Coquitlam parents and kids who walked to school for the first week of the academic year saw some upgrades around their elementary buildings.
Last year, the city installed $45,000 worth of improvements around 15 elementary schools, including new crosswalks, wheelchair ramps and temporary curb extensions.
For example, Harbour View elementary got a new segment of sidewalk, curb and gutter while Ranch Park elementary had a new speed warning sign posted on Spuraway Avenue.
Dan Mooney, Coquitlam's manager of roads and traffic operations, said more money is being spent this year to install some measures that went in during the 2010 pilot project. And additional bigger ticket items are in the budget for the next couple of years for measures such as traffic signals and sidewalks; the city will apply to ICBC to match the funding.
Mooney said the aim of the safety program is to give parents and caregivers a greater degree of comfort when they allow their kids to walk to school, alone or with friends. "It's all about promoting walkable communities," he said.
The initiatives were put in place following an elementary school walkability improvement study, conducted by school and city staff, parent advisory committees, ICBC and RCMP.
