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Marion continues sidewalk refurbishing

BY JOHN D. HOMAN, THE SOUTHERN

Monday, April 23, 2007 7:10 AM CDT

MARION - The Unit 2 School District and city of Marion have joined forces to help refurbish as many sidewalks in town as possible.

Washington School Principal Deborah Runion said she is composing a Safe Routes to School plan to obtain federal funds through the Department of Transportation in order to build new sidewalks near schools in the community.

Safe Routes to School is a national program that encourages more children to walk and bike to school to improve their health.

"This is still in the preliminary stages," Runion said. "I can write the grant request for whatever we think we're going to need, but there's no guarantee we will get any money. A lot depends on how many other schools apply for the grant."

Runion said she would like to see sidewalks improved or replaced near all four of the district's elementary schools and one junior high in town.

"I basically have to identify areas around the schools that need improvement the most. If our plan is approved, then we can apply for grant funding."

Even if no federal grant monies are awarded to Marion, the city will continue with its sidewalk replacement program.

"We budget $50,000 a year with monies that come from a gasoline tax," said John Bradley, Marion street superintendent. "We have a list of requests and we try to get to the worst of the worst first. Last year, we did repair work on Warder Street, South Madison, South Mechanic and North Van Buren. Everyone wants new sidewalks, but we can only get so much done at a time."

Bradley said his staff of 15 works on sidewalks as time permits in and around digging ditches, removing tree limbs, replacing signage and more. "We can't accommodate everybody, but we do what we can."

Street Commissioner Gary Turnbull said sidewalk upgrades have been ongoing for the last three years.

"There hadn't been anything done for about the previous 40 years in town from what I could find," he said. "Some of the work we contracted out and some we do ourselves."

john.homan@thesouthern.com

351-5805