The City of Ironton’s Safe Routes to Schools’ program will receive $151,000 in funding from the Ohio Department of Transportation.

The SRTS program is aimed at keeping children from walking in the streets or along train tracks to schools. In all, ODOT is investing $11 million in funding for 66 SRTS projects in 41 Ohio communities.

Ironton’s funds will be used to construct sidewalks and school crossings along McPherson and Thomas streets.

“Obviously it’s another improvement to our current streets, because we don’t have sidewalks in that area,” Mayor Rich Blankenship said.

This is the second phase of the project, which started last year with the construction of sidewalks on Delaware Street.

“We’ve been working all winter on Delaware Street,” he said. “These things take a long time when working with the state. With the new schools, it’s an improvement all the way around.”

With the announcement of funding this year, Blankenship expects the construction at McPherson and Thomas streets to begin next year.

“We’ll assist the state officials as much as we can,” he said.