LAKE COUNTY – Caltrans District 1 reports that $1 million of the $46 million in federal Safe Routes to School funds awarded last week will go to local agencies in Lake and Mendocino counties.

The federal Safe Routes to School program is designed to give students in grades K-8 easier and healthier ways to safely travel to and from schools.

The City of Clearlake will receive $311,530 to close a half-mile gap in a bike lane on Dam Road. A section of Dam Road which is in poor condition will also be rebuilt and widened to accommodate the new bike lane.

Caltrans reported that these improvements will benefit students attending Lower Lake Elementary School, Oak Hill Middle School, Lower Lake High School, Blue Heron and W. C. Carle High.

The county of Lake will receive $474,480 to provide sidewalks, bulb-outs (rounded sidewalk extensions which protrude into an intersection which shortens the distance needed to cross a road, and which tend to slow down traffic), and crosswalks along sections of Route 20 in Clearlake Oaks.

Those improvements will benefit students attending East Lake Elementary School, according to Caltrans.

The City of Fort Bragg will receive $214,000 to provide, at various locations, sidewalks, bulb-outs, crosswalks, accessible curb ramps, and construct bicycle and pedestrian trails.

Also, at Fort Bragg Middle School, sidewalk barriers will be installed to discourage jaywalking.

Caltrans said the improvements will also benefit students attending Dana Gray Elementary School and Redwood Elementary School.

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