled crosswalk locations adjacent to schools, city parks, and areas where there is a high percentage of pedestrian activity. The project aims to promote walking through increased pedestrian safety enhancements.
“Improving safety and walkability throughout West Covina are steps in the right direction in our efforts to continuously enhance the quality of life in our community,” said Mayor Rosario Diaz.
“We are looking forward to fully utilizing the grants funds in order to address the needs of pedestrians,” said City Manager David Carmany. The money will be used to upgrade signalized intersections with audible pedestrian countdown signals, and install new high visibility crosswalk striping, larger advanced pedestrian warning signs, raised pavement markers, pavement legends and yield lines, blinking STOP signs, and radar speed feedback signs at corridors approaching school crosswalks.
This project is being recommended for award and those recommendations will be finalized at the June meeting of the California Transportation Commission.