By Gary Lloyd
CHALKVILLE — Chalkville Elementary School is getting new sidewalks to make walking to school safer for students.
The Jefferson County Board of Education on Tuesday approved an application for construction submitted by Chalkville Elementary School.
The school received a Safe Routes to Schools grant to fund the construction of a sidewalk that will be located on school property and another that runs along Chalkville School Road from the apartments just across the street from the school up to Park Brook apartments, said Principal Rod Johnson.
“It will make it much safer for those students who walk to school,” Johnson said.
A marker in the area of the school represents a memorial to Larry Bevis, a crossing guard who was struck and killed by a motorist on Chalkville School Road in May 2006.
“I have been working since that time to make it safer for our kids,” Johnson said.
Construction of the sidewalks could begin as early as May 2014, Johnson said.
Johnson thanked Jefferson County Commissioner Joe Knight, who helped coordinate meetings with all necessary parties, and Nick Sims, who did most of the work in writing the Safe Routes to Schools application. Johnson said Knight and one of his staff members in August cleared debris and trimmed hedges in order to make it safer for kids who walk to school.
The Trussville Rotary Club and Alabama Barricade donated 20 traffic cones to the school to help control traffic flow.
All work will be approved by the Alabama Department of Transportation.
The project will be done at no cost to the Jefferson County School System.
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.