KALAMAZOO, MI -- A $407,549 grant to the city of Kalamazoo will support pedestrian safety around Winchell Elementary School and Maple Street Magnet School.

The federal grant will fund a new sidewalk, pedestrian crosswalks and a pedestrian signal near the schools. The city sought the grant to improve safety for students who walk and bike to school, said Dennis Randolph, Kalamazoo traffic engineer.

“It’s important to protect kids,” Randolph said. “That’s the future.”

The city applied for the grant in 2021 and received partial funding in 2022. Full funding was contingent on the city completing National Environmental Protection Act and National Historic Preservation Act reviews, which took two years to complete.

The requirements are standard practice for federal grants, Randolph said.

“It

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