Did You Know?
New footbridge allows University Park kids to walk to school again
The village of University Park, in the far south suburbs of Chicago, recently installed a new pedestrian bridge that will make a big difference in the community.
The bridge will make it easier for children to get to their schools on bikes and on foot and eliminate an unnecessary bus route, saving the Crete-Monee School District thousands of dollars each year.
Not only will children be able to safely walk to Coretta Scott King and Crete-Monee middle schools, but University Park residents are also now connected to a public recreation center with a pool on the other side of the bridge.
The old pedestrian bridge, which connects both sides of Hickok Avenue where the road crosses Deer Creek, was condemned in 2006.
The village was awarded Safe Routes to School funding from the Illinois Department of Transportation in 2008, after Active Trans wrote a grant for the project in conjunction with the schools.
The Safe Routes to School funding has already covered the cost of installing a new bridge. This fall, the funding will be used for connecting missing sidewalks and installing school zone signage.
Congrats to University Park on its new pedestrian bridge!
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