September 17, 2021 3:50 a.m.  

Douglas County Commissioners held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday to celebrate the completion of the second Safe Routes to School Improvement Project.

It was held on Carnes Road near Green Elementary School and included partners involved in the grant application process, and the design and construction of the improved safety corridor. Green Elementary Principal Lisa Dickover along with 5th grader Quinn Gibson, 2nd grade student Miles David and 4th grader Conner Ryan were given the honor of cutting the ribbon along with Commissioner Tom Kress.

Kress said, “The dramatic difference these improvements have made in such a high traffic corridor is just remarkable”. Kress thanked local residents for their cooperation, patience and understanding during construction.

Douglas County has been awarded another Safe Routes to School grant for a project in Canyonville, which is scheduled to begin next year. The first project took place near Winchester Elementary in 2019 and 2020.

A release said the total cost of the project was $4.2 million. Douglas County was awarded a $2 million grant from the Safe Routes to School Initiative in 2020. Both Green Sanitary and Roberts Creek Water districts contributed $200,000 each for their portion of the project. The remainder was funded with county road funds. Key partners for the project included the Douglas County Public Works Department, David Evans & Associates, i.e. Engineering and Knife River materials.

Douglas County Public Works worked with Blue Zones Project Umpqua and Green Elementary-part of the Roseburg School District, to put together the grant application.

Principal Dickover said “The initiative is already paying off, parents and students feel much safer in our school zone”. Dickover said the improvements have increased the visibility of their school zone with flashing lights and larger sidewalks. She said that families can now walk or bike to school in a much safer way.