By Ms. Khan of Newton, petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3539) of Kay Khan and others relative to the establishment of a safe routes to school program by the Executive Office of Transportation and Construction.  Transportation.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PETITION OF:

Kay Khan

David Paul Linsky

Ellen Story

Timothy J. Toomey, Jr.

Martha M. Walz

Jennifer L. Flanagan

William C. Galvin

Pamela P. Resor

Patricia D. Jehlen

Alice K. Wolf

Peter V. Kocot

John W. Scibak

Bruce E. Tarr

Carl M. Sciortino, Jr.

Frank M. Hynes

James B. Eldridge

Walter F. Timilty

Theodore C. Speliotis

Gloria L. Fox

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In the Year Two Thousand and Seven.

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An Act to establish a safe routes to schools program.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1.  Safe Routes to School Program.
Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary:
(a) The Executive Office of Transportation and Construction shall establish and administer a Safe Routes to School Program to distribute federal grants under the SAFETEA-LU Strategic Highway Safety Plan (23 U.S.C. Section 148), as amended, to political subdivisions for projects to improve safety in and around school areas. Projects eligible to receive grants under this program may include (among others):
(1) education programs;
(2) construction of wide outside lanes to be used as bike routes;
(3) construction of multi-use trails;
(4) construction and replacement of sidewalks;
(5) implementation of traffic-calming programs in neighborhoods around schools; and
(6) installation of new crosswalks, bike lanes, and signage where appropriate.
(b) The department, in considering grant proposals under this section, shall consider:
(1) the demonstrated need of the applicant;
(2) the potential of the proposal to reduce child injuries and fatalities;
(3) the potential of the proposal to encourage walking and bicycling among students;
(4) identification of safety hazards;
(5) identification of current and potential walking and bicycling routes to school; and
(6) support for the projects proposed by local school-based associations, traffic engineers, elected officials, law enforcement agencies, and school officials.
(c) The department shall give priority in allocating money received by the department from the federal government under the Hazard Elimination Program (23 U.S.C. Section 152), as amended, to grants under this section.
(d) The department shall adopt rules to implement this section.