Safe Routes to School project near completion
Construction of safety improvements near South Fortuna Elementary School are underway and the Safe Routes to School project should be completed by August of this year. Eureka-based RAO Construction Company is doing the work which so far has included demolition and concrete work including construction of new traffic circulation patterns at the school
“The work at South Fortuna Elementary is a complete realigning of the circulation in and out of the parking lot for student drop-off and pick up,” said Fortuna Deputy City Engineer Brendan Byrd. “We hope it will provide a benefit for both users of the school and through traffic in the neighborhood.”
The Safe Routes to School project will also include new driveway aprons, sidewalks, and medians at South Fortuna Elementary School, along with some sidewalk infill along the east side of Summer Street, and new sidewalks along the west and east sides of Lawndale Drive.
“It’s great to see the sidewalk going in on Lawndale Drive,” Byrd said. “The greater Lawndale neighborhood presents a challenge with pedestrians and vehicle occupying the same space in the roadway, so it feels good to know that along this road we’ll have safe spaces for pedestrians to pass through.”
Byrd said part of the work along Lawndale Drive is conforming the new sidewalk and driveway aprons to private residential driveways, which is difficult and presents some inconvenience to residents.
“The contractor has been able to work quickly and efficiently,” Byrd said, “which is helping minimize the time that residents are unable to access their driveways for parking.”
The completed project will include new paving, seal coating and striping, as well as new concrete medians and striping in Newburg Road. RAO Construction began working on the project in May and completion is estimated in August, so school and local traffic will be back to normal when the 2020/2021 academic year begins.
Prior to the start of construction it was determined that a total of 25% of the South Fortuna Elementary School students walk or bike to school on a daily basis, and more than 50% of the students live within a half mile of the school.
The three primary goals of the South Fortuna Elementary School Safe Routes to School project are providing safe pedestrian and bicycle routes between neighborhoods surrounding the school, providing a better structured arrival and departure area at the school, and encouraging students to safely use active modes of transportation, such as walking and bicycling, to get to and from school.