Teamwork drives Shelby’s successful grant effort
By David Jacobs
City and school officials are hailing the $609,000 Safe Routes to School grant as a critical step toward safer streets and healthier lifestyles for students in Shelby.
“This is truly good news for the citizens of Shelby and our Shelby school system,” Shelby Mayor Steve Schag said Wednesday in a statement.
EARLIER: Shelby lands $609,000 in Ohio funding
This grant encompasses a range of essential improvements, Schag said on Wednesday, including:
-- the installation of approximately 3,300 linear feet of sidewalk on Shelby Avenue from State Street to West Smiley Avenue
-- the installation of a rapid flash beacon safety device at the major crossing at West Smiley and Post Street
"This project will enable and encourage children to walk to school," Mayor Schag said. "It will also make bicycling and walking a much safer and more appealing transportation alternative, thereby encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle from an early age."
The infrastructure work is expected to begin in 2026 and seeks to improve a key route used by local students. The crossing at West Smiley and Post Street is considered a major corridor for children walking to school.
Shelby Schools Superintendent Michael Browning expressed his excitement over the grant.
“Mayor Schag, (city project coordinator) Joe Gies, and everyone else at the city should be commended for applying for the Safe Routes to School grant and working with the school to make this happen,” Browning said.
“These improvements will help our students get to and from school safer, which is extremely important,” he added.
The grant application was authorized unanimously by Shelby City Council on March 3. The council voted 5-0 to allow Schag, acting in his role as director of public service and safety, to submit the application on behalf of the city.
Schag described the successful grant as the result of strong collaboration throughout the process.
“It really was a team effort by so many city and school officials,” he said. “We are grateful to ODOT for recognizing the need (for) this important project.”
The Shelby initiative is part of a broader statewide effort by the Ohio Department of Transportation to enhance student safety.
This year’s Safe Routes to School awards include 24 projects across 12 counties and represent a $7.6 million investment in student travel infrastructure and education.
AT A GLANCE
The list below of award recipients and project descriptions was compiled by the state.
