MONTGOMERY, Ala. – It won’t be long before Summerdale students have a new way of getting to and from school. That’s because the Alabama Department of Transportation has given the go ahead for the construction of sidewalks along various streets that lead to schools in the town.

ALDOT awarded a contract in the amount of $456,252 to John G. Walton Construction Co. Inc. of Mobile, as part of Alabama’s Safe Routes to School program.

The SRTS program encourages and enables more children in grades K-8 to safely walk and bicycle to school in their community. SRTS helps communities promote the health benefits associated with walking, biking and exercising by providing funding to improve pedestrian conditions around schools.

Alabama’s SRTS program is supported by the Alabama Departments of Transportation, Education, and Public Health. For more information on Safe Routes to Schools, visit www.adph.org/srts.

ALDOT’s mission is to provide a safe, efficient, environmentally sound transportation network across Alabama. For additional information, visit www.dot.state.al.us.