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Mendota hopes to continue Safe Routes to School initiative

Next steps forward presented by HW Lochner group

Lincoln Elementary students and local noble dignitaries pose for a photo outside of Lincoln Elementary School on Thursday, May 30, 2024 in Mendota. Illinois Transportation awarded Mendota for new sidewalks that help students more opportunities to walk, bike and roll as part of the Safe Routes to School Program.

Lincoln Elementary students and local noble dignitaries pose for a photo outside of the school in 2024 in Mendota following Illinois Transportation's awarding of new sidewalks that give students more opportunities to walk, bike and roll to school as part of the Safe Routes to School Program. The City is hoping to help students at Blackstone Elementary School with the same program. (Scott Anderson)

By Mathias Woerner

Walking to school may be getting easier for students in Mendota.

Following successful improvements in 2025, the city of Mendota is continuing to work with the HW Lochner group to improve walkability near schools through the Safe Routes to School program.

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a federal funding program that supports safer, more comfortable, convenient and accessible routes to school, according to a report from Lochner given to the city of Mendota. The stated goal of the program is to increase the number of students walking and biking to school by funding infrastructure and non-infrastructure programs and projects.

“We learned a lot from Lochner, in terms of just understanding how to look at intersections, sidewalks and crossings,” Project Director Annie Short said. “They were super helpful and have been a great resource for us.”

The city of Mendota received a $99,800 grant to fund the work with Lochner, and after filing an application with the State for the walkability improvements based on Lochner’s report, the City is hoping to secure the required resources when the announced result of its application comes in spring 2027.

Five of Mendota’s six schools participated in walk audits, surveys and focus groups to help understand the needs of the school, its students and their families in order to improve walkability near their campus.

“Of course, we all know that we need grant funding to support this because it’s a lot of money to do these, but I do think we learned a lot through the audit,” Short said.

Last year, through this program, the city was able to improve the pedestrian walkways around Lincoln School.

The main areas of concern outlined in the application are around Blackstone Elementary School and Northbrook School, with emphasis on the US 34/IL 251 intersection, and the viaduct on Fourth Avenue.

Short said that placing sidewalks over by Blackstone Elementary School is the primary goal outlined in the application.

The transportation concerns with Mendota Township High School are being dealt with through another plan, allowing the SRTS application to focus on other schools.

Short said that the main resources for Mendota High School would be drawn from the $3 million Illinois Transportation Expansion Program grant, which will provide access to a bike path that runs from the train station to Lake Kakusha and the back section of the MHS grounds.

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