(KAIR)--The City of Atchison Safe Routes to School project gets another boost in state funds, awarded more than $695,000 for the next phase of the project.

According to a release from the office of Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, those funds come as part of  $28.5 million that has been awarded for 32 Transportation Alternatives program projects across Kansas for Fiscal Year 2023-24.

The competitive grant program, administered by the Kansas Department of Transportation provides funding for a variety of projects, including pedestrian and bicycle facilities, infrastructure for non-driver access to public transportation, and overall safety and mobility improvements. 

The release says that $695,492 has been awarded for the Atchison Middle School Safe Routes to School Stage 2, Santa Fe West sidewalks.

The project, meaning better, safer sidewalks for pedestrians, has been underway for several years, comprised of various walking routes to school.

Funds for the program come from the Federal Highway Administration and are currently the primary source of KDOT funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects statewide, including Safe Routes to School. The program also funds transportation projects of a historical nature and scenic and environmental projects, including Main Street beautification projects. 

For the latest grant round, KDOT received nearly 50 applications, totaling more than $83 million in federal funds. The program requires a 20% local match. Project recipients selected for this round provided a local match of more than $7 million.