Upgrades to area school zones, safer routes for children

Walking and bicycling to school is easily one of the best forms of exercise for children everywhere, especially if it’s a safe one.

The City of El Paso has started a campaign to make upgrades to school zones in the city as part of the Safe Routes to School program.

The federally-funded program will add more signs and lights to school zones to more than 30 schools.

Spokesman for the city’s Engineering and Construction Department Martin Bartlett said officials considered schools city-wide that needed the most improvements and also looked at the schools that are near some of the busiest streets.

The project will be rolled out in three phases, all costing $2 million dollars in federal funds.

“The first phase will be with ten schools in EPISD (El Paso Independent School District), the next two phases will be rolled out as we go east across the city into other schools on the eastside and northeast,” said Bartlett.

The first phase is expected to be completed in the Summer of 2104.

The schools included in the first phase are:

Crockett Elementary School, 3200 Wheeling Ave.

Douglass Elementary School, 101 S. Eucalyptus St.

Hart Elementary School, 1110 S. Park St.

Aoy Elementary School, 901 S. Campbell St.

Clendenin Elementary School, 2701 Harrison Ave.

Fannin Elementary School, 5425 Salem Drive

Newman Elementary School, 10275 Alcan Drive.

Nixon Elementary School, 11412 Loma Roja Drive.

Collins Elementary School, 4860 Tropicana Ave.

Travis Elementary School, 5000 N. Stevens St.

Hillside Elementary School, 4500 Clifton Ave.