The City of Lincoln received a national award on Tuesday for it’s efforts to ensure kids can safely walk, bike and ride to school. Nancy Pullen-Seufert is Director of the National Center for Safe Routes to School.
She presented the Vision Zero for Youth Leadership Award for school zone safety improvements to Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and LTU officials outside Saratoga Elementary School on south 13th Street.
“We are honored to recognize the accomplishments of the City of Lincoln and hope the impact of the City and it’s partners on behalf of children’s pedestrian safety will continue to grow in the years ahead.”
Lincoln is only the fifth City to receive the Youth Leadership Award. “Making sure Lincoln’s littlest residents can safely walk, bike, or ride to school is a priority we all share,” says Gaylor Baird. “As a community, we work together to deliver on this priority, knowing that, as adults, we have a special responsibility to help safeguard our children’s lives as they grow.”
Safety improvements that have been made at Saratoga include installation of curb ramps and an additional crosswalk, reduced speed limits in certain areas, new traffic control devices, signage, and pavement markings to keep vehicles in their designated lane, out of the bike lane and aware of lower speeds.
Other improvements include the addition of a school zone flasher to alert vehicles they are entering a school zone and the extension of a bike lane to the school.
(Photos: KLIN’s Chris Lofgreen )