ODELL — For three months, from August through October, Hood River County has created a temporary Puma Path to Mid Valley Elementary with paw stencils and a crosswalk to reduce safety concerns of Odell Highway and inspire students to walk a half mile from the Mud Alley neighborhood to school in a weekly “walking bus” with their peers and caregivers.
The fifth-grade students will be able to experience the path and give feedback during their bike unit in PE class. This project, along with new Smith helmets, a fleet of Woom learning bikes for kindergartners, and bike fix-it stations at Mid Valley Elementary and Wy’east Middle School, were funded with a $25,000 Youth Active Transportation grant from the Governor’s Highway Safety Association and National Road Safety Foundation. Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) was the grant applicant and one of five state agencies chosen to receive this funding.
The Puma Path grant was leveraged with a $15,000 ODOT Innovative Mobility Program grant won by the Mid Valley Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO). The funding was used to buy and build a bike shed on campus and 29 new Cleary learning bikes for fifth grade students.
Beginning in January 2025, the County of Hood River will start a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) planning process to identify the barriers for students who walk or bike to each of the six county schools. The findings and caregiver feedback on the Puma Path will help inform the Mid Valley SRTS plan.
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